Warsaw Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer speaks with Board of Public Works and Safety members about band contracts for the annual Summer Concert Series. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Several contracts for Warsaw’s annual Summer Concert Series were approved during a Feb. 3 Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.

Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer presented three concert contracts to the board. The contracts are with Blue Holler Band, a bluegrass group; Moonshots, a band performing songs from the 1950s to today’s hits; and Tuxedo Junction, who performs big band hits from the swing era. Contract amounts for the groups are $900; $1,800; and $1,200, respectively.

Blue Holler Band will perform on May 26, Moonshots will perform on June 9, and Tuxedo Junction will perform on June 2.

A contract with watercolor artist Terry Armstrong in the amount of $350 was also approved by the board. Armstrong will instruct a painting class on March 10, at the Firemen’s Building on East Arthur Street. Registration for the class opens Feb. 6.

Schaefer told the board Warsaw’s Parks and Recreation Department was awarded a $7,000 grant from the Richard, Evelyn and Jane Glover Charitable Endowment at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. The funds will be used to support musical artists for the Summer Concert Series. The board approved the department accepting the grant.

In other business, a single bid from Pyramid Equipment Inc., Rolling Prairie, for four 2022 Ford F-550 4×2 chassis was opened. The bid amounts to $65,280 per vehicle. Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon said the city’s public works department budgeted for the purchase of five vehicles and said the four 2022 Ford F-550s from Pyramid Equipment Inc. are available right now. The board approved the department purchasing the four vehicles.

The purchase of three Bobcat E60 excavators with accessories for three city departments was also approved by the board. Warsaw’s public works department, wastewater department, and Oakwood Cemetery representatives worked collaboratively on these purchases to help cut costs.

After trading in a 2013 Bobcat E55 excavator, the public works department will purchase an E60 excavator at $50,529.52.

Oakwood Cemetery will trade in a 2017 Bobcat E50 excavator and bucket, bringing their price for an E60 excavator to $36,625.58. The city’s wastewater department’s purchase amount does not include a trade-in, with the final cost for an E60 being $84,506.82. This collaborative effort has saved the City of Warsaw over $170,000.

The board’s next meeting is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in Warsaw City Hall.