WARSAW — A joint-funding agreement between the U.S. Department of the Interior and the city’s stormwater utility was approved by the Warsaw Board of Works Friday morning, July 15. The agreement, costing $4,000, is for the operation and maintenance of the Pike Lake stream gauge from Oct. 1, through Sept. 30, 2017.

Brian Davison stated the city was notified a year ago the government was going to halt maintenance of this gauge unless it was funded by the city. Davison and James Emans, city engineer, stated the data collected is valuable to the city for potential future projects.” If it wasn’t our dam, it would be different. It’s worth the fee,” said Emans. The data collected from that site is valuable for any future modifications in that area.

Mayor Joe Thallemer stated the recent rain events have uncovered the weaknesses in the pre1900 stormwater systems. He noted failure of joints were discovered and in the process of being repaired. The city is evaluating the concerns with other joints and prioritizing the areas needing work.” It will be a big project and we are in the process of evaluating that. You will hear more as we get to that point,” Thallemer said.

Project Letting Moved

Jeremy Skinner, city planner, received approval to amend the original INDOT Husky Trail contract to allow for the project letting to be moved out one month, until January 2017. He stated the city is completing the final two right-of-way acquisitions. The hope is to have the acquisitions finished by the end of July. “It gives us more wiggle room,” said Skinner, noting the government requires a six month waiting period after the acquisitions before project letting can take place. “It could be moved up if we get all the parcels.”

Originally it was agreed the bid letting would take place in December.

During other business the board:

• Approved two pay applications and change order for Atlas Excavating Inc., West Lafayette, on the Main Street Sewer Replacement project. One pay application was for $107,939.56, the other was for $221,102.70. Also approved was a change order for a storm structure in an alley, changing the line from a six-inch to a 12-inch line for future projects. This cost was approved at $2,930.
• Accepted a matching grant from the Indiana Arts Commission in the amount of $3,938. The funds will be used to support the Central Park Concert Series.
• Approved the park department to trade in a 2012 Toro Z Master Z 5000 with bagger to be applied toward the purchase of a new Toro Z Master 5000 with bagger.
• Denied Habitat for Humanity’s request to be exempt from a sewer tap on fees, but approved its exemption for inspections for any homes being built within the city. It was noted during the discussion, the city’s ordinance does give a discount for non profits for a tap on. The typical cost for a tap on is $1,750. Non profits are given a discount cost of $500. The inspection cost is $250 but the city ordinance does not provide for a discount for non profits.
• Approved travel request for the police department to have Jordan Foreman attend training in forensics phone and computer analysis; Phillip Hawks to attend drive rescue training; and Paul Heaton to attend the annual law enforcement conference. Approval was also given for Joe Fretz, Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory, to attend the annual Indianapolis Fire Investigation Conference and for Nick King, airport manager, to attend the Oshkosh Air Show to hear a panel discussion on drones near airports and the quarterly meeting of the Aviation Association of Indiana.