Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel Beam speaks during the Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety’s meeting on Friday, March 18, at Warsaw City Hall. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Warsaw Police Department is once again hoping to use a grant to help pay for patrols to monitor school bus safety.

At its meeting on Friday, March 18, the Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety OK’d the department being part of the application process for an Indiana Criminal Justice Institute Stop Arm Violation Enforcement (S.A.V.E.) grant.

Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel Beam explained that the grant would pay for WPD officers to conduct patrols watching for vehicles driving past school buses that have their stop arms out.

“This grant is coordinated through the town of Winona Lake as part of the Kosciusko County Traffic Safety Partnership. We’re seeking $12,500; our portion would be approximately $4,500,” said Beam.

He later told InkFreeNews that if received the grant would cover patrols this spring and into September of the next school year.

In other business, the board:

• Approved road closure requests from Main Street Warsaw for First Fridays from May-December and Spooktacular this year.
• Approved a bid from Thomas Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Highland for three Dodge Durangos for the WPD. The cost for all three is $102,201. Thomas Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM was the lone bidder for the vehicles.
• Approved G&G Hauling & Excavating of Warsaw’s bid of $118,916.50 to do shoreline restoration work at Center Lake. The board selected it over Stanger Group Inc. of Goshen’s bid of $133,421.25.
• Heard that city Human Resources Director Jennifer Whitaker is retiring in a few months after 30 years of service.
• Approved the annual allowance of $3,500 from the Warsaw Parks & Recreation Department to help pay for the fireworks at Winona Lake. The date for those is Saturday, July 2, with a rain date of Sunday, July 3.
• Approved around $67,000 for emergency repairs to the roof of the Warsaw Street Department’s main shop building. Warsaw Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon said the roof was severely damaged in a wind event on Sunday, March 6.
• Approved purchasing a Bobcat compact loader for the street department from Bobcat of Warsaw at a cost of $85,507.21.

The board’s next meeting is 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 1, at Warsaw City Hall.