Warsaw Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon speaks with the Board of Public Works and Safety about purchasing two vehicles for the street department during a Nov. 18 meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw’s street department received approval to purchase two vehicles during a Nov. 18 Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.

In his first request, Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon asked for permission to purchase a used 2012 International 4000 Series dump truck from the town of Milford. The truck, which has 12,376 miles on it, includes a Boss snowplow and Monroe salt spreader.

Dillon said the truck’s cost is $50,000, when the typical purchase price for a similar vehicle is about $160,000.

“The town of Milford doesn’t have the employees that have the right credentials any longer to drive and use this truck, so it’s a win-win for both entities,” said Dillon.

Dillon also requested permission to purchase a 2023 side load garbage truck. The cost for the truck is $348,178, but will be lowered to $248,178 upon the street department trading in its 2016 Peterbilt side load truck.

Funding for the truck’s purchase is available in the 2022 street department budget, specifically from the machinery and equipment section.

Dillon noted with the 2016 truck, a lot of parts for the vehicle are no longer available.

In other business, the board approved a bid for microsurfacing and crack sealing from Pavement Solutions Inc., Middletown. The bid quotes microsurfacing work at $4.89 per square yard, and crack sealing at $1.30 per pound for asphalt. Pavement Solutions Inc. was the only bidder.

The board also heard updates on a sidewalk project near Lincoln Elementary School and road work on Country Club Lane.

Planning Director Justin Taylor presented an amendment to a contract for the Lincoln sidewalk construction project. The amendment results from additional work undertaken by the project’s engineer following a rebid process required by the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Taylor said the project will go out for re-bid in early 2023. The project was first bid in April, but due to the only received bid being overbid, INDOT ultimately rejected it. In the second bid process, Taylor said there was a technical issue with an INDOT regulation, resulting in the sole bid received in the second round being rejected.

Utility Manager Brian Davison and City Engineer Aaron Ott said the Country Club Lane drainage improvement project is completed. They told the board the work should help alleviate flooding issues at the Country Club Lane Extension intersection.

The board also:

• Approved a contract with Novotx for Elements XS project implementation for the city.
• Approved a service agreement between the city and Schneider Geospatial to improve communication between the city and county GIS mapping systems.
• Approved the Warsaw Police Department accepting about $15,200 in funds from the 2023 Comprehensive Hoosier Highways Injury Reduction Program grant.
• Approved WPD entering an inter-local agreement with Kosciusko County for access to the county’s records management server.
• Approved the street department entering a contract with Ceres Solutions Cooperative for diesel and fuel.

At the end of the meeting, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer commended emergency personnel who responded to a serious vehicle accident involving a school bus and semi on Saturday, Nov. 12.

“As far as taking care of this disastrous situation, I’m proud of the way our community responded,” said Thallemer. “I am appreciative that (our emergency crews) were ready and knew what to do.”

The board’s next meeting is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at Warsaw City Hall.