Warsaw’s Board of Public Works and Safety this morning approved a contract to hire Ground Rules Inc. to complete the city’s comprehensive plan. The $50,750 contract means that, within the next 11 months, the city should have a solid plan for future growth and development.

City planner Jeremy Skinner told the B.O.W. that the committee – consisting of himself, assistant planner Tim Dombrosky, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and city councilman Mike Klondaris – interviewed three potential companies to complete the comprehensive plan, but felt the Zionsville-based Ground Rules Inc. “had a good pulse on what we want to do.”

While only $50,000 was budgeted for the comprehensive plan, the B.O.W. approved the additional $750 which will allow a planner from Ground Rules Inc. to attend the Ball State charrette coming up in June. The charrette (an intensive planning session) will be led by the Ball State University School of Architecture and Planning. The group of students and skilled planners will be studying an area of the Gatke building on McKinley Street to the Little Crow property. A four-day public input session on ideas for those areas will also be held.

In other business, the B.O.W. approved three purchases for the Public Works Department. A directional arrow board and an air compressor purchase from Fastenal was granted to Lacy Francis, superintendent, for a grand total of $14,582.

Also, the purchase of a Bobcat for $7,000 was given the OK and is to include a trade-in. The final purchase, from Rice Ford of Warsaw, is for a 1-ton cab and chassis for a dump truck. The total purchase price of $39,105 includes $24,762 for the cab and chassis and $14,343 for the dump truck body and plow, to be purchased from W.A. Jones.

Larry Plummer, superintendent of the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department, asked the B.O.W. members to approve a quote for roof repairs at Center Lake Pavilion. Recent rains brought forth the discovery that the lower wings of the pavilion’s flat roof are in need of repairs.

Clerk-treasurer Lynn Christiansen advised the board that, prior to approving the expense of $10,482 as quoted by Royalty Roofing of Warsaw, they need to make sure the company is able to be hired. U.S. law requires cities to employ only individuals and companies who may legally work in the United States, but it does not yet require all companies to register.

E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.

The matter was approved by the B.O.W. to go before the Warsaw Common Council Monday night for final approval. It was believed that, perhaps due to the emergency nature of the needed repairs, the city could work around the rule as long as the company is bonded and insured.

One final contract was also approved with Butt and Timmons Construction Inc. for the construction of restroom facilities at Beyer Park. Total contract price is $37,269.30.

The B.O.W. members are Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and common councilmen Charlie Smith and Jeff Grose.