A bid from Country Auto Center, Plymouth, on a 2015 Dodge Ram 550 truck cab and chassis was accepted for the Warsaw Public Works at today’s Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.
The bid was one of two bids received, with the other bid from Glenbrook Dodge, Fort Wayne, being determined non-compliant with the bid specifications. Other bids had been received but withdrawn prior to bid opening.
Country Auto’s bid, the highest bid, totaled $182,372 for four chassis. The urgency for bid acceptance is due to the switch of vehicle model years. The order needed to occur before April 30.
Applications by two taxi cab companies: David and Holly Cesaretti with A & A Taxi, Warsaw, and Larry and Mary Rock with Rocks Yellow Cab, Tippecanoe, were also approved. It was noted A & A will provide airport transportation to Fort Wayne, South Bend, O’Hare and Indianapolis according to the application. Rocks Yellow Cab will be providing regular taxi service. It was pointed out Rocks Yellow Cab is not associated with the company, which recently had its permit revoked.
During other business the board:
- Approved a street closure request for the St. Regis Club Cancer Benefit, Sunday, May 3. The request is to close between the city hall and the business from noon until 11 p.m. The benefit is for their bar manager. There will be food trucks/vendors, live music and seating in the alley.
- Approved closure of Center Street from Indiana to Lake Street and Buffalo Street between Main and Market from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, and Lake Street from Center to Market streets and Market Street to the round-a-bout at Zimmer on West Center Street from approximately 7:45 p.m. until dark. The closing will be for the Fat & Skinny Tire Festival including a 3.2 mile time trial. Bicyclists are expected to reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour during the time trial. Residences and businesses along the time trial route will be notified by letter or in person.
- Approved the application for the police department to apply for a bulletproof vest partnership grant through the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. If approved the grant will reimburse the city for one-half the cost of the purchase of seven vests.
- Approved an agreement with FireCatt LLC for hose and ground ladder testing and CFS Inspections for the annual aerial inspection, pressure test and flow test. The total cost for both agreements is $7,345. (Related: WWFT Approves Inspection Agreements)
- Granted the application for the annual Amusement Entertainment Permit for the parks department. The cost of the application is $738. The permits, through the Department of Homeland Security Division of Fire Safety-Permit Division, are required to allow rental and concert use of the facilities.
- Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Christiansen was given the approval, with a stipulation, to drop the city’s current natural gas supplier, IGS Energy, formerly Border Engery, and sign a two-year contract with Realgy Energy. A study showed the city has been paying IGS more than what NIPSCO would charge and a switch would save the city $10,000 to $15,000 a year on gas costs. The stipulation is if the drop fee charge by IGS is reasonable. There is no cost to sign the contract.
- Travel requests for Gordon Allen, Phillip Hawks and Ross Minear to a proactive criminal patrol conference at the military base in Hattiesburg, Miss., was approved. The total cost of $240 is for fuel and food for the trip there and back.
The next meeting of the board will be 10:30 a.m. May 15.