Board of Public Works and Safety

BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY COUNCIL CHAMBERS OCTOBER 14, 2025-8:30 A.M. Roll call was answered at 8:30 A.M. by: Mayor Lance Waters and Chairman Don Gura. Board Member Tara Streb was absent. Others present were: Katie Ritchie, Scott Derby, Scott Mosley, Patrick Howell, Brian Strange, John Dixon, Angie Kidd, Sheryl Prentice- KPC, Jeremy McKinley, and Cindy Marple. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance. Minutes Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve the Board of Works minutes from September 23, 2025, meeting with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Petitions & Comments No petitions or comments were given. Mayor Application for Use of Public Facilities- Santa Stroll Angie Kidd submitted an application for the use of public facilities for the Santa Stroll on December 6, 2025, from 12:30 to 1:00 P.M. This event will take place on Main Street from the corner of High and Krueger to Diamond Street. This will be a one mile walk/run to benefit Common Grace Ministries. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Application for Use of Public Facilities- Christmas Parade Nikole Albright submitted an application for the use of public facilities for the 2026 Christmas Parade on December 6, 2025, from 1:00P.M. to 2:30 P.M. This event will take place from Harding to Main Street and will end on the corner of Main and Diamond Streets. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Clerk Treasurer Request to Pay Baker Tilly Clerk Treasurer Katie Ritchie requested authorization to pay invoice BT3334170 to Baker Tilly in the amount of $4,073.75. This invoice is for assistance with the 2026 budget and will be paid from BOW contractual. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Request to pay State Board of Accounts/ Wastewater Clerk Treasurer Katie Ritchie requested authorization to pay invoice 5512 to State Board of Accounts in the amount of $7,831.12. This invoice is for audit services recently performed for the 2021-2023 years and will be paid from the Wastewater budget. Clerk Treasurer Ritchie thanked all the department heads and employees for their excellent work in making the audit a success. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Request to pay State Board of Accounts/ Water Clerk Treasurer Katie Ritchie requested authorization to pay invoice 5513 to State Board of Accounts in the amount of $4,607.68. This invoice is for audit services recently performed for the 2021-2023 years and will be paid from the Water budget. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Engineering Misc. Concrete Work- July 2025: Change Order #2- Final Administrative Engineer Scott Derby presented change order #2 from Laughlin Construction in the amount of $1,469.80. This will take the final project total to $32,290.60 from the original projected cost of $28,148.80. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Miscellaneous Concrete Work Award - October 2025 Administrative Engineer Scott Derby requested bids for miscellaneous concrete work to be done throughout the city. All bids were sent to local contractors and Laughlin Construction had the lowest bid of $6,494.30. Derby recommended awarding the project to Laughlin. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Drake Road Phase 1 Railroad Construction- Invoice #3 Administrative Engineer Scott Derby requested authorization to pay request #3 to Kendallville Terminal Railway in the amount of $191,184.55 (Federal- $152,947.64 & Local- $38,236.91). Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Repair of Sidewalk at 429 N. Main Street Administrative Engineer Scott Derby requested authorization to send a letter to the owners of 429 N. Main Street for notification of sidewalk repairs in front of their residence. Derby stated that he does not believe this is related to any trees in neighboring terraces. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion for city workers to conduct an investigation to determine that the repair isn’t because of trees in the city terrace and for Derby to send a letter if no cause to trees in the terrace is identified with a second from Chairman Don Gura. All department heads were on board to help investigate. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Drake Road Phase 2 Reconstruction Inspection Services- Request #7/ ADD ON Administrative Engineer Scott Derby requested authorization to pay request #7 to A&Z Engineering in the amount of $4,115.00 (Federal - $3,292.00 & Local- $823.00). Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Fire Employee Pay Increase- Aaron Weidner Fire Chief Jeremy McKinley requested authorization to give Firefighter Aaron Weidner a wage increase of $500.00 a year. Aaron has successfully completed his first evaluation. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Police Installation of New Equipment in 2023 Charger from Move Over Outfitters Chief of Police John Dixon requested authorization to pay Move Over Outfitters $9,314.04 for equipment and installation in the newly purchased 2023 Dodge Charger. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Wastewater Bakr Tilly Invoice Superintendent Patrick Howell requested authorization to pay Baker Tilly $5,888.75 for assistance with ongoing financial reporting for the plant. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Sewer Adjustment 2110 Carnoustie Circle Melody Culler resident of 2110 Carnoustie Circle requested a sewer adjustment of $189.78 for water that did not go down a drain due to the irrigation system. WWTP Employee Trevor Hampshire verified that water did not go down a drain and recommended awarding the adjustment. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Sewer Adjustment 135 East North Street Campbell & Fetter Bank resident of 135 E. North Street requested a sewer adjustment of $264.67 for water that did not go down a drain due to the irrigation system. WWTP Employee Trevor Hampshire verified that water did not do down a drain and recommended awarding the adjustment. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Wage Adjustment- Corbit Green Superintendent Patrick Howell requested authorization to give employee Corbit Green a wage adjustment of $.90 an hour effective October 21, 2025. Corbit has successfully completed one year of employment with the city and is doing a great job. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. The 2025 Financial Report was presented for review. 2026 Proposed Budget Superintendent Patrick Howell submitted the proposed 2026 budget with an overall increase of 4% bringing the total spending $4,086,290.74. Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to approve with a second from Chairman Don Gura. The motion passed 2 ayes – 0 nays. Water The September 2025 Revenue/ Expense Report was presented for review. Administrative Engineer Scott Derby thanked all the department heads for their accumulated group effort in fixing the sink hole on Dowling Street. Derby also thanked the board for allowing the city to invest in their own equipment so a lot of projects can be done in house that saves tax payers thousands of dollars. Motion to Adjourn Mayor Lance Waters made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chairman Don Gura adjourned the meeting at 8:51 A.M. _____________________________________ Kathren R. Ritchie- Clerk Treasurer Minutes approved by me this 28th day of October 2025. _______________________________________ Lance L. Waters-Mayor