By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
So much wood – unusable wood – has piled up at Decatur’s compost pile that a firm with heavy-duty equipment is being hired to remove it.
Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert told the city’s board of works and safety at its recent meeting that an enormous pile of wood needs to be taken out.
He asked for and was given permission to hire Tawa Mulch & Landscape Supply of Findlay, Ohio, to grind up the wood. The cost will be $10,890.
“It’s in pretty bad shape,” he said of the wood. “It’s stuff that nobody wants; we couldn’t even give it away.”
Also at the meeting:
* Mayor Dan Rickord asked those at the meeting and other local residents “to keep Mayor Henry and his family in your thoughts. It’s been a rough year for them.”
Henry, of course, is Tom Henry, who just began his fifth term as mayor of Fort Wayne. His wife, Cindy, a beloved member of the community, recently died at the age of 67.
* Police Chief Kevin Gerber said applicants for an opening on the city police department have been whittled down to five and those five would be interviewed.
The department is currently one officer short of a full force.
* The board and council meetings had been postponed from the previous Tuesday when newly-elected officials were attending a state-sponsored “boot camp” to help them get acclimated.
The next council meeting will be held Tuesday, February 6.
* Councilman Scott Murray was unable to attend the meeting.