Pam Kennedy, executive director of Housing Opportunities of Warsaw, left, and Aaron Lehman, associate director of Housing Opportunities of Warsaw, listen as Mayor Joe Thallemer reads the proclamation declaring July as Fair Housing Month.

Housing Opportunities of Warsaw was recognized during the Warsaw Common Council Meeting Monday evening. Mayor Joe Thallemer read a proclamation establishing July as Fair Housing Month in the city.

A display and a survey to be completed on how the Housing Opportunities can assist those in the community, can be found in the city hall.

During business matters, council members were provided a financial report for 2015 of the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission. The report covers all approved tax increment finance districts in the city and the Warsaw Technology Park. The report additionally includes information on projects within those districts.

Jeremy Skinner, city planner and preparer of the report, stated the report will be a tool to use in budgeting. He also announced there will be a ribbon cutting at the Tech Park off Silveus Road at 1:30 p.m. July 15, as phase one of the project has been completed with the installation of Polk Drive. Phase two has begun, shelling out the lift station. He reported the project will continue with work on the bridge on CR 300N, a trails project connecting the residential and commercial district to the Tech Park and Polk Drive.

Council members approved continued tax abatement for the third year for Flexaust Company, Inc., at 602 Leiter Drive.

Brian Davison, utility manager and Duane Griner, pretreatment coordinator for the wastewater treatment utility, presented information regarding modification of the city’s sewer use ordinance. Davison stated with the closing of the Center Street wastewater plant in October 2012 with industrial flow going to the new plant, a technical reevaluation was conducted to protect the plant. Griner stated the industrial waste went from 6 percent to 8 percent of the total flow to 22 percent to 25 percent based on 3.2 million gallons a day.

Approval has been received by the EPA for modification of the Sewer Use Ordinance and the Enforcement Response Guide. Letters were sent to Winona Lake and Leesburg town managers, with no return comments. The new ordinance will reduce the daily maximum limit for arsenic and raise the daily maximum limit for cyanide.

During other business, council members approved resolutions for adjustments to 2014 encumbrances; transfer of funds from the general fund to the general bond fund and designate the Warsaw Technology Park as an economic revitalization area, the first step in becoming a TIF district.

Members also approved a No Excess Assessed Value notice for the TIF Districts. A new state law requires the council’s affirmation of notices to other taxing units, if the district exceeds 200 percent  of funds for debt obligations and/or other projects. Skinner stated he does not believe any of the districts meet the requirement, but due to certain ambiguities within the new law, this notice would avoid any compliance issues.

Charles Smith, board member, provided council members with an update on the Gatke buildings. He noted the redevelopment commission, earlier that day, had unanimously approved the demolition of those buildings in 2016 if funds could be obtained. Thallemer added no sustainable plans had been received, but should a viable plan be received it will be considered.

Elaine Call, council member, inquired if there has been any action on the old city hall. While SKRM is doing preliminary design scoping as an accelerator facility, Call feels the building needs to be sold and placed back on the tax roles.

The final item of the evening was an update on the Market Street project. Skinner stated phase one should be completed in the next week or two, with half of phase two completed. “It’s going pretty well,” he noted despite 22 days of rain in June.