City Attorney Mike Valentine announced his upcoming retirement.

WARSAW — The Warsaw Common Council discussed increases to the IT budget and yet another petition for annexation during the council meeting held last night, July 2.

Staci Young, assistant to the mayor, gave an update on upcoming IT-related budget increases for new services. The biggest increase comes with phase two of the city-wide server project. This includes the design and implementation of the network and point-to-point connections. This phase will specifically address the airport, cemetery, fire and parks departments.

The remaining increases come from obtaining volume licensed anti-virus protection, city meeting live streaming updates and social media outreach. Young encouraged council members to contact her with any questions moving into budget season.

City Planner Jeremy Skinner presented another petition for annexation of three parcels along CR 225 totaling 90 acres. Skinner explained that the recent influx of annexations comes due to this being the last year the city can do annexations before a two-year waiting period due to the upcoming census.

The three parcels of land are being petitioned by Mitchell and Messmore trusts. The land is currently agriculture but would be zoned residential for possible future development. The petition was acknowledged and the annexation process will start with the city advertising a public hearing.

At the end of the meeting, City Attorney Mike Valentine announced that after 44 years and three months he would be retiring. Valentine would continue serving the city until the end of the year. He noted that he and his wife recently bought a motorhome and traveling may be in his future.

In other news:

• Ray Turner and John Hoggarth of Belle Tire Warsaw were present at the meeting to introduce themselves to the community. Belle Tire is expected to open by the end of July with 10 bays.
• Nate Bosch, director of Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams, was present to thank the council for their funding and support. He gave a brief report which included announcing that with the help of a K21 Health Foundation grant, the center will soon be able to analyze their own lab results. This will allow for sampling results from the local lakes and beaches to be received in days rather than weeks.
• It was announced that the Little Crow Milling Company building is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The council approved the annual encumbrance adjustments.
• The council approved giving Patrick Industries, 1445 Polk Drive, a 10-year tax abatement. The business plans to expand by constructing a 60,000 square foot building and employing an additional 100 employees.