Boy Scout Troop 730 is pictured with council members and Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer.

WARSAW — The Warsaw Common Council heard about a possible new economic development incentive tool during the meeting held tonight, Feb. 3.

City Planner Jeremy Skinner and Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio were present at the meeting to explain this possible new tool. It would consist of using Economic Development Income Taxes funds to help provide no- or low-interest loans to new businesses in the Warsaw area.

“We have a lot of tools in our tool basket and some of those tools work really well for different types of uses,” said Skinner. “But one of the things we don’t necessarily have is something that would help those industries or those individuals that may not be making the type of commitment that we’re used to seeing … So how do we target and help provide some different types of incentives for those start-up companies that we want to see develop in Warsaw?”

The proposed Revolving Loan Program would serve to “fill in some of the gaps” the city has in terms of economic development incentives.

Tio explained that this program is all about being competitive against other potential locations. “We’re out competing with other communities for these high-growth, high-wage companies.”

If implemented, businesses wanting to use this incentive would have to come before the council to request it. Similar to the tax abatement process, the council would have guidelines to follow that would help them decide if the business should be approved or denied for this program.

Mayor Joseph Thallemer asked that Skinner and Tio meet with the council’s Municipal Finance Committee to discuss more details of the plan. The idea would later come back before the council if the program is deemed feasible.

During the meeting, the council also took some time to honor Warsaw Police Officer Jason Dobbins who died on Feb. 1.

“I just wanted to ask all of you for your prayers for the Dobbins family and their friends as they mourn and deal with the sudden loss of Jason, who was a 12-year member of our police department,” said Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer. “I’d ask that we take a moment of silence to remember Jason and to keep his family in our prayers as they deal with this loss.”

Council Member Diane Quance provided the meeting’s invocation which also honored Dobbins.

“As we begin our meeting tonight, we stop to remember and give thanks for the life of Jason Dobbins. He was a true public servant who spent his career protecting and serving the people of our community, his brothers and sisters in blue, his beloved family and his Lord and Savior,” said Quance. “Where there once was a solid presence, we feel the absence. May all those who mourn his passing, take comfort in the memories, share laughter together in his honor and set out to live our long days in the same spirit and commitment to others that he showed to us.”

In other news:

• Boy Scout Troop 730 was present as Mayor Thallemer read a proclamation to declare Feb. 9 as Scout Sunday.
• An announcement was read stating that Lake City Bank has entered the final phase a $21.7 million multi-year capital investment program in downtown Warsaw and Kosciusko County.
• Heard an update about the Warsaw Ride & Walk program from Senior City Planner Justin Taylor.
• Approved a resolution to reimburse $19,362.25 worth of grant funds for the Rotary Park project.
• The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18, due to President’s Day.