By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — A resolution related to the former Gatke Corp. property mixed-use development project lease, which already went through the redevelopment commission and common council, was approved by the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday, Jan. 5.

It’ll go back before the redevelopment commission for a public hearing and final approval of the lease on Monday, Jan. 8, and there will be an economic development commission meeting on it next week.

The board of works is the entity that controls all the property owned by the city more or less, Warsaw Community Economic and Development Director Skinner said, in terms of accepting rights-of-way and so forth.

“Since we are leasing some of that right-of-way, this resolution more or less needs the board of works’ approval to lease that said right-of-way, i.e. Market Street in this case,” he said. “So this resolution is just you saying, ‘Yes, we give permission to lease that Market Street right-of-way as part of the Gatke bond issue.’”

The bond issue is not to exceed $3 million, but Skinner said it probably will be around $2.4 million.

Councilwoman Diane Quance asked what was meant by leasing a right-of-way.

“So you have to have something tangible as a mechanism to lease,” Skinner said. “You have to have that right-of-way, i.e. Market Street in this case. Kind of like what we did with the airport. We leased all the roads out at the airport as part of that bond issue, so that when you go to market, you have a tangible item that they are basically putting money up for. In theory, you can’t really sell Market Street, right? But, in terms of legalese, this is how it works.”

The Gatke mixed-use development project includes at least 74 residential units and some commercial space. To be called RW Lofts, the estimated cost of the project is about $20 million, with the city’s share being the bond issue, the state providing $4 million in tax credits and the developer — Rebar Development — providing the remainder by cash and loan.

Bond financing is expected to occur by March, with the project slated to start sometime this year.

In other business, the board approved:

• Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory’s request to enter into an agreement for financing the new Smeal/Spartan 100-foot rear-mount aerial platform ladder truck for $1,812,636.

On Dec. 15, the Board of Works approved the original purchase agreement.

“We’re just here to ask to finance it,” Assistant Chief Aaron Bolinger said Friday.

The financing is going to go through Community Leasing Partners at 12 years for a 4.86% interest rate.

Quance asked, “Does it start upon delivery, like in a year and a half or so, or does it start (sooner)?”

Bolinger said the build time for the truck is 480 calendar days, and the first payment of $202,234.65 is going to be Dec. 15, 2024.

The Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory approved the agreement Tuesday.

City attorney Scott Reust said the fire department did a good job. “They sought financing from several different players, and this appears to be what best suites their needs. They did seek other options for the financing” for the least cost to the city of Warsaw.

• A three-year lease agreement with OrthoWorx for space on the third floor of City Hall.

Warsaw Community Economic and Development Director Jeremy Skinner said the lease expired about a year ago. The lease for 2024 is pretty much the same rate, he said, with a 3% escalator built in for the following years.

A copy of the lease states the first year of the lease is for $2,250 per month; second year, $2,317.50 per month; and the third year is $2,387 per month.

• Pay app No. 13 for $585 to CME Corp. for work completed on the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, as requested by city engineer Aaron Ott. He said, for all intents and purposes, the project is 99% complete. The city is still holding $59,000 in retainage until everything is completed satisfactorily.

• Pay app No. 4 for $45,576.25 to R. Yoder Construction Inc. for costs incurred up to Dec. 15 on the Center Lake Recreational Trail construction, as requested by Ott.

A change order for an overall decrease in cost of $16,919 for the trail also was approved. The decrease makes the new grand total of the contract $859,916. The Sasso family donated $1 million toward the project. The change order also adds 45 additional days to the contract due to unexpected delays in material lead times for the decking and railing.

• A contract with Zoll Medical Corporation for $1,240 for 2024 for preventative maintenance on all of the fire territory’s Zoll cardiac monitors, as requested by EMS Chief Chris Fancil. The fire territory board approved it Tuesday.

• The new hire and change in payroll report as presented by Human Resource Director Denny Harlan. Included in the report is Mayor Jeff Grose’s biweekly full-time salary of $3,240.18 and new Councilman Juergen Voss’s part-time pay of $734.50 per month.

Reust also gave Grose his oath of office Friday for the Board of Works as mayor. Grose previously served on the board as a councilman.

• A $300 contract with Derek Tenney to provide disc jockey services on Feb. 2-3 for Daddy’s Little Sweetheart Dance, as requested by Parks Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer. She said after two days of ticket sales, they’ve already sold 135 tickets out of 300.

• The annual $16,999.92 contract with Anderson Property Management for maintenance of beds and urns at Central Park, as requested by Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer. He said Anderson has done the beds and urns since about 2012 at the same cost.

• Contracts with the Pike Lake, Center Lake and Winona Lake associations at $2,500 each for conservation, preservation and maintenance of the lakes, as requested by Plummer.

• The annual contract between the city and Wayne Township for $81,000 for 2024, an increase of $2,000 more than the 2023 contract, as requested by Plummer. The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department provides park and recreation and facilities for residents of Wayne Township and the contract helps offset some of the city’s costs.

• A service agreement between the city and Schneider Geospatial, the city’s GIS contractor, for $4,320. City Planner Justin Taylor said the contract is necessary because it helps facilitate communication between the city’s and county’s GIS systems.

• Pay app No. 6 for $13,096.16 to Troyer Group for construction inspection services for the Lincoln Neighborhood Sidewalk Project, as requested by Taylor. The Indiana Department of Transportation will pay 80% of the cost.

• Warsaw Police Department Chief Scott Whitaker’s request to enter into a five-year remote maintenance agreement with iRecord-WSI Technologies for $4,750 yearly. The cost includes new upgraded cameras and sensors for the current video recording system in the detective and patrol divisions. The agreement begins Sept. 1, with the first invoice to be received in December.

• The Public Works Department’s request to apply for 2024 Community Crossings grant through INDOT. It’s a 50/50 grant.
Assistant Superintendent Joe Vetor said this year they’re going to try to do two projects totaling about $2,148,109. The first project will include Lincoln Street, Hodges Addition, phase 3, and the second will encompass a segment of Frontage Road by the Rural King shopping plaza. If the total grant is received, the city’s contribution would be almost $1.1 million.

• Pay app No. 7 to G & G Hauling & Excavating Inc. for $209,887.58 for the CR 200S sewer expansion project, as requested by Wastewater Utility Superintendent Brian Davison. He said the project is essentially complete, except for getting power from NIPSCO for the pump station.