Land under development by Superior Developing, northeast of Superior Excavating, has been entered in an in-lieu-of-annexation agreement with the city.

Warsaw Board of Works members approved the contract Friday.

The property is on Old Road 30, west of the County Highway Department.

The city cannot annex the area immediately but is willing to extend sewer services to the area. The Superior companies are owned by Dale Custer. Superior Developing will pay for construction of a force sewer main at CR 225E.

In-lieu-of-annexation agreements offer property owners the benefits of city services while they pay 50 percent of the city's property tax rate. Generally, the property owner seeks sewer services. They incur the costs of bringing the infrastructure to their property.

Such is the case with a second in-lieu-of-annexation agreement made with Miguel Muniz, who owns property at the corner of Tippecanoe and Hepler Drive. Muniz will pay a $1,500 sewer line "tap" fee and $56 for monthly sewer fees.

Wastewater services have been extended to several adjacent businesses along Lake Street, just outside the city limits. Each property owner must sign a separate contract.

Two contracts were approved for city hall improvements. The first contract is with ComforTemp, Warsaw, to replace the building's rooftop HVAC unit for a total of $5,642. The second agreement is with Nobi Corp. of Elkhart to supply a security system at a cost of $1,072.

The board agreed to an amount of $27,000 for engineering services and videotaping the storm sewers on West Center Street, Hepler Drive, Armstrong, Walnut Street and Market Street from High Street to Buffalo Street.

Jones & Henry Engineers, Fort Wayne, will provide the services.

The board also:

• Approved a $2,000 contract with Bret Cook of Cook and Belle as the opening band for the parks department country concert July 29.

Advertising contracts with Hoosier 103.5 WAWC also were approved for $600 for the Classic Rock concert and $750 for various summer programs.

• Approved a contract with Centennial Wireless for two cellular phones for the wastewater utility department. Initial fees are $69.98 with a charge of $50 per month for 1,000 minutes. The city has been systematically switching to Centennial for wireless telephone service.

• Approved payment of $42,750 to Clounie Landscaping, Huntington, for 40 percent completion of "streetscape" construction along Buffalo Street.

It was noted that the city is holding Clounie's retainage instead of the company establishing an escrow account.

• Heard that medical laboratory services will be provided by Quest Diagnostics, Auburn Hills, Mich., available through Northern Lakes Internal Medicine, effective May 1.

• Approved hiring three employees for the parks department - Ashley Boardman as a seasonal recreational supervisor, and Megan Trump and Kyle Burnett as laborers, both part-time, for the summer.

Board of Works members are mayor Ernie Wiggins, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith. [[In-content Ad]]