City OKs Dalton Tax Abatement Request
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The vote was 5-2 with councilmen Joe Thallemer, Jeff Grose, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and George Clemens voting in favor of the tax abatement. Councilmen Charles Smith and Jerry Patterson voted against the tax abatement.[[In-content Ad]]The council previously discussed the tax abatement request at its Nov. 19 meeting.
Dalton Corp., 1900 E. Jefferson St., will invest $5 million in personal property and $100,000 in distribution equipment. The company plans to purchase logistics equipment, a eurodrive processing cell and a flexible cell for its iron-casting services.
The company does not anticipate hiring any new employees, but with the tax abatement plans to retain its existing 520 employees, according to Dalton Corp. plant manager Scott Bleeks.
Bleeks said the company has not requested a tax abatement since 1991, and the abatement will allow the corporation to be more competitive worldwide.
Smith said he was concerned about the corporation's exterior appearance, including a deteriorating fence, uncontrolled shrubs and air quality around the facility.
Bleeks said the corporation has committed $30,000 for exterior improvements, and is in the process of installing equipment that will collect exhaust that comes out of the foundry. The equipment is expected to be in operation by March.
He also said the corporation plans to plant trees around the corporation and paint the facility's exterior.
Bleeks said the corporation plans to install a wet electrostatic precipitator this month, which takes 90 percent of current emissions out of the air.
"Our corporation complies with environmental laws and the precipitator will enhance our facility," Bleeks said.
Clemens said there are residents in his district who are concerned with air quality from emissions from the facility.
It was on the council's agenda to review a 10-year tax abatement request for DePuy Orthopedics Inc., but Mayor Ernie Wiggins said representatives from the business said they requested to resubmit figures for the abatement. The council will review the request at its Dec. 17 meeting.
The council also:
n Approved an ordinance for salaries for elected officials for 2008, including the mayor receiving $60,016 per year, clerk-treasurer receiving $50,982 per year and city councilmen receiving $5,118 per year. Board of Public Works and Safety members will receive $125 per month, and plan commission members will receive $30 per meeting.
n Approved an ordinance creating emergency evacuation routes for Warsaw. The routes were approved by the Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission at its Oct. 11 meeting and submitted to the council for approval.
The evacuation routes include east and west routes at Center Street, as well as Winona Avenue from Detroit Street to Argonne Road; and north and south routes including Harrison Street from Center Street to the Kosciusko Community Hospital, Country Club Road, North Lake Street, Logan Street and Ranch Road.
n Approved an ordinance amending snow removal emergencies. The ordinance states the mayor will determine a snow emergency and city council president will declare the emergency in absence of the mayor.
n Approved an ordinance on first reading amending the traffic control ordinance recommended by the Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission. The council will need to approve the ordinance on second reading at its Dec. 17 meeting.
The ordinance states the speed limit will be 30 miles per hour on CR 300N from Detroit Street west to 350 feet west of Sheldon Drive; the speed limit will be 45 miles per hour on CR 300N from 350 feet west of Sheldon Drive to the city limits; and school zone speed limits be set at 10 miles less than current posted speed limits.
n Approved an ordinance transferring $1,800 from the aviation depreciation professional services to aviation depreciation insurance.
n Approved an ordinance establishing city purchasing procedures.
The ordinance states the Board of Public Works and Safety is designated as the purchasing agency for the city.
n Approved an ordinance allowing the Warsaw Police Department to transfer $600 from police clothing allowance into police other service charges.
The council also reviewed a letter from Heather Marshall, Lillian Enterprises LLC, whose business purchased property at 829 E. Smith St.
Former owner Mildred Fox had been paying for sewer services for the past seven years.
Marshall requested the city waive a tap fee on the home because Warsaw Sewage Department employees found the home was not connected to the city's waste disposal system.
The council denied waiving the sewer tap fee.
The vote was 5-2 with councilmen Joe Thallemer, Jeff Grose, Bill Rhoades, Bob Morrison and George Clemens voting in favor of the tax abatement. Councilmen Charles Smith and Jerry Patterson voted against the tax abatement.[[In-content Ad]]The council previously discussed the tax abatement request at its Nov. 19 meeting.
Dalton Corp., 1900 E. Jefferson St., will invest $5 million in personal property and $100,000 in distribution equipment. The company plans to purchase logistics equipment, a eurodrive processing cell and a flexible cell for its iron-casting services.
The company does not anticipate hiring any new employees, but with the tax abatement plans to retain its existing 520 employees, according to Dalton Corp. plant manager Scott Bleeks.
Bleeks said the company has not requested a tax abatement since 1991, and the abatement will allow the corporation to be more competitive worldwide.
Smith said he was concerned about the corporation's exterior appearance, including a deteriorating fence, uncontrolled shrubs and air quality around the facility.
Bleeks said the corporation has committed $30,000 for exterior improvements, and is in the process of installing equipment that will collect exhaust that comes out of the foundry. The equipment is expected to be in operation by March.
He also said the corporation plans to plant trees around the corporation and paint the facility's exterior.
Bleeks said the corporation plans to install a wet electrostatic precipitator this month, which takes 90 percent of current emissions out of the air.
"Our corporation complies with environmental laws and the precipitator will enhance our facility," Bleeks said.
Clemens said there are residents in his district who are concerned with air quality from emissions from the facility.
It was on the council's agenda to review a 10-year tax abatement request for DePuy Orthopedics Inc., but Mayor Ernie Wiggins said representatives from the business said they requested to resubmit figures for the abatement. The council will review the request at its Dec. 17 meeting.
The council also:
n Approved an ordinance for salaries for elected officials for 2008, including the mayor receiving $60,016 per year, clerk-treasurer receiving $50,982 per year and city councilmen receiving $5,118 per year. Board of Public Works and Safety members will receive $125 per month, and plan commission members will receive $30 per meeting.
n Approved an ordinance creating emergency evacuation routes for Warsaw. The routes were approved by the Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission at its Oct. 11 meeting and submitted to the council for approval.
The evacuation routes include east and west routes at Center Street, as well as Winona Avenue from Detroit Street to Argonne Road; and north and south routes including Harrison Street from Center Street to the Kosciusko Community Hospital, Country Club Road, North Lake Street, Logan Street and Ranch Road.
n Approved an ordinance amending snow removal emergencies. The ordinance states the mayor will determine a snow emergency and city council president will declare the emergency in absence of the mayor.
n Approved an ordinance on first reading amending the traffic control ordinance recommended by the Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission. The council will need to approve the ordinance on second reading at its Dec. 17 meeting.
The ordinance states the speed limit will be 30 miles per hour on CR 300N from Detroit Street west to 350 feet west of Sheldon Drive; the speed limit will be 45 miles per hour on CR 300N from 350 feet west of Sheldon Drive to the city limits; and school zone speed limits be set at 10 miles less than current posted speed limits.
n Approved an ordinance transferring $1,800 from the aviation depreciation professional services to aviation depreciation insurance.
n Approved an ordinance establishing city purchasing procedures.
The ordinance states the Board of Public Works and Safety is designated as the purchasing agency for the city.
n Approved an ordinance allowing the Warsaw Police Department to transfer $600 from police clothing allowance into police other service charges.
The council also reviewed a letter from Heather Marshall, Lillian Enterprises LLC, whose business purchased property at 829 E. Smith St.
Former owner Mildred Fox had been paying for sewer services for the past seven years.
Marshall requested the city waive a tap fee on the home because Warsaw Sewage Department employees found the home was not connected to the city's waste disposal system.
The council denied waiving the sewer tap fee.
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