There are no fire hydrants out at Pound Drive, but a water line project between the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission and Applied Thermal will add some for most of the industrial park out there.
Monday, the commission approved three resolutions to keep the project moving forward.
Warsaw Community and Economic Development Director Jeremy Skinner explained, “What we started last month with the initial resolution to amend the Northern TIF District’s plan to include, in the acquisition list, Applied Thermal’s property, has now went through the Plan Commission with this approval. The Plan Commission approved their resolution, which went to the (common) council for the council’s approval and now back to you for your final approval.”
The first resolution adds Applied Thermal to the acquisition list within the Northern TIF District. The resolution required a public hearing, but no one spoke for or against it.
Commission member and former Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer asked if there was any discussion or opposition on the resolution at the common council’s meeting.
Skinner said he didn’t think there was any opposition but they were trying to understand the process.
“But, in general, what I explained to them was step one is acquiring or adding into that acquisition list. Step two would be acquiring and disposition. And the purpose of this project is they (Applied Thermal) had come to me four or five months ago and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to make some improvements out here. The property’s in the city limits, but there’s no water.’ They were going to put in a private water system for their manufacturing and fire needs,” he said, and there were some costs - about $300,000 - associated with that.
At the time, Skinner told them the city wanted to facilitate future development and growth in that area and he asked Applied Thermal, 2169 N. CR 100E, Warsaw, if they would be willing to be partners in extending Indiana American Water up to their property. Applied Thermal said yes.
After some research, it was determined that the cost of the project would be $600,000, with the cost split between Applied Thermal and the city. Applied Thermal then gets the water it needs, and the city gets an expansion of the water system.
The water line currently ends at the intersection of Husky Trail and CR 200N. The project will add about 1,200 feet to the water line.
Commission President George Clemens noted, “It is good to know ... that the money we put into the water line hopefully helps to develop that property out there. It’ll make it more attractive to someone to come in who needs a lot of water for manufacturing or something.”
Skinner said, “Right now, all of Pound Drive has no fire hydrants, so if you would go out to Pound Drive to fight a fire, there’s no hydrants. After this project, there will be hydrants available to make it possible to fight some fires. There’s still going to be a portion of Pound Drive that will not have fire hydrants, but 1,200 feet of water line will certainly give you more - it’ll be roughly three fire hydrants, I think, for every 400 feet of commercial and industrial. It’ll increase our ability to protect buildings out there as well.”
After unanimously approving that first resolution, the commission approved the second and third resolutions for the project. The second resolution approves the authorization to acquire the Applied Thermal property, with the third resolution providing the ability to dispose of the property back to Applied Thermal.
In another matter, the commission awarded the Petro Drive water main extension project to G & G Hauling & Excavating for $84,702. The engineer’s estimate was $107,070. G & G was the only bidder on the project, with the bids being opened at the previous Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.
“As part of our contribution to the apartment project that was being built, we were connecting the two segments of the water line on either end of Petro Drive. The water line exists, we’re going to connect the two pieces in the middle down Petro Drive and eventually, hopefully, in the next three or four months, we’ll reconstruct Petro Drive,” Skinner said.
The commission also approved the agreement for the water main extension with G & G.
In other business, the commission approved:
• The annual spending plan report for the Redevelopment Commission for 2025 as required by the state. Skinner also will present it to the common council before submitting it to the state by the Dec. 1 deadline.
• November claims, including $235.97 and $163.49 to Indiana American Water; $52.18 to NIPSCO; $15,048 and $10,143.83 to A & Z Engineering; $7,940 to Barnes & Thornburg LLP; $5,700 to Prince Land Surveying; $179.40 to Fort Wayne Newspaper; $300,000 to Bank of New York; $19,100 to DLZ; $42,000 to West Hill Development; $300 to Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation; and $600 to Four Aces Lawn Care.