Board Of Works Declines Property DonationA donation of property at 607 E. Market St., Warsaw, to the city was not accepted by the Board of Public Works and Safety Friday.
The donation from Patricia K. Buskirk was originally presented to the Board of Works at the July 19 meeting. At that meeting, Assistant City Planner Jacob Ihrie said after discussing it with city engineer James Emans, the parcel of land would be an ideal site to replace the pump station about 200 feet to the west. Mayor Joe Thallemer asked who owned the property to the west of 607 E. Market St., but Ihrie said he didn’t know but would look into it. Thallemer had some concerns about the city accepting the property, including having to maintain it.
The donation was tabled July 19 to Friday’s meeting. Buskirk’s original letter stated she would like to complete the transaction prior to the end of October.
On Friday, Ihrie said the adjacent property to 607 also is a vacant lot and the owners are “currently listed as living there with no structure.” The property owners owe $19,296.06 in taxes on it and have made no payments since at least 2014. Ihrie said that lot would also be obtainable by the city if the city chose to accept the donated lot and pursue the vacant one.
Ihrie said Emans is still confident the 607 E. Market St. site would be suitable for a lift station if the replacement was deemed necessary for the lift station to the east.
“I think part of the question was, is this a current project that we’re considering or is it more just putting ourselves in a position that if we ever needed it, it would be available,” Thallemer said.
Ihrie said it was the latter.
Brian Davison, wastewater utility superintendent, said the lift station they could relocate to that property is a lift station that’s in poor condition “down the street in the alley.” He said there’s no room really to work on any improvements to it and it’s a bad location to access. Davison said Emans told him the lift station is deteriorating and will need to be addressed.
Councilman and Board of Works member Jeff Grose asked if any issue would be created for neighbors if the lift station were relocated to 607 E. Market St. Davison said everything would be below grade except the control panel. The lift station would be just 10 feet by 10 feet.
Thallemer said he was just “trying to be practical about this.” He said taking over one or two unimproved properties would burden the city from a maintenance standpoint by having to mow them. “What benefit does that provide now? Probably nothing right now. It does sound like it could be an issue in the future. Could we work around the space and the constraints that we’re on right now?” Thallemer said.
Davison said they had other options they could pursue regarding the lift station. As far as mowing, he said his department, as well as the Parks and Street departments, all have crews that could do it.
Thallemer said he was a little hesitant about accepting the donation of the property.
“I wouldn’t want to hamstring the city in the future, but taking over property that is buildable, that we’re going to get with the maintenance for a potential benefit – I guess I’m not convinced we couldn’t work around the area we’re in right now – leaves me a little hesitant,” he said.
A Kosciusko County Historical Society publication referenced the area as where a canal went through off of Eagle Creek, he said. The property has had soil issues “forever.”
George Clemens, Board member, said if the two lots were taken together, that would be quite a parcel, but he saw Thallemer’s point and acknowledged the land was low and a flooded area.
Grose made the motion to not accept the donation, and Clemens provided the second. His motion was approved 3-0.
