City May Buy Former First National Bank BuildingWarsaw City Council approved appropriating $1.4 million from the city's rainy day fund to pay for the possible acquisition of property for a new city hall.
A public hearing was set for Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at city hall for discussion on the possible acquisition.
The appropriation would allow Warsaw Redevelopment Commission to purchase the former National City Bank building, 117 W. Center St. and 102 S. Buffalo St., and renovate the property for use as a city hall.
City Councilman Kyle Babcock voted against the appropriation, stating he had concerns with the remodeling costs that were not included in the purchase cost. He also said he felt the funds could be better used for road-paving projects in the city.
Councilman Charlie Smith said he felt the acquisition and renovation was a good idea and will keep the downtown vibrant, and would not impact the taxpayers as the funds would come out of the rainy day fund.
In other business, the council also approved an additional appropriation of $600,000 for the aviation department from the aviation general fund to the land and air rights fund.
The appropriation is for the potential funding of real estate on the northeast corner of the airport for possible acquisition by the Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners.
The council also approved transferring $38,000 to improvements other than building for the aviation department.
The transfer is to allow for resurfacing the corporate hangar taxiway, and expanding an access road at the airport.
In other business, Babcock asked David Beall, airport manager, for an update on the possible airport expansion project.
"Where we are in the process is that there is no set plan to close CR 100 in the near future," Beall said.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins corrected Beall when he said the Warsaw Plan Commission will review a proposal for the city to annex property on the east side of CR 100E to prepare for the airport expansion.
Wiggins said there may need to be a joint meeting between the city and county on CR 100E because the road is under the jurisdiction of the city and county.
Wiggins said the city owns the property east of the airport it is proposing to annex, and the annexation has nothing to do with the closure of CR 100E.
A meeting date for the city council to review the annexation proposal has not been scheduled, Wiggins said.
Wiggins said the plan commission will not review the annexation.
Wiggins said the board of aviation commissioners wanted to get it out in the open so if someone would bid on property north of the airport between the runway and CR 300N, they would know there may be a possibility they wouldn't have access off CR 100E.
"The city owns property on the east side of the airport it is looking to annex, and the annexation and road closure are mutually exclusive issues that will not go to the plan commission at all," Wiggins said.
Wiggins said the city is talking to Michiana Area Council on Government to get traffic counts on CR 100E.
Beall said it would not be until 2012 or 2013 that the aviation board would come before the city to request the vacation of the right of way if they decide to do that. The plan commission would need to make a recommendation to the city council for the vacation.
Beall said the proposed expansion has nothing to do with bringing in commercial activity to the airport, but is a safety issue for pilots.
