Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Zimmer presented plans Monday during Warsaw's city council meeting to renovate the old Lake Theater into corporate-style housing.
The council unanimously approved Zimmer's tax abatement application for the project, which will create 12 new jobs in the downtown area along with $4.4 million in property improvements.
"This is great for the city of Warsaw," councilman Charlie Smith said.
Zimmer plans to create a third floor on the building to allow for 40 units of lodging which will be used primarily for visiting surgeons and faculty to the Zimmer Institute. An estimated completion date was said to be the middle of 2006.
In other matters, the council approved an ordinance to regulate massage therapy practices within city limits. Unanimous decisions granted both second approval to the ordinance as well as amendments.
City permits will now be required for all Warsaw massage practices. Companies granted these permits will be given guidelines to follow and any act against these guidelines could result in fines between $200 and $2,500.
"We understand the problem and we feel this ordinance will help," councilman Jerry Patterson said. "We certainly want to keep illegitimate companies out of our community."
Under the new law, no massage therapy establishment can operate between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and must operate outside of any living quarters. All employees must be 18 years-old, and patrons "must be covered with towels, clothes or undergarments when in the presence of a person employed."
Bob Morrison reported that a similar ordinance was enacted in Fort Wayne with no problems in regulating massage therapy practices.
The Warsaw Police Department presented reports Monday regarding their drug task force activities and victim assistance program. The council also was given a letter from WPD Chief of Police Steve Foster to the Indiana Department of Transportation.
In his letter, Foster suggested a camera monitoring system along U.S. 30 to better enforce traffic violations and asked for INDOT's assistance in the installation of signs denoting "Red Light Running Enforcement Zones" in the area
WPD also presented deer accident reports for 2005, and showed that, as of June 23, 252 deer-related vehicle accidents had occurred in Kosciusko County for the year.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said that data was being collected to find the best solution for the current deer situation.
"I appreciate the mayor's efforts to collect as much information as possible before we make a decision on this topic," member Jeff Grose said. "This is a difficult issue, and we need to take the time to understand what our best options are."
The board also:
• approved Lewis and Nedra Dobbins for the vacation of a public way on the east side of their property along Pike Lake. The request had been recommended for approval by the Warsaw Plan Commission.
• heard a report from the Warsaw Fire Department for June activities. WFD had a total of 119 runs for the month, including 12 fire situations and 35 occurrences of rescue and medical assistance.
• approved a resolution to transfer funds from the general fund to the general bond fund for bond payment.
• tabled a resolution to adopt a new safety policy for city employees. Bill Rhoades requested more time to look over the material before the council made a decision.
Present members were Wiggins, Rhoades, Patterson, Grose, Smith, Morrison, Joe Thallemer and George Clemens.
