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Downtown light displays now will remain up year-round after a council decision Monday.
Following requests from area merchants earlier this year, tree lights on Market and Center streets are soon to be upgraded and placed on a timing system to run during night hours all year long.
Traditionally, Warsaw showcased the lights only in November and December as holiday decorations.
"With the things that are happening downtown, I think this is a great idea," councilman Joe Thallemer said. "But we need to have uniformity in what we display."
In January, city officials stopped the dismantling of displays and awaited a further decision from the council on the matter.
According to Warsaw Community Development Corp. Director Carmen Lock, many of the current lights are burnt out and in need of replacement. Lock proposed that if the city would purchase and install timing equipment, WCDC would buy new lights for the downtown area.
Merchants in support of the lights also would help incur expenses, Lock said.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins reported the city pays $187 per month to have the lights run and expects the utility cost to decrease with the new timing system. Installation of timers on downtown utility poles is estimated to cost $3,410.
The hours that lights will run has yet to be determined.
"If people are still downtown, then the displays are worth it," Wiggins said.
In other matters, the council approved a resolution to designate the property of Danco Anodizing, 2450 Deelyn Drive, as an economic revitalization area.
This resolution allowed the council to approve a 10-year tax abatement for the company, which plans to construct a 8,000-square-foot addition to its current facility and fill 10 new job positions over the 10-year period.
Danco is an orthopedic supplier of stainless steel and titanium parts and has been located along U.S. 30 in Warsaw for five years.
Along with the Danco abatement, City Planner Jeremy Skinner reviewed eight local companies currently under tax phase-ins with the city.
In a March 6 meeting, councilmen discussed the importance of policing the abatement process to increase Warsaw's accountability.
Of the eight companies, Skinner said three did not submit a statement of benefits to the planning department this year, which is required for city tax reductions.
According to Skinner, one company moved outside of the city limits. Companies failing to submit information no longer receive the tax benefits.
"I wasn't looking for sacrificial lambs in this review," Thallemer said. "I was more interested in a maintenance procedure to be placed in the abatement ordinance.
"It gives us a chance to improve our credibility, and I think we should pursue a recapture procedure for noncompliance."
Though no motion was made Monday, the city could opt to amend the abatement ordinance, allowing the council the ability to retrieve funds from non-compliant companies in the abatement process.
"I don't view this to be a restrictive provision of our process," Thallemer said. "My intent is for the future and our accountability."
Present for Monday's meeting were Wiggins, Thallemer, Jeff Grose, George Clemens, Bob Morrison, Jerry Patterson and Clerk-Treasurer Elaine Call. Absent councilmen were Charlie Smith and Bill Rhoades.
