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Facing an ordinance prohibiting parking on Harrison Street, residents along that route asked that vehicles be allowed to park on one side.
However, prior to the Warsaw City Council meeting Monday, research showed Harrison is a snow emergency route, a designation made by the mayor during extreme weather. During an emergency, parking would not be allowed.
Since the street, running north and south from Hendricks to DuBois, is a direct avenue to Kosciusko Community Hospital, the Warsaw Traffic Commission wanted to ensure the way remained clear.
Residents requested parking on one side of the road for visitors. Represented by Deb Allen, 16 of 17 Harrison Street property owners signed a petition for parking to be allowed.
The ordinance, which also includes a stop sign to be placed on Fort Wayne Street at the intersection of Park Avenue, was tabled by the council.
The council heard from community development coordinator Teresa Ho regarding the Warsaw Community Development Corp.'s facade- improvement matching grant program.
Several council members suggested changes to the proposal at the last meeting and they were reflected in the new document, which the council approved.
The city is providing $25,000 for improvements to properties in the historic courthouse district.
The program provides matching monies for approved projects: Up to $5,000 for facades or storefronts, $3,000 for awnings and $1,500 for signs.
The historic district includes properties along Lake Street to Indiana Street from the west to the east and from Jefferson Street to Fort Wayne Street, north to south.
Board members signed a letter to Kosciusko County Prosecutor Steven Hearn requesting increased traffic violation fees for running red lights on U.S. 30.
In other business the board:
• Defeated an amendment to city code section 54-62 regarding licensed gun shops.
• Added the job title of Park Patrol for $10 per hour to the 2003 salary ordinance.
• Reviewed a report by the Kosciusko County Special Operations Team Drug Task Force showing SPOT has handled 91 cases, made 41 arrests and seized $14,957 from Jan. 1 to May 29.
The communication also indicated 57 cases were outside the Warsaw city limits, with 34 cases in the city. Two vehicles and 10 guns were seized.
The report lists 2.2 pounds of cocaine; 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine; 121-1/2 pounds of marijuana; and four cases of prescription drugs were seized along with five "meth labs."
• Tabled a statement of benefits from Whimet.
City council members are Jerry Patterson, Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Bill Rhoades, Trish Brown and Joe Thallemer.
