Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Chief Brian Mayo thanks the Warsaw Common Council for their OK on a resolution authorizing a petition to the state for the fire territory to seek an increase in its operating fund tax rate. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Showing its support for everything the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory does for the community, the Warsaw Common Council Monday night, March 4, approved a resolution giving their OK to a petition for the fire territory to seek an increase to its operating fund tax rate.

The petition to increase the maximum property taxy levy for the fire territory operating fund is due to the state by March 31 and must be approved by the Department of Local Government Finance.

The council heard the financial details about the proposed levy increase from a Baker Tilly representative at their Feb. 20 meeting, along with plans from Fire Chief Brian Mayo on how the increased revenue would be spent. Since the council approved a resolution Monday and not an ordinance on the matter, a second reading is not required.

Mayor Jeff Grose said on Monday that the estimated eligible rate increase is 5.98%. “This would, right now, take us to the max levy, of which is just under … $1.2 million,” he said.

Grose reminded the council that at the Feb. 20 meeting Mayo did go through some specific needs and steps he would like to take moving forward. Those included an increase in personnel and training.

Councilman Mike Klondaris, who represents the council on the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory board, said he’s spent some time talking to Mayo and “I think this is overdue. And we are a growing community. Quick math will tell you that, according to Chief, we have, at any given time in a good perfect 24-hour period, we have 36 firefighters ready to do their job. Serve 26,000 people in the territory and city. My quick math tells me that’s 720 people per officer. We are many people, we ask much of these people, and I think this is the least we can do in showing our support for what they do to run into harm’s way and protect us.”

He made the motion to approve the resolution and Councilman Jerry Frush seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved by the council.

Grose said, “Because it is a resolution, it does only require one reading. At this time, the chief, (Clerk-Treasurer) Lynne (Christiansen), (city attorney) Scott (Reust) and I will work to put this petition together to send down to Indianapolis and, again, hopefully they will approve this petition and we’ll keep you up to date as it progresses.”

Mayo told the council, “I just want to say thank you because the common people on the street don’t realize it’s a team effort between everybody sitting up there and back here to get this done. So, literally, everybody participated in this. I’m very thankful it will be reflected in our ability to do our duties. And, so, It’s exciting. I’m very thankful.”

Christiansen noted every year about this time the DLGF does issue a memo on max levy increases and the steps required. She said they haven’t received the memo yet for this year so they’re working off last year’s memo but didn’t expect there would be any changes. However, she said there should be plenty of time if the DLGF gets their memo out in the next few days.

Frush, Klondaris and Council President Jack Wilhite expressed their appreciation to the firefighters and all that they do.

“I encourage anybody who’s not been on a ride-along to do one with them. It opens your eyes, and I think they appreciate it,” Wilhite said.

In other business, the council approved an ordinance on second reading that amends the city’s zoning ordinance limiting the development of storage unit facilities within commercial districts. The council approved the ordinance on first reading at their Feb. 20 meeting.

City Planner Justin Taylor said Monday, “We did notice some concerns with community vitality related to storage facilities that were going into commercial districts.”

Grose told Taylor it did look the existing designations – the Commercial-2 and C-3 permitted use – are being taken away and storage unity facilities will only be permitted in industrial zones.

Taylor said that was correct. “So, just looking at the architecture of storage facilities, they’re more conducive to industrial zones. They fit there much better. We have seen a couple go into commercial facilities, either being built as new structures and for urban in-fill and they just don’t have the same impact on our commercial districts as a commercial entity – a retail store, a grocery store – going into those facilities. We would just like to encourage the continued vitality of our commercial districts by restricting.”

If a parcel was conducive to a store unit, he said there would still be a pathway through the Board of Zoning Appeals to apply for a variance.

Frush made the motion to approve the ordinance on second reading, with Councilman Juergen Voss seconding the motion. The motion passed 7-0.