The home at 123 E. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw, will become the property of the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission after it approved the two appraisals and purchase agreement for it Monday.
The average of the two appraisals – and the purchase cost of the property – is $77,750. The commission also approved the closing costs, which added about $223 to the total.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said they received the second appraisal for the property, which hadn’t been received by the December meeting. The two appraisals were from Troy Reith Appraisal Service LLC, Warsaw, and Bayview Appraisals, Leesburg. Costs for the appraisals were $400 for Reith and $325 for Bayview.
The contract will have to be modified before the tentative closing date of Jan. 17 because it stated the wrong address of West Fort Wayne instead of East Fort Wayne. The commission approved the contract subject to the corrections.
In explaining why the commission was purchasing the property, Skinner said, “If you remember, it’s been a few years, but we originally bought those first two properties for like 17,000, with the intent of, as we are doing the Buffalo Street project, finding a potential location for the Parks Department offices.”
He said now the plan is to move the Parks offices to the pavilion when it’s remodeled. The city is working on a location for the parks maintenance services.
“So that’s why we’re buying this last piece of that square there on Fort Wayne and Indiana. To be able to relocate the maintenance building for the Parks Department,” Skinner said.
The Redevelopment Commission meeting started with Mayor Joe Thallemer giving the board members present the oath of office. Member and Councilman Mike Klondaris was not present, but Thallemer said he’d give Klondaris the oath at the city council meeting Monday night if he was there.
Thallemer gave the board members his deep appreciation for their service on the commission and to the community.
“What you all do for the community is critical, and having good thinking minds as all of you do, is also important,” Thallemer said.
After that, the commission elected its officers. Jeff Grose was nominated by George Clemens to serve as board secretary. Clemens was the secretary previously. President Tim Meyer and Vice President Rick Snodgrass will retain their seats for 2020.
The commission’s 2020 schedule also was approved. Meetings will be at 4 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, except in September because of Labor Day. That meeting will be Sept. 8.
