By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – At the Wabash City Council meeting Monday night, the council discussed the election of a Vice President. As readers might recall, the council talked about the election of a VP after the new council was sworn in on January 11th. At that meeting, Councilman Bryan Dillon was elected President and the matter of a VP was tabled. At Monday night’s meeting, Mayor Scott Long said that there is no statutory requirement for a Class 3 city like Wabash to elect a Council Vice President under Indiana code. After Councilwoman Bonnie Corn made a motion not to elected a VP, the council voted with her unanimously.
The council then heard an update from Rachel Uthe, American Structurepoint Project Manager, on the current state of the individual Stellar projects. In regards to the Eagles Theater Community Center, the most recent income surveys have come back and they received enough of them to make it easier to obtain funding for the Eagles Theater project. After the first round of surveys proved unsuccessful, the new round, conducted in late 2015, used the different approach of knocking on doors and making phone calls instead of relying on residents to mail back a survey based on their income. The newest survey, which according to Uthe used a 500 resident sample size, confirms that Wabash is a low- to moderate-income community for federal grant requirements. After the survey is certified by the end of the month, funding for the Eagles Theater project will proceed under a Community Center approach instead of a Historic Preservation formulation. The project plans to restore the ballroom on the upper floors of the building so as to make it into a community space for various public and private gatherings.
Uthe went on to say that the Owner Occupied Rehabilitation project is still in the environmental review process. Phase one included 10 houses all over the city, even on the south side, and phase two is expected to begin next summer. She then discussed the 13/15 Corridor Improvement project which, she said, was on schedule and the work to be done on the railroad crossing on Wabash Street south of downtown has been scaled back and will cost less than previously expected. Uthe added that 17 applications have been approved on the Facade Program and $730,000 in grants have so far been awarded.
The council also approved the continuing real estate tax abatements of two properties in Wabash. The council determined that Bobby Evans’ 2012 abatement for a new home was in compliance, as well as well as a 2013 abatement for Dorais Chevrolet’s new showroom, offices and parts department.
Finally, Councilman Aaron McClary asked what role the City Council has on Wabash City Schools upcoming referendum on the May 3rd Primary ballot. President Dillon said that the council has no part in the referendum and Mayor Long clarified that only city residents within the city school’s district would be effected by the potential increase in property taxes.