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The city of Warsaw appears to have resolved a dispute over shoddy construction of trim on the exterior of city hall that was originally installed during renovations about five years ago.
The city filed a breach of contract suit against Harold McComb & Son Inc., Fort Wayne, after officials realized trim work that was falling apart did not include a material that was specifically required for the project, according to city attorney Mike Valentine.
The city filed suit against McComb, but that company blamed J.P. Phillips Inc., a sub-contractor from Chicago, which did the original work.
The city was able to reach an agreement with Phillips to make repairs.
Phillips recently completed repairs, using the proper material, a type of covering, which Valentine described as standard for such projects.
The work was recently inspected by city officials to their satisfaction. On Friday, the city Board of Works and Public Safety approved tentative plans to drop the suit.
The city incurred no expenses for the repairs, Valentine said.
He estimated the repairs probably cost around $65,000 to $75,000.
Board member George Clemens applauded the effort by Valentine.
“The city basically avoided litigation by settling this thing. He did a great job,” Clemens said.
In a somewhat related issue, city officials are investigating the extent of problems with the overhangs that extend over three entrances of city hall. Instead of having rainwater properly run off the overhangs, water is pudding on the overhangs.
The city is still assessing what can be done to resolve the problem. Valentine noted that it had nothing to do with companies involved with the trim work.
In other matters:
• The board approved an amendment to the facade program. A specific request will allow a downtown business owner to use money from the program – overseen by Warsaw Community Development Corporation – to paint an exterior side wall.
Glam, a women’s boutique store at 212 S. Buffalo St., is seeking to paint a two-story wall on the south side of the building that it rents.
Normally, the facade program requires the money be used for work only on the front of buildings.
The south wall includes boarded-up windows and shows signs of an old fire escape that has been removed.
Glam owner Michelle Ledrew did not attend the meeting, but she and other city officials agree the wall needs spruced up, in part because the building is one of the first things motorists see heading north into the downtown.
The facade program provides up to $5,000, which the business owner then matches and puts toward the work.
• City officials said farewell to Doug Light, a 22-year veteran of the police department whose last day was Friday. Light has accepted a job with Warsaw Community School Corp. Mayor Joe Thallemer and Police Chief Scott Whitaker thanked Light for his years of service.
Light worked as a school resource officer and in the DARE program.
In turn, Light thanked the city for the career opportunities he enjoyed with the city.
• The board agreed to waive stormwater charges built up over several years that were overlooked. The properties were 1101 and 1103 W. Winona Ave., 1821 and 1825 W. Winona Ave. and 1111 and 1137 W. Winona Ave.
The combined total waived by the city was about $2,300.
Landlord Chad Zartman, afterward, inquired if he and other landlords could have some sewer fees that were “back billed” by the city years ago waived as well.
Zartman, who has been questioning numerous city practices through social media, said the policy appears to be based on who can pay for the services.
City officials had no public reaction to his request.
