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Wellness center gets PCH thumbs up
The next step in the wellness center/community center/YMCA project will have to wait until the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC) can set a special meeting.
That is expected to come prior to the regular monthly meeting of the Greencastle City Council for October since the Redevelopment Commission must first pass a resolution in favor of the project before the Council can consider it.
The RDC took no action on the matter at its September meeting, as which time City Attorney Laurie Hardwick said no new information was available and the resolution was not ready for RDC consideration.
“We did get word from (Putnam County Hospital Executive Director) Dennis Weatherford,” Hardwick told the group, “of a thumbs up from the hospital to move ahead.”
The hospital, which will lease a portion of the facility from the city, is “very much interested in participating,” Hardwick added.
At the recent combined City Council-RDC special session, it was announced that the project would cost $28,350,000 -- $5,165,000 of which would be the medical office building. The hospital is expected to make annual payments of $260,000 over the 20-year life of the bond.
“So what’s the next step?” RDC member Gary Lemon asked.
That would be the special session “once we have all the figures,” Hardwick said. “The Council will need to act on it, too.”
The other question from RDC members was should they put the cash on the reserve or wrap it into the bond?
“If you have the money, you can reduce the amount of bond,” Lemon noted. “We have X dollars we can put in. Do we increase the amount we borrow and put some money in over the top?”
No decision has been made on that matter.
The city, Wabash Valley YMCA and Putnam County Hospital are all involved in the approximately 60,000-square-foot project. The city will own the facility and lease spaces to the YMCA and the hospital.
The city has yet to finalize the lease agreements with the YMCA or Putnam County Hospital.
Meanwhile, in the only other matter before the RDC, the go-ahead was given on the Jackson Street sidewalk project.
It looks as though the city will be acquiring or purchasing 15 or 16 parcels of property along South Jackson Street to facilitate the project, Hardwick said.
Two contracts with Civil Engineering Consultant (CeCon) were approved. One covers design work, right-of-way development and utility coordination for $62,000. The other covers right-of-way engineering and title and encumbrances not to exceed $52,000.
RDC members Lemon, Erika Gilmore, Gwen Morris, Lottie Barcus and Brian Cox were in attendance. Mayor Bill Dory was absent.
The next regular session of the RDC is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 at City Hall.