03/16/2026
NWAP Minutes for Feb 19, 2026 6:30 pm
Chris Pflieger, Co-Chair, Travis Barman, Co-Chair - Judy Prost, Secretary – John Renie, Treasurer Board
Members – Sitaram Kharbas, Terry Sheets - Rod Vargo
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING the MEETING TONIGHT! (Please confirm your neighborhood’s
correct information on sign-in sheets (President or contact name, association name, phone, & e-mail addresses)
Welcome! Call to order & Introductions of members and guests
• THANK YOU - Northridge Baptist Church
• Travis Barman – Chris Pflieger; Co-Chairs
o Chris opened the meeting at 6:30
o Introductions around the room
o Thank you to Northridge Church and the people who assist us each month
o Some new faces represented were:
▪ N. Pointwood, Park Place, Crestwood
o Travis out tonight
• Upcoming announcements
o Joining us tonight is a representative from Bowen Health who serves northern
Indiana with integrative healthcare, which means they treat patients with mental
health and physical health concerns. By treating the whole person their dedicated
team works together for you, offering convenient, high-quality healthcare,
regardless of your ability to pay. In-person and online appointments are available.
(800) 342-5653; BowenHealth.org
• Secretary’s Report - Judy Prost [email protected]
o Revisions for January meeting made by Rod Vargo
▪ Rod moved to approve minutes
▪ Joan seconded the motion
▪ All concluded
• Treasurer’s Report – John Renie [email protected]
o No changes for Treasurer’s report-$81.62 in bank
• Joan Woerner, Solid Waste Advisory Board
o Joan told us Matt on vacation
o Middle March is their tour of the recycling company in Michigan
• Rod Vargo, Utility Advisory Group
o Rod told us that Kyle had taken his position on the Advisory Board
o Frank Swartz would keep us abreast of any upcoming changes
o They are working on a presentation for Google Data Center
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• Chris Pflieger informed everyone that the Board had meet and that Bill Fiengo was
replaced by Brenda Hosey and should be attending in March
• New email for NWAP. [email protected]
• http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/NWAP
• https://www.facebook.com/NWAPartnership
NWAP is very thankful for all monetary donations from neighborhood associations in the
Northwest Quadrant!
6:35-7:30 Reports: (5-7 MINUTES EACH)
FWPD- Dan Engrime here since PJ is our new Chief of Police, FWPD
NW Burglaries only 3 to report – 2 doors left unlocked and 1 window forced open
6 Vehicle thief’s
o Using a device called a flipper zero, which picks up signals that car fobs give out to
open our cars
These can be used on TVs, Internet, Computers, etc.
Thief’s happening from north end to Spring Street
Fun fact: Lombard House is now museum and it is located at 704 Rockhill
o Carol Lombard married Clark Gable, died in 1942 plane crash and was born Jane Alice
Peters, on of the 1930’s famous movie stars, 66 films and highest paid actress at time
Timothy Maloney, Assistant Chief of Special Operations, FWFD
Data Center is back up and they are using it
o 435 total call outs
o 10% Reduction
o 88% fires down
o EMS only 212 runs and it is down 3%
o Misc runs 12% reduction
Causes of Fires January through February 4 th
o Electrical-using heaters with bad electrical wiring
o Smoking
o Cooking Fires
Next Thursday they have a graduation of new recruits
Their new engine is at Station 2 and it has new technology
o HASS System-every time emergency it hits on all routes and sends message that
emergency vehicle is in area be aware
Tech systems can turn street lights red if emergency vehicle headed to an
emergency
Fun fact: Fire Poles came about in 1878 in Chicago Fire Department because the star cases
were narrow and winding so horses would not climb up the stairs
Mark Salomon - Neighborhood Code Compliance
Inspections from 1-1-2025 to 12-31-2025 were: Residential Inspections: 4532; Commercial
Inspections: 347; Inoperable or abandoned vehicle inspections: 1933; Total Inspections for
Districts: 9, 10, 11: 6812; Total Inspections for NCC-2025: 24,386; Total A/V Inspections for
NCC: 6467
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Inspections from 1-1-2026 to 2-18-2026 are: Residential Inspections: 198; Residential
Workplan reviews and inspections: 19; Residential Condemned and Vacate Inspections: 137;
Order inspections: 160; Commercial Inspections: 38; Inoperable or abandoned vehicle
inspections: 191; Total Inspections for Districts 9,10, 11: 743; Total Inspections for NCC 2026:
2578; NCC-A/V’s Total-2026 Abandoned Cars: 564
When you call in a complaint, please give neighbors time to clean up before you call again
o When they have Solid Waste’s contractor go out, they use heavy equipment that can
tear up yard, since we have thawing and freezing still going on and rainy season
coming
They had one officer at Neighborhood Code retire so looking to hire and train another officer
Nate Hartman, Russ Jehl, City Council
Russ Jehl shared three issues he feels are of concern to all of us:
Casino which the state makes last deciding decision to allow the casino in our area even if
Allen County says no.
Homeless Shelter downtown-no decision made yet because other cities sending homeless to
our city
o Have no new money coming into City of Fort Wayne
o Discussing a public shelter but budget doesn’t really reflect spending on this project
North River Fieldhouse
o No funds for North River Fieldhouse
o Private funding not coming in
Public Safety Employees: Police and Fire, difficult revenues for the city
o 1.5% Pay increase which is inflation raise because inflation is hurting all employees
o Police Department paid for their pay increase 1%, City Paid 2%
They did this by giving up all new vehicles for this year
Time Banked- vacation time of 240 hours was getting paid down if it was not
used; they agreed to raise it to 400 hours and then get it paid down if not
used
Jehl asked if we would give the Fire Department a 3% increase
o Collective bargaining will work it out; Fire Department and Rod Vargo believe this is
true
75% of City expenses goes to personnel salaries
o 60% of this comes from property tax income
o 2% loss of revenue for City this year
o 15% in medical costs
City is not getting benefits from Google and Amazon
o Questions: Does Google have to bring own electrical; Jehl doesn’t know yet
Megan Grable – Administrator of Neighborhood Planning &
Activation
Reminder Grants available to neighborhoods; have to get
applications in before deadlines
There are three ways to get money: Neighborhood
Improvement Grants-Sparke and Inspire
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o Remember to get money for neighborhoods must be
registered with City on their Engage page
Inspire Conference in September
o Looking for speakers from the neighborhoods; struggles
that Neighborhood has overcame-March 31 is deadline
o Talent Showcase also grants Webinars
Seed funding through AARP due March 4 th
Neighborhood Presidents Meeting March 2 at 6pm at Citizen
Square
o Agenda will be:
Historic Preservation Study Results (Creager
and Nate)
Historic Preservation planners will also
present findings from a recent study
documenting the economic impact of
historic preservation and heritage
tourism in Fort Wayne
OHNS (Jim and Cameo)
Neighborhood Grant Programs (Holly)
The City Office of Housing and Neighborhood
Services will ask attendees for Input about how
federal housing and community development
dollars should be invested over the next five
years. Feedback will be used to draft the 2026-
2030 Consolidated Plan, a strategic plan that
outlines how the city will prioritize and invest
federal funding to address housing and
community development needs.
High Street won an award CPED: Crime has gone down 40%
by changing the environment
o Pedestrian lights; Street trees; new sidewalks; cleaned
up neighborhoods and neighbor’s followed suit by
cleaning up around homes
Fun Fact: Off West Main Street Wayne Knitting Company
which before war made Leg hosiery.
o During World War they made things to assist with war
through the Wagner Act 1935 they were the first to
unionize in the Country
Nick Jarrell – Right-of-Way Dept. www.TRECtheFort.org
Chuck Reddinger, Parks Dept.
Allen County Public Library (ACPL), Erin Warzala or Deborah Meserve
Erin shared with us that they have a new thing going on to bring in more learning for children:
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“My First Library Card”-designed for Children ages 0 through 5; a book worm on card; stickers
handed out with the cards
o Adults can get them also
o Families can take a picture with a larger version of the library card
Library’s Fun Fact:
1 st time a Librarian at ACPL answered a question on a phone was in 1923
7:30-8:00 Tonight, we will have a presentation from Holly Munoz who is the Fort Wayne City
Neighborhood Resource and Engagement Coordinator. She will be speaking on the 2026
Neighborhood Improvement Grants. https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/2026-
neighborhoodimprovement-grants
Our speaker was not in attendance so Megan and Lynsey talked to us about:
o Engagement Grant March 3 through May 8 th which can be used for a Neighborhood
party or a Clean up Day; not sure the sum was 500 dollars or 5,000 dollars
o Spark Grant is $1500.00 March 2 through May 1 st used for Neighborhood resources;
workshops; Invasive and Evasive
AARP Community Challenge Grant is open-Announcing the 2026 AARP Community Challenge
o Application deadline March 4 th
o Flagship grants: AARP’s flagship Community Challenge grants range from a few
hundred dollars for short-term activities to $15,000 for larger initiatives
o Creating vibrant public places
o Expanding transportation and mobility options
o Increasing housing connections and digital literacy
o Strengthening disaster resilience
o Capacity-Building Microgrants: These $2,500 microgrants come with added support,
including webinars, cohort learning, up to two hours of coaching from national
nonprofit organizations working with AARP resources. Eligible projects should benefit
residents-especially those age 50 and older-in at least one of the categories:
o Walk Audits; Bike Audits; Homefit Modifications; Disaster Preparedness
o Demonstration Grants: These grants support projects that can be replicated in other
communities. Awards typically range from $10,000 to $20,000 and will not exceed
$25,000. Eligible projects should benefit residents-especially those age 50 and older-in
at least one of the following categories:
o Pedestrian Safety (Support from Toyota Motor North America); High-Speed Internet
(funding support from Microsoft); Housing Design Competitions (AARP Housing Design
Competition Tool Kit)
In 2025 Grant was won by four neighborhoods working together to improve their overall:
o West Central
o Hamilton
o North Side
o North Anthony
Goal is to improve pedestrian safety; cross walk improvements; streets
maintained; schools in area making it safer for children
Things brought to light was about Represented Management Companies who manage day-to-
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day things to make neighborhoods better instead of an elected Board of Directors from
neighborhood:
o Lincoln Village and Newberry and Club North Point have ABC
o They take care of contracts for plowing snow in neighborhoods
o Minor problems; filing of taxes; balancing and collecting dues from neighbors
On Facebook; Neighborhood Leaders which represents 37 Neighborhoods
o Website design
Holly knows about the page and any Neighborhood Board Officers in Fort
Wayne can take part
Send Email to City with any questions
• Note: As a representative of your neighborhood, please check if your information is
correctly recorded on-line. Go to:
https://engage.cityoffortwayne.org/fortwayneneighborhoods. This site also provides a
nice clickable map to identify the various FW neighborhoods.
8:00 Adjourn. (Conversation and Tear Down/Clean Up)
Next Meeting: Mar 19 ,2026
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