Warsaw Candidates Attend Meet-The-Candidates Event
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
A broadcast of the forum is available for a week on Oldies 98.3 WIOE.
Gary Gerard, Times-Union general manager, served as moderator.
The event was at Lakeview Middle School and was sponsored by Kosciusko County Chamber, Times-Union, Citgo, BP, Phillips 66, Good To Go, CenturyLink, Freedom Oil, Oldies 98.3 and Warsaw Community Schools.
Clerk-treasurer candidates are Republicans Lynne Christiansen, incumbent, and Larry Ladd.
There are two at-large seats that will be on the primary ballot, and seven candidates are seeking the seats, including Democrat Dave Baumgartner; Republicans Patrick Loebs, Connie Fribley, Juergen Voss, Jack Wilhite, Cindy Dobbins and Justin Risner.
At-large candidates were asked first: What is the most important issue the city council should be currently addressing?
Loebs said the path the city will take is the biggest issue.
“Warsaw is a novelty in the larger scope of what cities are and has multi-billion dollar companies at its doorsteps,” Loebs said.
He said the city needs to decide if it will encourage businesses to stay and draw other businesses in, or hold onto the Warsaw that existed 50 years ago.
Fribley said he is looking at economic growth as important.
“I think it’s very important for the city of Warsaw to maintain its investment ratings to borrow money at a good rate to fund projects that are on the slate,” Fribley said.
Voss said the city needs to decide where it is going.
“The city council has a lot of power to direct the growth of the city and the direction we take that growth into,” Voss said.
Wilhite said the economy of Warsaw is important.
“Government does not make jobs. What makes jobs is businesses, and the city can do things to attract these businesses in and build infrastructure,” Wilhite said.
Dobbins said economic development is important.
“For our livelihood we have depended on the orthopedic industry, but we can’t put all our eggs in one basket,” Dobbins said.
Risner said the city’s comprehensive plan is the most important issue.
“It is inevitable that we will grow and there is nothing that can stop it. People are moving here because they are attracted to what Warsaw has to offer,” Risner said.
Baumgartner said infrastructure is most important.
“All of the growth and change we want to see is based on that infrastructure,” Baumgartner said.
Another question was: When considering new regulations, how will you balance rights of individuals with the good of the community?
Voss said no matter what a council does there must be balance.
“The community needs to be taken into consideration and we have to weigh the benefits from the consequences,” Voss said.
Wilhite said he tries to err on the side of freedom.
“Some people want to be regulated more than others. It boils down to listening to the community and how much regulation they are willing to take and freedom they are willing to give up,” Wilhite said.
Dobbins said it is helpful to have town hall meetings to listen to both sides of issues.
“Trying to act in the best interest of citizens, you have to realize you won’t satisfy everyone, but try not to do any harm in the decisions you are making,” Dobbins said.
Risner said upholding individual’s rights is important.
“This county, state and city needs to remember the Constitution is law. We need people on the city council who will uphold the individual’s rights of the citizens of the community,” Risner said.
Baumgartner said individual rights are in the Constitution, and there must be checks and balances.
“No one wants to be a dictator and rule over people’s lives. We want to give the people as much freedom as we can and consider the well-being of the entire community,” Baumgartner said.
Loebs said liberty and freedom of the people is important.
“I believe it is the city’s responsibility to demonstrate why new policies and regulations are not burdensome on rights,” Loebs said.
Fribley said the city cannot please all the people all the time.
“The city council is divided up into districts, and there are two at-large positions, and those people on the council are charged with talking to their constituents in their districts,” Fribley said.
Clerk-treasurer candidates were asked: What innovations do you propose to bring to the clerk-treasurer’s office?
Christiansen said currently the city is bursting at the seams for its records it needs to maintain permanently.
“One of the things I’m considering is trying to get those stored on some type of medium. The problem is the state of Indiana only recognizes microfilm,” Christiansen said.
Ladd said the most important thing is to show transparency in the office.
“We need to not only welcome our citizens to come in, but encourage them to visit and see the financial data,” Ladd said.
The clerk-treasurer candidates also were asked: What is the greatest fiscal challenge facing the community and how can the clerk-treasurer’s office help to solve it?
Ladd said the office must follow statutory rules set by the state board of accounts. He said the greatest fiscal challenge is maintaining services for the city and keeping taxes as reasonable as they can be.
Christiansen said the greatest fiscal challenge is tax caps.
“With the tax caps and less revenue you have to balance spending. One way the city did that was joining the IACT Medical Trust that keeps health insurance costs down,” Christiansen said.
Also in attendance during the event were unopposed candidates who will be on the primary ballot: Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor; Charlie Smith, District 2; Mike Klondaris, District 3; Jerry Frush, District 4; and Diane Quance, District 5.
The Times-Union will publish an election section Thursday.[[In-content Ad]]
A broadcast of the forum is available for a week on Oldies 98.3 WIOE.
Gary Gerard, Times-Union general manager, served as moderator.
The event was at Lakeview Middle School and was sponsored by Kosciusko County Chamber, Times-Union, Citgo, BP, Phillips 66, Good To Go, CenturyLink, Freedom Oil, Oldies 98.3 and Warsaw Community Schools.
Clerk-treasurer candidates are Republicans Lynne Christiansen, incumbent, and Larry Ladd.
There are two at-large seats that will be on the primary ballot, and seven candidates are seeking the seats, including Democrat Dave Baumgartner; Republicans Patrick Loebs, Connie Fribley, Juergen Voss, Jack Wilhite, Cindy Dobbins and Justin Risner.
At-large candidates were asked first: What is the most important issue the city council should be currently addressing?
Loebs said the path the city will take is the biggest issue.
“Warsaw is a novelty in the larger scope of what cities are and has multi-billion dollar companies at its doorsteps,” Loebs said.
He said the city needs to decide if it will encourage businesses to stay and draw other businesses in, or hold onto the Warsaw that existed 50 years ago.
Fribley said he is looking at economic growth as important.
“I think it’s very important for the city of Warsaw to maintain its investment ratings to borrow money at a good rate to fund projects that are on the slate,” Fribley said.
Voss said the city needs to decide where it is going.
“The city council has a lot of power to direct the growth of the city and the direction we take that growth into,” Voss said.
Wilhite said the economy of Warsaw is important.
“Government does not make jobs. What makes jobs is businesses, and the city can do things to attract these businesses in and build infrastructure,” Wilhite said.
Dobbins said economic development is important.
“For our livelihood we have depended on the orthopedic industry, but we can’t put all our eggs in one basket,” Dobbins said.
Risner said the city’s comprehensive plan is the most important issue.
“It is inevitable that we will grow and there is nothing that can stop it. People are moving here because they are attracted to what Warsaw has to offer,” Risner said.
Baumgartner said infrastructure is most important.
“All of the growth and change we want to see is based on that infrastructure,” Baumgartner said.
Another question was: When considering new regulations, how will you balance rights of individuals with the good of the community?
Voss said no matter what a council does there must be balance.
“The community needs to be taken into consideration and we have to weigh the benefits from the consequences,” Voss said.
Wilhite said he tries to err on the side of freedom.
“Some people want to be regulated more than others. It boils down to listening to the community and how much regulation they are willing to take and freedom they are willing to give up,” Wilhite said.
Dobbins said it is helpful to have town hall meetings to listen to both sides of issues.
“Trying to act in the best interest of citizens, you have to realize you won’t satisfy everyone, but try not to do any harm in the decisions you are making,” Dobbins said.
Risner said upholding individual’s rights is important.
“This county, state and city needs to remember the Constitution is law. We need people on the city council who will uphold the individual’s rights of the citizens of the community,” Risner said.
Baumgartner said individual rights are in the Constitution, and there must be checks and balances.
“No one wants to be a dictator and rule over people’s lives. We want to give the people as much freedom as we can and consider the well-being of the entire community,” Baumgartner said.
Loebs said liberty and freedom of the people is important.
“I believe it is the city’s responsibility to demonstrate why new policies and regulations are not burdensome on rights,” Loebs said.
Fribley said the city cannot please all the people all the time.
“The city council is divided up into districts, and there are two at-large positions, and those people on the council are charged with talking to their constituents in their districts,” Fribley said.
Clerk-treasurer candidates were asked: What innovations do you propose to bring to the clerk-treasurer’s office?
Christiansen said currently the city is bursting at the seams for its records it needs to maintain permanently.
“One of the things I’m considering is trying to get those stored on some type of medium. The problem is the state of Indiana only recognizes microfilm,” Christiansen said.
Ladd said the most important thing is to show transparency in the office.
“We need to not only welcome our citizens to come in, but encourage them to visit and see the financial data,” Ladd said.
The clerk-treasurer candidates also were asked: What is the greatest fiscal challenge facing the community and how can the clerk-treasurer’s office help to solve it?
Ladd said the office must follow statutory rules set by the state board of accounts. He said the greatest fiscal challenge is maintaining services for the city and keeping taxes as reasonable as they can be.
Christiansen said the greatest fiscal challenge is tax caps.
“With the tax caps and less revenue you have to balance spending. One way the city did that was joining the IACT Medical Trust that keeps health insurance costs down,” Christiansen said.
Also in attendance during the event were unopposed candidates who will be on the primary ballot: Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor; Charlie Smith, District 2; Mike Klondaris, District 3; Jerry Frush, District 4; and Diane Quance, District 5.
The Times-Union will publish an election section Thursday.[[In-content Ad]]
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