Mayor Sees Room For Compromise In Racetrack Issue
June 20, 2018 at 6:25 p.m.
Mayor Sees Room For Compromise In Racetrack Issue
By Dan [email protected]
Thallemer, who has found himself the target of attacks in legal documents filed by the fair board’s attorney, responded last week to allegations that he’s aligned with the property owners and then pointed out that he’s led efforts to find a resolution between property owners who want to shut down racing at the Warsaw Motorsports Speedway and the fair board that oversees the fairgrounds.
A judge on May 16 established a temporary injunction halting motorized races while the dispute heads to court. The move resulted in several races – including two events during the upcoming fair – being canceled.
Thallemer said he sought to work with the fair board this spring to resolve the growing standoff. He said he knew a lawsuit aimed at shutting down motorized racing was on the horizon in March when he asked the fair board if they would voluntarily halt late night racing.
That came after complaints in the past year or so about racing events including one that continued past midnight.
Thallemer said he initially suggested to fair officials a 10:30 p.m. cutoff time and eventually countered by suggesting 11 p.m.
“There was no desire to accommodate that,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer said he made the suggestion at the same time he was considering approval of about 17 alcohol permits for activities at the fairgrounds, many of which were races.
The city approved about 14 permits for events and decided to hold off on remaining requests for events later in the summer to see if the fair board’s approach would change, Thallemer said.
Fair Board President Kevin Harris said he recalls Thallemer’s offer differently.
“That’s not the conversation I remember. His time was 10 o’clock, and we said we couldn’t possibly end them before 11.”
Harris said that 11 p.m. could be something that might be reasonable.
“If we could go to 11 o’clock and maybe have a 15-minute grace period, that would be fine,” Harris said.
Harris also said he personally got the impression Thallemer was representing the plaintiffs when he made his pitch in March.
Thallemer, who lives on Winona Lake near the fairgrounds, said he’s avoided taking a stand on the issue. He said he has not attended meetings by the plaintiffs and is not supporting the movement financially.
Thallemer said he’s also been working with organizers involved with a series of Latino rodeos held at the speedway this year.
Complaints were heard in 2016 about a Latino rodeo that was especially loud and continued late into the night.
Thallemer said one organizer agreed to tone down the volume and curtail activities earlier, and that circumstances have improved this year.
“A different organizer is involved with one of the upcoming rodeos. I told him, I’ll sign for one and see how it goes,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer finds himself caught in the middle in the latest chapter of a battle that began about 30 years ago when an agreement was eventually reached to discontinue motorized racing at the track. The issue resurfaced in recent years after the fair board began permitting new racing events.
Thallemer said he thinks there is still a chance an agreement can be reached over motorized racing.
“I’d love to think there is,” Thallemer said.
“Unfortunately, it’s an issue that’s been festering for 20 or 30 years,” he said.
When asked about working out a settlement, Harris said the fair board hopes to issue a statement later this week.
Thallemer said he’s looking at the issue as a mayor who is “looking out for what’s best for the entire community and not take a side.”
He said he can see how his name has entered into arguments. “It’s easy to paint me as a landowner effected by it,” he said.
Supporters of the track and some opponents of the mayor on social media have suggested he has had an undue role in working against the track.
Some of the attacks have been aired on Facebook pages known as “Warsaw Community” and “We Want Another Warsaw Speedway.”
On Warsaw Community, Thallemer has been called a crook and accused of abusing the power of his office for personal gain.
He’s also been accused on the speedway Facebook page of supporting homeowners and using heavy-handed tactics against a business that supports the track.
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Thallemer, who has found himself the target of attacks in legal documents filed by the fair board’s attorney, responded last week to allegations that he’s aligned with the property owners and then pointed out that he’s led efforts to find a resolution between property owners who want to shut down racing at the Warsaw Motorsports Speedway and the fair board that oversees the fairgrounds.
A judge on May 16 established a temporary injunction halting motorized races while the dispute heads to court. The move resulted in several races – including two events during the upcoming fair – being canceled.
Thallemer said he sought to work with the fair board this spring to resolve the growing standoff. He said he knew a lawsuit aimed at shutting down motorized racing was on the horizon in March when he asked the fair board if they would voluntarily halt late night racing.
That came after complaints in the past year or so about racing events including one that continued past midnight.
Thallemer said he initially suggested to fair officials a 10:30 p.m. cutoff time and eventually countered by suggesting 11 p.m.
“There was no desire to accommodate that,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer said he made the suggestion at the same time he was considering approval of about 17 alcohol permits for activities at the fairgrounds, many of which were races.
The city approved about 14 permits for events and decided to hold off on remaining requests for events later in the summer to see if the fair board’s approach would change, Thallemer said.
Fair Board President Kevin Harris said he recalls Thallemer’s offer differently.
“That’s not the conversation I remember. His time was 10 o’clock, and we said we couldn’t possibly end them before 11.”
Harris said that 11 p.m. could be something that might be reasonable.
“If we could go to 11 o’clock and maybe have a 15-minute grace period, that would be fine,” Harris said.
Harris also said he personally got the impression Thallemer was representing the plaintiffs when he made his pitch in March.
Thallemer, who lives on Winona Lake near the fairgrounds, said he’s avoided taking a stand on the issue. He said he has not attended meetings by the plaintiffs and is not supporting the movement financially.
Thallemer said he’s also been working with organizers involved with a series of Latino rodeos held at the speedway this year.
Complaints were heard in 2016 about a Latino rodeo that was especially loud and continued late into the night.
Thallemer said one organizer agreed to tone down the volume and curtail activities earlier, and that circumstances have improved this year.
“A different organizer is involved with one of the upcoming rodeos. I told him, I’ll sign for one and see how it goes,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer finds himself caught in the middle in the latest chapter of a battle that began about 30 years ago when an agreement was eventually reached to discontinue motorized racing at the track. The issue resurfaced in recent years after the fair board began permitting new racing events.
Thallemer said he thinks there is still a chance an agreement can be reached over motorized racing.
“I’d love to think there is,” Thallemer said.
“Unfortunately, it’s an issue that’s been festering for 20 or 30 years,” he said.
When asked about working out a settlement, Harris said the fair board hopes to issue a statement later this week.
Thallemer said he’s looking at the issue as a mayor who is “looking out for what’s best for the entire community and not take a side.”
He said he can see how his name has entered into arguments. “It’s easy to paint me as a landowner effected by it,” he said.
Supporters of the track and some opponents of the mayor on social media have suggested he has had an undue role in working against the track.
Some of the attacks have been aired on Facebook pages known as “Warsaw Community” and “We Want Another Warsaw Speedway.”
On Warsaw Community, Thallemer has been called a crook and accused of abusing the power of his office for personal gain.
He’s also been accused on the speedway Facebook page of supporting homeowners and using heavy-handed tactics against a business that supports the track.
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