City Recognizes Local JROTC
June 4, 2019 at 1:58 a.m.
By David [email protected]
Members of the WCHS Army JROTC presented the flag and led the council in the pledge of allegiance.
After the pledge, Mayor Joe Thallemer said, “We’re very proud of this group,” and he let them talk about their recent achievement.
Cadet Lt. Col. Katherine Josellis explained that recently the JROTC had its first-ever formal JROTC Program for Accreditation (JPA) inspection on April 25. “They basically review all JROTCs and decide if they’re well operating and doing what they should be,” she said.
After the inspection, she said the Warsaw unit – the Tiger Battalion – received the “Honor Unit with Distinction” award with a 96%. overall proficiency rating.
“Something like that is amazing because only 15% of JROTC’s all-military branches receive something like that. And we worked really hard for it and I’m really proud of how we did,” she said.
Major Friedrich Josellis, the WCHS JROTC senior Army instructor, recognized the two senior leaders who were present – Katherine Josellis, the battalion commander, and Timothy Robbins, the command sergeant major.
“They represented the school so impressively. The inspections only come about every four to six years, and so it was actually our first inspection. So I was probably more nervous than they were, I just couldn’t show it. But they were the ones who made it happen. This was their show, their briefing, their everything. My stuff only counted for like 30% of the grade, theirs was 70%. So they represented us exceptionally well,” Friedrich Josellis said of the cadets and the JPA inspection.
He said it was great to be regarded among the top programs in the state.
Army JROTC units that earn the Honor Unit with Distinction status have the opportunity for its cadets to apply for an appointment to the nation’s military academies with a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction nomination. Friedrich Josellis can write the nominations for cadets that meet the prerequisites for the service academies.
“I can nominate anyone, but ... they’ve got to have the good grades and SAT, ACT, that kind of stuff. They do have to pull their own to get to that point, because otherwise I’m just wasting a nomination,” he said.
Thallemer said, “We’re certainly proud of the Tiger Battalion. We see them all over town at all kinds of events. We’re honored to have them here at our council meeting.”
In other business, the council approved:
• A resolution regarding assignment of tax sale certificate for property on Gilliam Drive.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said he was reviewing properties the county had for tax sale and noticed a property that one of the city’s lift stations sat on was not owned by the city.
After researching the property, he said his department learned the property was never transferred into the city’s name.
“So pretty much that’s what we’re asking with this tax certificate sale, is we’d take ownership of that property that was subdivided off of the placement of the lift station and properly put it in our name so there’s no confusion going forward,” Skinner said.
City attorney Scott Reust said there will be a couple more steps to be taken, including notices to be sent out and a petition filed with the court.
• All tax abatements presented to the council.
The first one was for Texmo Precision Castings U.S. Inc., 596 E. CR 200N. It was originally granted by the county at the time of the request, but Texmo’s property was annexed into the city as part of the Airport Industrial Park.
Texmo spent about $2.3 million on real property and $2.4 million on personal property and hired an additional 31 employees since 2016, Skinner said. This is the third year for its abatement.
The other abatements are for DePuy Orthopedics Inc., 715 Orthopedic Drive. Their abatements were filed in 2008 and 2011, both for personal property. The company invested $7 million in personal property in 2008 and purchased an additional $3.5 million in personal property and $9.5 million in research and development equipment in 2011. The abatements are in their eighth and sixth year, Skinner estimated.
• The vacation of the north/south and east/west alleys at the county’s justice building parking lot on first reading. The second reading will be at the council’s next meeting June 13. County attorney Chad Miner will provide the council with more information they requested at that time.
• A resolution authorizing the investment of public funds. Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen said it’s an annual resolution.
• Conflict of interest disclosure statements for councilmen Jack Wilhite and Diane Quance.
The council also heard from Randy Shepherd, representing the Fair Association, who invited them to the fair’s opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. July 7 in the horse arena.
The county fair is July 7-13.
He also asked the city to provide a garbage truck for the fair and for help to clean up leaves on the fairgrounds.
Thallemer told Shepherd to contact him and he’d make sure that happened as there was no reason the city couldn’t do that.
Christiansen provided the council with important dates for the 2020 budget.
The public hearing and first reading is Sept. 16. The adoption hearing and final reading is Oct. 7. The salary ordinance must be adopted by Nov. 1, with the elected salary by Dec. 31.
The deadline to adopt 2020 budgets, rates and levies is Nov. 1.
Members of the WCHS Army JROTC presented the flag and led the council in the pledge of allegiance.
After the pledge, Mayor Joe Thallemer said, “We’re very proud of this group,” and he let them talk about their recent achievement.
Cadet Lt. Col. Katherine Josellis explained that recently the JROTC had its first-ever formal JROTC Program for Accreditation (JPA) inspection on April 25. “They basically review all JROTCs and decide if they’re well operating and doing what they should be,” she said.
After the inspection, she said the Warsaw unit – the Tiger Battalion – received the “Honor Unit with Distinction” award with a 96%. overall proficiency rating.
“Something like that is amazing because only 15% of JROTC’s all-military branches receive something like that. And we worked really hard for it and I’m really proud of how we did,” she said.
Major Friedrich Josellis, the WCHS JROTC senior Army instructor, recognized the two senior leaders who were present – Katherine Josellis, the battalion commander, and Timothy Robbins, the command sergeant major.
“They represented the school so impressively. The inspections only come about every four to six years, and so it was actually our first inspection. So I was probably more nervous than they were, I just couldn’t show it. But they were the ones who made it happen. This was their show, their briefing, their everything. My stuff only counted for like 30% of the grade, theirs was 70%. So they represented us exceptionally well,” Friedrich Josellis said of the cadets and the JPA inspection.
He said it was great to be regarded among the top programs in the state.
Army JROTC units that earn the Honor Unit with Distinction status have the opportunity for its cadets to apply for an appointment to the nation’s military academies with a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction nomination. Friedrich Josellis can write the nominations for cadets that meet the prerequisites for the service academies.
“I can nominate anyone, but ... they’ve got to have the good grades and SAT, ACT, that kind of stuff. They do have to pull their own to get to that point, because otherwise I’m just wasting a nomination,” he said.
Thallemer said, “We’re certainly proud of the Tiger Battalion. We see them all over town at all kinds of events. We’re honored to have them here at our council meeting.”
In other business, the council approved:
• A resolution regarding assignment of tax sale certificate for property on Gilliam Drive.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said he was reviewing properties the county had for tax sale and noticed a property that one of the city’s lift stations sat on was not owned by the city.
After researching the property, he said his department learned the property was never transferred into the city’s name.
“So pretty much that’s what we’re asking with this tax certificate sale, is we’d take ownership of that property that was subdivided off of the placement of the lift station and properly put it in our name so there’s no confusion going forward,” Skinner said.
City attorney Scott Reust said there will be a couple more steps to be taken, including notices to be sent out and a petition filed with the court.
• All tax abatements presented to the council.
The first one was for Texmo Precision Castings U.S. Inc., 596 E. CR 200N. It was originally granted by the county at the time of the request, but Texmo’s property was annexed into the city as part of the Airport Industrial Park.
Texmo spent about $2.3 million on real property and $2.4 million on personal property and hired an additional 31 employees since 2016, Skinner said. This is the third year for its abatement.
The other abatements are for DePuy Orthopedics Inc., 715 Orthopedic Drive. Their abatements were filed in 2008 and 2011, both for personal property. The company invested $7 million in personal property in 2008 and purchased an additional $3.5 million in personal property and $9.5 million in research and development equipment in 2011. The abatements are in their eighth and sixth year, Skinner estimated.
• The vacation of the north/south and east/west alleys at the county’s justice building parking lot on first reading. The second reading will be at the council’s next meeting June 13. County attorney Chad Miner will provide the council with more information they requested at that time.
• A resolution authorizing the investment of public funds. Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen said it’s an annual resolution.
• Conflict of interest disclosure statements for councilmen Jack Wilhite and Diane Quance.
The council also heard from Randy Shepherd, representing the Fair Association, who invited them to the fair’s opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. July 7 in the horse arena.
The county fair is July 7-13.
He also asked the city to provide a garbage truck for the fair and for help to clean up leaves on the fairgrounds.
Thallemer told Shepherd to contact him and he’d make sure that happened as there was no reason the city couldn’t do that.
Christiansen provided the council with important dates for the 2020 budget.
The public hearing and first reading is Sept. 16. The adoption hearing and final reading is Oct. 7. The salary ordinance must be adopted by Nov. 1, with the elected salary by Dec. 31.
The deadline to adopt 2020 budgets, rates and levies is Nov. 1.
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