2023 Will Be A Very Busy Year For The City Of Warsaw
February 2, 2023 at 5:12 p.m.
By Joe Thallemer-
I did not retire! I am still the mayor of this great city. I will continue as mayor for the remainder of 2023.
I suppose last month, when I announced that I would not be seeking a fourth term, it was assumed by many that I would soon be finished as mayor. Thankfully, that is not exactly how it works.
2023 is considered an “off-year” for state and national elections. Municipal elections are usually held during the “off-year,” and as such, are the only contests on the ballot. So, with this year’s primary election on May 2, political parties will elect their candidates from cities and towns across Indiana to be slated on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. The winners will then be sworn in and serve a four-year term from Jan. 1, 2024, through December 2027.
Because of the Feb. 3 (today) candidate filing deadline for the 2023 primary election, I had to announce my plans in early January, almost a year in advance of leaving office, hence the confusion.
Our last year will be a very busy year.
I began my service with the city in 1995 when Mayor Jeff Plank asked me to serve on the Plan Commission. Following that, I served on the City Council for three terms during the tenure of Mayor Ernie Wiggins, being elected in 1999, 2003 and 2007. I was then elected mayor for three consecutive terms in 2011, 2015 and finally in 2019.
This will be the first municipal election that I will not be a part of since 1999. Even though elections are an exciting part of the process, it will be a bit of a relief to have them behind me!
So now what can you expect for this final year? I’ve never really thought about the term “lame duck.” Wikipedia suggests that in a literal sense, it refers to a duck that is unable to keep up with the flock, making it a target for predators. I sure don’t plan on letting that happen!
We will continue to serve as we have from the beginning. There is much work to do! 2023 will be a very important year for housing projects, the U.S. 30 PEL study, local road projects, parks improvements, street maintenance, airport improvements, design and replacement of an aging Public Works facility, and continued attraction and growth of our retail and industry sectors. We will utilize our resources to maintain focus on these projects and any other issues that may arise.
Our city is blessed with talented department heads and a committed staff with a great track record of success. We will continue to provide the level of service our community has come to expect, while striving to improve and find new ways to meet the challenges we face. As I said, 2023 will be a very busy year!
I did not retire! I am still the mayor of this great city. I will continue as mayor for the remainder of 2023.
I suppose last month, when I announced that I would not be seeking a fourth term, it was assumed by many that I would soon be finished as mayor. Thankfully, that is not exactly how it works.
2023 is considered an “off-year” for state and national elections. Municipal elections are usually held during the “off-year,” and as such, are the only contests on the ballot. So, with this year’s primary election on May 2, political parties will elect their candidates from cities and towns across Indiana to be slated on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. The winners will then be sworn in and serve a four-year term from Jan. 1, 2024, through December 2027.
Because of the Feb. 3 (today) candidate filing deadline for the 2023 primary election, I had to announce my plans in early January, almost a year in advance of leaving office, hence the confusion.
Our last year will be a very busy year.
I began my service with the city in 1995 when Mayor Jeff Plank asked me to serve on the Plan Commission. Following that, I served on the City Council for three terms during the tenure of Mayor Ernie Wiggins, being elected in 1999, 2003 and 2007. I was then elected mayor for three consecutive terms in 2011, 2015 and finally in 2019.
This will be the first municipal election that I will not be a part of since 1999. Even though elections are an exciting part of the process, it will be a bit of a relief to have them behind me!
So now what can you expect for this final year? I’ve never really thought about the term “lame duck.” Wikipedia suggests that in a literal sense, it refers to a duck that is unable to keep up with the flock, making it a target for predators. I sure don’t plan on letting that happen!
We will continue to serve as we have from the beginning. There is much work to do! 2023 will be a very important year for housing projects, the U.S. 30 PEL study, local road projects, parks improvements, street maintenance, airport improvements, design and replacement of an aging Public Works facility, and continued attraction and growth of our retail and industry sectors. We will utilize our resources to maintain focus on these projects and any other issues that may arise.
Our city is blessed with talented department heads and a committed staff with a great track record of success. We will continue to provide the level of service our community has come to expect, while striving to improve and find new ways to meet the challenges we face. As I said, 2023 will be a very busy year!
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