Warsaw Mayors Race Focus At Chamber EventWhile the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce Meet The Candidates night Wednesday was a forum for those seeking various offices in Warsaw and Winona Lake, the focus of time and attention was on the Warsaw mayoral race. Candidates Michael Alspaugh, Kyle Babcock, Tony Miller and Joe Thallemer each gave three-introductions that can be viewed on the Times-Union website. Babcock and Thallemer are city councilmen, with Thallemer serving as the council president. Alspaugh is a general contractor who relocated back to the area from California, while Miller is the owner of Instru-Med in Warsaw. Alspaugh, Babcock and Miller took aim at the city’s purchase of the former National CIty Bank building in downtown Warsaw as the new location of a city hall. Thallemer defended the purchase and took issue with what he called the “myth” that the project is $5 million. “In fact it’s going to be about half that,” said Thallemer. “We paid $1.3 million for the building and will probably put about that much in renovations.” Babcock countered that when he saw reports during the vote to purchase the building, there were renovation estimates that totaled $3.7 million. Thallemer said those estimates were intended to be on the high end, and that the city has hired a local company, and that the renovations won’t be anywhere near the $3.7 million laid out in a report by an Indianapolis-based firm. Thallemer also seemed to take issue at the perceived notion that he is the status-quo candidate compared to the other three. Thallemer noted Warsaw’s retail growth, low tax rate and a recent Forbes report ranking Warsaw as one of the top small cities in the United States to live in. “I guess that’s the status quo that’s being talked about,” said Thallemer of Warsaw’s recognitions. In the Winona Lake clerk-treasurer’s race, incumbent Retha Hicks took issue with a claim by challenger Kent Adams that her salary was in excess of $63,000 a year. Adams said he didn’t want to run on that issue, but he cited a state report listing Hicks’ salary, saying it is higher than the Warsaw clerk-treasurer as well as the Warsaw mayor. Hicks said she didn’t know where Adams got his figures, but said she makes around $52,000 a year. Hicks also said that to compare her to the Warsaw mayor is unfair because, she said, that job is part time and the mayor is provided with a vehicle. Adams said that in his time at the statehouse, while it was considered a part-time job, it wasn’t and said he felt that way about the Warsaw mayoral race. During a question-and-answer session, Chamber President Mark Dobson directed general questions as well as questions to specific candidates. It was asked whether it was too late to stop the National City Bank purchase. Thallemer said the city has purchased the building. He also took that time to combat what he called the myth of the project’s cost. Thallemer said when it was all said and done, the cost of the project per square foot would be about $50 less than the market would dictate. During a question on working with other communities, Alspaugh suggested that there be more special elections and referendums for projects that cost a certain amount. When asked about the meth problem, Alspaugh suggested waiving prosecution of meth addicts willing to come forward and providing them with counseling and rehab. City councilwoman Diane Quance said she was disturbed by the amount of meth trash she sees in her district and would like to see the availability of pseudoephedrine restricted. Winona Lake town council candidate Greg Winn, who is employed with Pill Box Pharmacy, said he was upset that it wasn’t restricted and that his business deals with that issue everyday. Winn said a problem now is that pharmacies can’t tell who is addicted to meth because addicts pay runners to buy pseudoephedrine for them. The intersection of Park and Dubois streets was discussed. Thallemer admitted the solution of making Dubois one-way wasn’t perfect and that the city made a mistake by including speed bumps originally on Dubois. Those have since been removed. Winn, whose Pill Box Pharmacy, is located on Dubois, thanked Thallemer for his help with getting rid of those. Thallemer said the change to that intersection was a direct result of the development that included Menard’s and Martin’s. Alspaugh said he didn’t feel the intersection was that bad and said the city did a good job on it. When asked if anyone could give a number of planes diverted from the Warsaw airport in a year, Miller said that question was in his wheelhouse. Miller said he has been unable to get solid numbers from the aviation board and was troubled that during a survey, the aviation board asked pilots to be liberal in their assessment of how many flights get diverted a year. Miller said the number that came out, 104, was impossible. Alspaugh said he agreed with Miller 100 percent. A question was directed to Babcock to point out a fiscally conservative project he supported on city council. Babcock said he’s been involved and looked at several but noted the council’s contribution of $50,000 to KEDCo. Hicks was asked why Winona Lake didn’t have a wastewater contract with Warsaw for two years. Hicks said that Warsaw’s cost, as well as an outstanding IDEM fine, contributed to there not being a contract. And that when a contract was signed, it came in at a lower rate. The final question of the evening asked what could be done with all the rental units in Warsaw. Thallemer said neighborhoods in Warsaw are getting older and property values are being dragged down. He said he would support a revitalization project like the one for downtown Warsaw. He also said funding and code enforcement would also be looked at. Alspaugh suggested providing tax incentives and low-interest loans to people to rehab homes. He also said it was important for neighborhoods to be involved. Miller said the city has to do a better job of code enforcement and planning to take the guess work out of it.
