Council prez tops in four-man mayors race; Miller 2nd
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Joe Thallemer said he is looking forward to the opportunity and challenge in leading the city forward as Warsaw’s mayor. Thallemer won Tuesday’s mayoral primary, receiving 49 percent of the votes, or 883 votes. Finishing second was Instru-Med owner Tony Miller with 23 percent of the votes. Current councilman Kyle Babcock recieved 20 percent of the vote and Michael Alspaugh received 8 percent of the vote. The general election is Nov. 8. Out of 11,034 registered voters, 25 percent, or 2,756 voters, cast their ballot in Tuesday’s primary. There were 1,543 voters who voted in the May 2007 primary, or 13 percent, according to Jason McSherry, Kosciusko County clerk. McSherry also said Democrats, Independents, Libertarians and Republicans who want to file for Warsaw and Winona Lake offices for the November election have until June 30 at noon to file at the clerk’s office at the justice building. The deadline for write-in candidates to file is July 5 at noon at the same location. Thallemer established Joseph M. Thallemer Vision Care Center in 1980. He currently is serving his third term as Warsaw city councilman at-large, having first been elected in 1999. He is in his fourth year as council president. Thallemer said he looks forward to working with the newly elected council members. “I think it will be a dynamic group, and I’m extremely excited about serving with the council,” Thallemer said. Having served for 12 years on the council, he said he understands the dynamic of the council and said the council will all work together. He said it was a spirited race and that’s what getting elected is all about. “There are no cake walks and my opponents challenged me, and thankfully I rose to the challenge,” Thallemer said. Thallemer said he still considers his opponents friends. He said he worked with Babcock on the council for three years, and said all three of his opponents meant the best for the city. Thallemer said current Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins has been a great mentor and leader for the city. “I want to be a leader as effective as Ernie has been and get done as much done as he was able to get done,” Thallemer said. Thallemer thanked his family and his campaign committee for their support. Thallemer said the single most important issue to him is keeping the city’s economic development engine moving. “Broadening the tax base has been what has kept our taxes down the last 10 years, and we have to continue that and watch spending and continue to grow the economic base,” Thallemer said. Thallemer said he looks forward to moving forward with the city’s decision to purchase the former National City Bank building for a new city hall. “Those are plans we have had for awhile now, and as I mentioned throughout the campaign, I think it will be a great thing for the city having everything under one roof,” Thallemer said. Wiggins, who has served as Warsaw mayor since 1997, said Thallemer is a people person, and he is confident Thallemer will continue to take the city to the next level. “He’s very receptive to moving the city forward and has a lot of experience, and frankly I am very confident he will do a good job for the citizens of Warsaw,” Wiggins said. Wiggins said if Thallemer asks questions he will be there to answer them, but will not be in Thallemer’s way. “I made the decision it was time to transition out and get some new leadership, but certainly I would be happy to be a resource for Joe,” Wiggins said.
