WARSAW — At the Warsaw Parks and Recreation board meeting Tuesday, June 20, proposed 2018 budgets were discussed, including budgets 204, 211 and 403.

Parks and Recreation Superintendent Larry Plummer said the proposed 2018 Budget 204 is a 2 percent increase over the 2017 proposed budget and informed board members that much of the increase is due to a new payroll system they are hoping to implement. The payroll system is similar to what the county has, explained Plummer. They are also checking into options for a system that will allow online registration for programs. A motion was made to approve all three budget proposals and the motion was approved.

Plummer informed board members that Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer had been approached regarding the possibility of placing a Tony Elliott memorial plaque in one of the area parks. According to Plummer, Elliott’s widow and mother have both expressed interest in a memorial plaque. Plummer said he had known Elliott personally, stating that Elliott has raced all over the world and has represented his home town of Warsaw with dignity. Warsaw Parks Board President Steve Haines said that although he is in no way against the memorial, there are no guidelines for something like this.  Haines suggested appointing a committee of people to look into this further to come up with some sort of criteria for memorials in the parks.

Elliott, a two-time USAC National Sprint car champion, died in October 2015 in a plane crash near the Georgia-South Carolina border. Elliott won 26 national races and was the Indiana Sprint Week champion in 1999. He holds the record for sprint car race wins (60) and track championships (eight) at Kokomo Speedway, which he long considered his home track. Elliott also headed Elliott’s Customer Trailers and was considered a top ambassador for USAC and for sprint car racing.

Plummer informed board members that the Indiana Racing Memorial Association would bring the plaque and place it at an agreed upon location and would also hold a ceremony in which individuals involved in the racing industry would come to honor Elliott’s memory. A motion was made to table this issue until the next meeting. In the meantime, several board members will be appointed to a committee to gather information and explore options for the memorial. The motion was approved.

Rick Paczkowski will no longer be on the Parks and Recreation board, as he will be retiring in a few months. The other board members brought in a cake and a thank you card for Paczkowski and wished him well. Paczkowski addressed Plummer, saying, “I’d like to say that for the time I’ve been here, Larry, your park employees take a lot of pride in keeping the parks looking great. I think the community should be proud of you and your employees and I’m going to miss this group. I wish all of you the best.”

Other news:

• The next scheduled board meeting will be at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 18 at the Pete Thorn Center, 800 North Park Avenue, Warsaw.
• April meeting minutes were approved as presented.