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WARSAW — Mayor Joe Thallemer gave his State of the City address at the Kosciusko County common council meeting Monday, March 7.

Thallemer began by saying, “It’s been a privilege to serve as your mayor for the past four years and tonight it’s an honor to stand here and discuss with you the state of our city.”

“It’s very apparent to me that what we have here in Warsaw, Indiana is what many others can only strive for. We are blessed indeed to live in this community,” he continued.

Thallemer then began talking about the city’s growth. He said, “Population growth is a key indicator of a city’s viability; today more people call Warsaw their home then ever.”

The United States census of 2014 states there are 14,280 residents of the city. That is a 5.3 percent growth since the last official census was completed in 2010. In comparison the state has grown at a rate of 1.7 percent during the same period.

Thallemer then started his review of 2015 by first paying tribute to two civic leaders lost in the past year; Doctor Dane Miller and Charlie Smith. Thallemer said, “Their examples as active and engaged community members will be their legacy.”

Thallemer stated in his address the financial health of the city “remains good.” Thallemer said, “The effects of tax caps continues to slow revenue growth while road funding continues to lag woefully behind.” Thallemer said careful spending and cost-saving measures will counter the losses.

The city budget allocation process yielded an increase in the tax rate of only one cent, a .8 percent increase, for the 2016 fiscal year. Thallemer said the council, “Worked hard to keep spending requests down without cutting services.”

Another indicator of the city’s financial health is the current bond credit rating at double A minus from Standard and Poors after a recent city’s securities credit analysis.

Thallemer mentioned some of the cost-saving measures the city is implementing. One is a creation of capital improvement plan that was developed jointly by department heads to project timelines and costs, which eliminate redundancies and reduce costs.

A second cost-saving measure is wellness programs being introduced to further reduce healthcare costs, which keep the employees healthy and productive. “Our healthcare premium rate increases were at one half of current medical inflation last year.”

Thallemer discussed the Warsaw Technological Park and Banner Medical, an orthopedic manufacturing supplier, broke ground on a 45,000 square foot facility in August of last year. The company invested more than $8 million and created more than 76 new high-tech jobs.

Thallemer mentioned the reconstruction of East Market Street from Argonne Road to Bronson Street was a “significant collaboration of local community resources.” The project included road, curb, gutter, lighting, sidewalk, bike path and storm water improvements, creating a safer, more controlled traffic corridor.

Thallemer also touched on the topic of the methamphetamine problem the county has and how it is placing high demands on the City of Warsaw drug investigators. Thallemer said that new legislation (Senate Bill 80) to keep “pseudoephedrine out of the hands of those who use it for the wrong reason is the only chance for hope.”