Over $1.1 million from the 2013 Warsaw city budget will go unused, meaning the city is building its cash reserves.

On Monday night, the Warsaw Common Council voted 5-0 to accept a declaratory resolution allowing a total of $1,107,410 to remain in the city’s coffers. “It’s spending that will not occur this year so it will be pulled and added to our cash balances,” said mayor Joe Thallemer.

The funds not being spent include $600,600 from the general fund, $375,000 from the fire territory operating fund, $8,460 from the aviation budget, $30,900 from the cemetery budget and $92,450 from parks and recreation.

In a follow up discussion from last month it was announced that the downtown holiday lighting project will not require funding from the Warsaw Community Development Corporation’s facade grant program as initially planned.

At the council’s Oct. 21 meeting, Thallemer said the city was no longer going to hang garland and Christmas decorative lighting from the traffic lights in downtown Warsaw. The weight of the decorations, especially in windy conditions, was putting a strain on the poles causing bowing and even cracked bases. (See story)

Initially, Thallemer said remaining funding in the facade grant program were available and holiday lighting would qualify for grant money. Instead, the mayor announced the program is moving ahead “full gear to get the holiday lighting done for those merchants who want to participate … but we do not need to procure funds from the facade program.”

Finally, it was announced that, in the event of inclement weather on future First Friday events, instead of the program being cancelled, it would automatically be reset for the second Friday.

The next regular meeting of the Warsaw Common Council will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in city hall.