Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, right, poses with his predecessor Ernie Wiggins on Wednesday, Dec. 20, during Thallemer’s retirement party at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion. Thallemer, who chose to not seek a fourth term, will finish out his time as mayor at the end of 2023.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Craig Allebach believes more leaders should be like outgoing Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer.

“I just think that (we should have more people have) his attitude on moving communities forward,” said Allebach, who serves as Winona Lake town manager.

He was one of the people who attended Thallemer’s retirement party held on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion.

Thallemer’s time as mayor ends at the end of 2023, with him not choosing to seek a fourth term. He’ll be succeeded by current Warsaw City Councilman Jeff Grose on Jan. 1.

Thallemer will join Accelerate Indiana Municipalities in an advisory role, with Allebach noting Thallemer is not unfamiliar with the organization.

Allebach said Thallemer was president of AIM during the “difficult time” of COVID-19.

“He was a strong force for the leadership of all cities and towns throughout Indiana,” said Allebach.

More locally, Thallemer and the city of Warsaw “collaborated (with Winona Lake) on several projects,” he said.

That included trying for the Stellar Communities Program. Even though Warsaw and Winona Lake didn’t get to be part of it, the process led to Winona Lake gaining funding for a roundabout, said Allebach.

Kosciusko County Commissioners’ President Brad Jackson said Thallemer also worked well with commissioners as mayor.

“It’s important that the county and the city get along and function well and that has definitely been the case all the way along,” said Jackson. “It doesn’t mean we always agreed on everything, but we always worked through things if we didn’t, and it was a very positive experience.””

“He’s just been very proactive and really accomplished a lot, and he’s a good guy,” added Jackson.

Jackson, Allebach and former Bowen Center President and CEO Kurt Carlson noted Thallemer’s influence could be felt in the ZB Center Lake Pavilion itself where the party was held, recently revamped under Thallemer’s tenure as mayor.

Carlson said Thallemer has been “very successful even under stress.”

“We worked together during the pandemic,” said Carlson. “Even when people would come and had their complaints, he handled them just really well.”

Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. CEO Alan Tio, who will be stepping down soon from his role as well, cited that Thallemer “sets the bar” for others.

“He’s just somebody who sets the bar as far as elected officials in the community, of setting a vision and helping people really look to accomplish more, to do more together, of building partnerships, of building collaboration, of really someone who believes so much in this community … and he’s committed to do all he can to go above and beyond,” said Tio.

Stephanie Overbey has worked with Thallemer through her role as Kosciusko County Community Foundation CEO.

“I think he is a bold and innovative leader,” she said. “Because of my position at the community foundation, I know him from community projects. I have high esteem for him because of that.”

Overbey also said she likes Thallemer because her husband, James Overbey, works as a mechanic for the Warsaw Police Department and she’s aware Thallemer “genuinely cares and is concerned about employees.”

James Overbey, who was also at the party, called Thallemer “a great boss.”

“He’s treated us well for many years, and I just appreciate him,” he said.

Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Larry Plummer said Thallemer has been passionate about parks and recreation.

“We’ve done a lot of projects and gotten a lot of things done, and I hope that continues,” said Plummer. “Parks and recreation has been vital to our community, and Joe understood that.”

Thallemer also has cared about the arts locally, said Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts Executive Director Lakesha Green.

“He is the most personable, caring and most appreciative mayor I’ve ever worked with that truly cares about the arts and cares about people and making sure that everybody has access and that they have the quality of life in this city,” she said. “He is very supportive of the arts and just very supportive of seeing the growth of Warsaw as a whole, so that’s what I really appreciate about him.”

Thallemer’s successor Grose said Thallemer is a “servant leader” among other things.

“(He’s) just a really great leader. I’d say servant leader, always involved, so caring, brutally honest,” Grose said. “I’ve told people over the years, Joe and I, we don’t always agree on a lot of stuff, but we’re willing to work through it. He’s so good at taking all different stakeholders and people, get everybody involved and then working to make a decision. He’s just a good leader, and I’m going to miss him.”

Thallemer said being mayor has been “the best job of my life.”

“It’s just been a great job of managing a great community and watching it prosper and grow, and there’s still work to be done,” he added.

Thallemer said he’s going to enjoy spending time with his grandchildren in retirement.

He added “a big thank you to this entire community for supporting me and making my job easier.”

At the party from left are Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner; Thallemer; Warsaw City Councilman Jeff Grose who will succeed Thallemer as mayor on Jan. 1; and Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Larry Plummer.

Kosciusko County Community Foundation CEO Stephanie Overbey, left, and her husband James Overbey, center, share a laugh with Thallemer.

People could sign puzzle pieces to be put together in a tree shape, signaling the growth Thallemer had contributed to as mayor. Here Warsaw Police Department Field Training Officer Ryan Piper, left, does so as WPD Cpl. Ryan Connors looks on.