From left, Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker; Connors’ wife, Kristen; Connors’ children, Alexa (in front) and Jaxon; Ryan Connors; Connors’ parents, Kathy and Tim; and Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

New WPD Officer Ryan Connors pictured here signing the oath of office. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

WARSAW — Business at the City of Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting Friday, Dec. 3, included a formal oath of office for Ryan A. Connors, who was hired as a Warsaw Police Department probationary patrol officer in December 2020.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer administered the formal oath of office. Connors’ family members and fellow officers were in attendance to witness the ceremony.

Connors is a Warsaw Community High School graduate and resides in Warsaw. He attended Ivy Tech Community College, where he received a technical certificate in building and construction technology. 

Connors previously served in the Marine Corps where he received many accolades. After completion of his active status in the Marine Corps, and prior to being hired at WPD, Connors worked for LSC Communications.

Following Connors’ oath of office, numerous contracts and agreements were renewed for 2022, including:

• An agreement in the amount of $35,000, in 12 monthly payments of $2,916.66, with Animal Welfare League
• City attorney contract with Rockhill Pinnick LLP for $100,000.00, 12 payments of $8,333.33.
• Agreement with BIT Computers for information technology services at a cost of $10,000.00 per month, $120,000.00 total – $55,000.00 from 2021 funds and $65,000.00 from 2022 funds.
• Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCo) agreement for $80,000.00, 12 payments of $6,666.67.
• Special events coordinator agreement in the amount of $8,000.04, 12 payments of $666.67.
• Warsaw Housing Authority agreement at a cost of $35,000.
• Warsaw Community Development Corporation (WCDC) Facade grant agreement for $25,000.

Thallemer asked board members to delay consideration for the farmers market agreement for 2022 at this time, saying he will address it at the next meeting. Thallemer said there is another nonprofit request that needs to be discussed Monday evening at the council meeting and he would prefer to hold off on the farmers market agreement until after that time.

In addition, the following nonprofit contracts for 2022 were approved. These contracts were previously decided upon and approved by the Warsaw Common Council.

• Beaman Home $9,345.00
• Cardinal Services $20,000
• City-County Athletic Complex (CCAC) $21,000
• Historical Society $3,000
• Housing Opportunities of Warsaw HOYO $10,000
• Housing Opportunities of Warsaw annual contract $25,000
• Joe’s Kids$4,680.00
• Kosciusko Area Bus Service (KABS) Capital Improvement match $12,150.00
• Kosciusko Community Senior Services $21,000
• Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams $20,000 
• Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice $5,250
• Live Well Kosciusko5,000
• Warsaw Little League $5,000
• WCDC $23,875.00,12 payments of $1,989.58

In another matter, several city employees requested a take-home vehicle for 2022.  

Other than the mayor, employees’ using a city-owned work vehicle are allowed to drive the vehicle only to work and back home. No personal miles are allowed.

The mayor, under IRS guidelines, is allowed personal use miles; however, he is required to pay taxes on those miles. 

Employees requesting a take-home vehicle for 2022 include Nick King, Warsaw Municipal Airport manager; Hal Heagy, sexton of Oakwood Cemetery; Larry Plummer and Shaun Gardner from the Warsaw Parks & Recreation Department; Dustin Dillon, Damian Pass, Roger Sarber and Joseph Vetor of the Warsaw Street Department; Brian Davison, Larry Hyden and Thomas Rozelle of the Wastewater Treatment Utility Department; and Mayor Joe Thallemer. 

All take-home vehicle requests were approved. 

Toward the end of the meeting, Mayor Thallemer informed the Board that an audit of the city’s 2019/2020 books was recently performed by the Indiana State Board of Accounts.

“We had a squeaky clean audit,” he said. 

He added that representatives from the State Board of Accounts made special note of how well documented the city’s details were, how well prepared the city was for the audit and how smoothly the audit went.

Thallemer gave credit to City of Warsaw Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen and her staff. Christiansen began serving as the city’s clerk-treasurer in March 2010.

The next regular meeting will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 17.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer (R) administered the formal oath of office to Ryan Connors (L) Friday, Dec. 3. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels