Warsaw Mayor Shares Experience In Office
LEESBURG — Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer was the guest speaker at the annual Kosciusko County Republican Hall of Fame Dinner, Thursday evening, Oct. 29. He shared of his experience as mayor, on the Warsaw City Council and his time of service to the community and closed with remembering his good friend, neighbor and fellow councilman Charlie Smith, with Charlie’s top 10 list.
Thallemer joked he was told he was the second choice as speaker. “The Bachelor” Ben Higgins being the first choice, but had flown back to Los Angeles several days earlier.
The bulk of his speech was reflecting on some of the things he learned the last four years as mayor — lessons learned. “I’m sure the hall of famers learned a lot quicker than I did.” Some were tongue in cheek, others important.
“Mayors look at party politics a little bit different. When trash stinks, or piled up, roads don’t get paved, when snow doesn’t get moved … whose fault it is, it’s the mayor.”
Lesson No. 1 — Mayors know there is no such thing as Republican rubbish or Democratic dumping, trash is trash. There’s never a shortage of problem solving. He stated mayors often have to act very quick, knowing how to go right to the matter and problem solve is a direct approach, don’t delay it.
“Sometimes those problems that arise are not just simple direct solutions, the solution is money and when you don’t have the money then it does become political.”
Lesson No. 2 — Mayor’s are very resourceful with the tools they are given and understand importance of peer support. He noted the Mayor’s Roundtable through the Indiana Association of Cities and Town, a peer/support group. “I’ve learned to rely on my peers to problem solve.”
Lesson No. 3 — Accept responsibility for everything. “Trains blocking center street at 7:30 on a school day or work day, I get the call. county bridge that closes roads in the city, I get the call. Or the fact we still don’t have a Fazoli’s in Warsaw. I get the call. I should work harder to make sure those things don’t happen … I accept those criticisms, that’s what i signed up for. But I’ve also figured a way to counterbalance that problem. I also take credit for things I don’t have a darn thing to do with …”
Lesson No. 4 — Meticulous preparation and foresight. “No it’s foresight then meticulous preparation. It’s so important to stay out ahead of everything. You have to surround your self with knowledgeable people … to try to stay out in front of an issue … if you’ve done everything in your ability to resolve that issue … you’re still going to get blamed.” He noted communication is important, “that meticulous planning process doesn’t mean a thing if your constituents don’t know what you’re doing or why you’re doing it.”
His final lesson was “don’t take any one for granted.” This lead him to remembering Charlie Smith who taught him a lot about leadership. Smith was a long time friend, fellow councilman and next door neighbor. Thallemer felt it was important to reflect on his leadership skills and what he had taught him. “He was not all warm and fuzzy … was a passionate individual that lead by example and principal.”
Thallemer presented Top 10 Charlie Leadership Tips. “It became apparent how Charlie impacted me, I didn’t see it at the time, and I didn’t understand it until ‘it’s gone’ and then you figure it out.”
These tips included:
- Plan to serve your community until your 75 years old. Retirement is a time to give back to the community.
- Spend adequate time preparing for every meeting. Preparation is critical for decision making.
- Be passionate as a public servant.
- Listen, examine all sides and share ideas.
- Make decisions based on the welfare and benefit of the entire community.
- Support your employees. Their success is your success.
- Support your peers. Honest dialog makes the process work even if you don’t agree.
- Loyalty is king for successful growth. Support your leaders the strength of your organization is predicated by the combined strength of your leaders.
- Never stop building relationships. It grows community.
- Don’t every take any one’s contributions for granted, thank them often, you’ll never know when you might not have it.