WARSAW — After receiving the 1782 notice, the Warsaw Common Council approved budget cuts in order for the 2018 tax rate to be lower than 2017.

The council unanimously approved cutting the budget by $372,000 to obtain the desired tax rate of $1.2725. The cuts were made to five different budgets with $222,000 being cut from the general fund, $15,000 from the aviation fund, $10,000 from the cemetery fund, $41,000 from the parks and recreation department fund and $84,000 from the fire territory’s operating fund.

Council members shared their happiness with being able to lower the tax rates.

“It’s really refreshing to hear that we are able to lower our tax rate,” said Councilmember Ron Shoemaker.

“This is very encouraging,” said Councilmember Jeff Grose. “It says a lot about years of effort.”

Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer credited the lower tax rate to the city’s department heads. “I’ve got confidence in my department heads that they are going to spend what they need to spend in order to get done what they need to get done and not a nickel more.”

In other news:

• An amendment to the stormwater quality management plan was discussed again. The main change requested last meeting that designated the fines go into the stormwater’s operating budget was added. There was a motion made to strike a section from the amendment that stated entities could receive a second violation within 24 hours of an original violation if it was of a similar manner and on a different jobsite. The amendment passed on first reading with the discussed section removed.
• The stormwater department was approved to form a quality management focus group. The group will help focus ideas on improving the department before applying for the next permit cycle.
• Eleven conflict of interest disclosures were submitted and approved by the council.