City Attorney Mike Valentine attended his last common council meeting on Monday, after serving for 34 years.

WARSAW — The 2019 tax rate was announced during the Warsaw Common Council meeting held last night, Dec. 17. The council also said goodbye to City Attorney Mike Valentine, as this was his last council meeting before he retires at the end of the year.

Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer announced that the city received its 1782 notice on Friday, Dec. 14. The main item in the annual 1782 notice is the establishment of next year’s tax rate. For 2019, the tax rate is $1.2797. The tax rate was $1.2741 in 2017 and $1.2725 in 2018.

“Pretty much a flat tax rate for the last three years,” commented Thallemer.

Despite the flat tax rate, the levies have gone up about five percent.

“The big thing, the thing I think we should all be proud of, is that our assessed evaluations increased almost $37 million,” said Thallemer. “And that increase in assessed evaluation counts for probably about five or six of the tax rate. So all the redevelopment projects, all the investments that you all have worked very hard to bring to the community is paying off.”

The council then approved a resolution that included $247,550 in line 1 budget cuts. This resolution is what officially declares the 2019 tax rate.

At the end of the meeting, the council acknowledged and thanked Valentine for his thirty-four years of service to the city under the leadership of three mayors. He is retiring at the end of the year and Scott Reust will take over the position of city attorney.

“Gosh it’s been great,” said Valentine. “The city is in great hands with you guys, with Joe and with all the people we have working for the city. We have a tremendous machine going on here. A really good machine.”

He also offered advice to Thallemer and the council moving forward.

“Love our city. Be courageous. Above all things, be courageous and do right without any consideration of the political consequences. Do right. Stay true to yourself and do right.”

“Thank you so much for letting me serve you,” concluded Valentine.

In other news:

• The board approved the 2019 elected official salary ordinance on first reading. This ordinance passed unanimously on both its first and second reading.
• Jeff Beeler, superintendent of public works, presented a street inventory ordinance. This ordinance adds .54 miles of streets that the city maintains into its official inventory. Meaning the city can collect grants and funding for these sections of road.