Jack Wilhite Running For Second Term For At-Large City Council Seat
WARSAW — Jack Wilhite has announced his run at a second term for the at-large seat on the Warsaw City Council.
Wilhite is a 1973 graduate of Warsaw High School. His community activities include little league coach, Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, Evening Optimist Club member, a longtime and actively serving member of First Christian Church and over 40 years’ employment with Zimmer Biomet.
During his time on the council, he has served on the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Traffic Commission. He has also served on the Wage Committee, Sewage Committee, US 30 Corridor Commission and helped Diane Quance initiate the new Non-Profit Committee.
“Along with the committee assignments, I have pushed an initiative to provide transparency in local government like live streaming of public meetings and Ordinance 2018-03-06 ensuring the privacy and quiet residents of Sunset Drive deserve,” said Wilhite.
Three items he finds most satisfying that he believes don’t get much attention is work on the Wage Committee, government transparency and privacy rights.
“Transparent government is always an issue,” said Wilhite “I approached the Mayor with the idea of the city live streaming our meetings. I think it is important for our constituents to not only know what is said but how it’s said. Together with Staci Young, we began to investigate streaming opportunities. Staci located three or four companies that would provide such a service. Once a service provider was selected in the first quarter of 2018, equipment installation began. As a result, anyone can now watch regularly scheduled public meetings.”
“I was told by others on the council this would never have happened without my push,” continued Wilhite. “I have even been contacted by an advisor to Elkhart Mayor Tim Meese for information. Seems they liked the idea well enough to look into doing the same thing.”
Wilhite says he would like to see the council implement a plan of debt reduction. “We’ve had to obtain bonds and initiate some large projects. There will be opportunities to pay down the principal of those bonds. I would like to see to it those opportunities are not lost.”
Wilhite concluded, “Being a longtime resident of Warsaw, I appreciate the unique opportunities our community has provided my family. An economy that has been touted as recession proof and has more jobs than workers. A quiet safe community in which to raise a family. A community blessed with so many natural lakes and streams to enjoy. Warsaw has so much to offer and yet has so much more potential. So it is my desire to serve and give back to a community that has given me so much.”