Mayor

Current Mayor

Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer is currently serving his third term as mayor, having been elected in November of 2011, 2015, and 2019. Previously, Mayor Thallemer served three terms as City Councilman At-Large, serving as City Council president during his last term. He was first appointed to the Warsaw Plan Commission in 1995 by then Mayor Jeff Plank, serving there for 13 years, the last eight as Plan Commission president.

As chairman of the Curbside Waste Task Force, he initiated the city-wide curbside recycling program in 2003. He also served on the Warsaw Traffic Commission, Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District board, and the Warsaw Aviation Board. Mayor Thallemer was a member of both the Board of Public Works and Safety and the Warsaw/Wayne Township Fire Territory Board. He has also served as a member of the Deer Task Force since its inception.

Mayor Thallemer is a graduate of Warsaw Community High School; Ball State University, Pre-Optometry; and Indiana University, B.S., Doctor of Optometry. He established his Optometry practice in 1980.  

Thallemer first moved to Warsaw in 1972 from South Bend. He and his wife, Jill, have four children and six grandchildren. Over the years, he has been involved in many church and school activities with his family, is a 30+ year member of the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club, and spent seven years on the local YMCA board, serving as president for the last two. He enjoys road biking and swimming, and has participated in thirteen Optimist triathlons.

Roles & Responsibilities

The Mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and is responsible for all operations of the city departments. The mayor appoints heads of the executive departments and many board and commission members and presides over the Common Council and Board of Public Works and Safety meetings.

The Mayor is responsible for enforcing the ordinances of the city and the statutes of the state; ensuring efficient government of the city; filling vacancies in city offices when required; signing all bonds, deeds, and contracts of the city; and approving or vetoing ordinances, orders, and resolutions of the Common Council.

Term of Office

The Mayor's term of office is four years with no restrictions on the number of terms served. A candidate for Mayor must reside within the city and must have been a resident of Warsaw for at least one year.

Joseph M. Thallemer is the 23rd mayor since Warsaw became a city in 1875.