Winona Lake Council Sworn In For 2016
WINONA LAKE — It was beginning-of-year business as usual Tuesday evening, Jan. 19, during the regular meeting of the Winona Lake Town Council.
First on the agenda was the swearing in of the council members and clerk-treasurer. The council also named its officers for 2016, with Bruce Shaffner as president and Robert Swanson as vice president.
Clerk-treasurer Kent Adams presented a resolution for a policy on materiality, which requires the town to immediately report any losses, shortages or thefts to the State Board of Accounts. Until now, Adams said, this requirement has existed but has been verbal only.
Board appointments were made as follows.
Board of zoning appeals: Dave Turner; park board: Shelby Beam and Kelly Bugg (Bugg will finish out Rick Swaim’s term); redevelopment commission: Jim Lancaster, Dennis Daniels, John Elliott, Al Disbro and Alan Alderfer; plan commission: Bruce Shaffner, Robert Swanson and Craig Allebach; housing authority: Don Fluke; economic development corporation: Al Disbro; publicity commission: Terry White; and art commission: Rick Swaim and Terry White.
The art commission will be responsible for planning and implementing artwork, benches and other decorative features along the greenway trails.
Other News
- The council voted on the 2016 town engineer and town attorney agreements. There are no changes from 2015.
- Street Superintendent Tom Miller reported that the new truck has arrived and is being fitted with a plow and salt spreader. The truck is under a three-year lease at 1.7 percent interest and the town will fully own it after three years.
- Miller also gave an update on the Barker lift station. He reported that, rather than installing a new station, plans are to upgrade the existing one, which he said will extend its useful life by 15 years. He added that it will save costs and allow the town to proceed with additional lift station projects at the same time.
- The town is also working on putting specific design standards into writing for future projects.
- Several comments have come up pertaining to potholes that have formed this winter. Miller assured the council that the street department is aware of these and will perform repairs as soon as the weather permits.