WINONA LAKE - Low- and moderate-income residents will be able to repair or renovate their homes at little or no cost, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Indiana Finance Housing Authority.

"The town has received the grant to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners for owner-occupied repair and renovations," Winona Lake Town Council President Brent Wilcoxson said. "The money can be used for roofing, storm windows or furnaces."

He added the funds will be distributed through either direct grants or low-interest loans to qualified homeowners.

In other business, the council approved $9,220 in expenditures by the street department for a new salt spreader and new angle snow plow.

A second street department expenditure approved by the council was a $2,500 paving project for the police department access road.

The council also approved the naming of a private street adjacent to the Winona Lake Fire Department, at the request of Grace Brethren Missions, Rupe Drive, in honor of longtime Winona Lake resident and town volunteer Quentin Rupe, who died Saturday.

The council denied a request by the Winona Lake Parks Board to increase the wage rate of Park Superintendent Jim LeMasters from $11 to $11.50 per hour.

"On the one hand, he (LeMasters) makes more than other employees, but on the other hand, he doesn't get any benefits," Wilcoxson said.

Councilman Harold Dunn moved to deny the request and refer the matter back to the park board with instructions to keep any pay increase to the 4 percent recently approved for other town employees.

Finally, the council tabled the quotes by three companies submitting bids for cleaning of the town's storm drains. The three bids were for different time frames and varying scope of work to be done. The council requested the companies provide a more detailed explanation on the work covered under the bid. [[In-content Ad]]