WINONA LAKE - Further research into rental housing regulations in other communities is necessary before Winona Lake sets its policy, the town council decided Tuesday.

In what has become a controversial issue, council president Brent Wilcoxson recommended a one-time registration fee for rental property and a larger penalty for landlords who don't comply.

Wilcoxson said he plans to meet with Warsaw's building commissioner, Gene Oliver, to discuss Warsaw's policy. He told the council he wants a draft ordinance ready for public comment by March or April.

The council also asked the town's clerk-treasurer, Retha Hicks, to research other towns' policies on bereavement pay for town employees. The request was the result of a discrepancy between the council's approval of bereavement pay for two street department employees.

Street department superintendent Kim Endicott also asked the council to clarify the town's policy on employees on 24-hour call. Endicott said some employees think they should not be forced to carry the department's beeper for on-call duty because the duty confines them to the area while they are on call and because being on call is not included in their job description.

The council told Endicott it will look into the pay and policies for on-call duty in similarly sized communities and at utility companies, but that it is ultimately a supervisory decision and the council will support him.

The town council will meet next in the community building at 6 p.m. Feb. 11. [[In-content Ad]]