City Council Remembers Officer Dobbins; Union Street Resident Complains About Hunters Near School
City Council Remembers Officer Dobbins; Union Street Resident Complains About Hunters Near School
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
City Council Remembers Officer Dobbins; Union Street Resident Complains About Hunters Near SchoolA moment of silence and thoughts about Warsaw Police Department officer Jason Dobbins led the city council’s meeting Monday night.
Dobbins, 50, died Saturday from complications of a surgery. He was a 12-year member of the WPD.
Mayor Joe Thallemer asked for everyone’s prayers for the Dobbins family and their friends as they mourn the sudden loss.
“I know it’s been a very difficult week for (Jason’s wife) Kara, her family, her kids, police department, our community as they dealt with the sudden loss of Jason,” Thallemer said.
He said last week he sat down with Kara during “that very uncertain time” and she was “obviously bewildered and uncertain.” On Friday, Thallemer said he texted Kara back and let her know that everyone was praying alongside her.
After the moment of silence, Councilwoman Diane Quance gave the invocation.
“As we begin our meeting tonight, we stop to remember and give thanks for the life of Jason Dobbins. He was a true public servant who spent his career protecting and serving the people of our community, his brothers and sisters in blue, his beloved family and his Lord and Savior,” Quance said. “Where there once was a solid presence, we feel the absence. May all those who mourn his passing, take comfort in the memories, share a laugh together in his honor and set out to live our own days in the same spirit and commitment to others that he showed to us. May we do the same. Amen.”
A few minutes later, Thallemer called Bob Coffelt up to the front of the room to talk about Troop 730 before Thallemer read a proclamation for Scout Sunday, which is this Sunday.
Coffelt said 730 is the oldest Troop in Kosciusko County, having been around since 1935. It’s celebrating 85 years this Scout Sunday.
“We’re very active in the community and get involved with some fundraisers and community service events. We do a lot of camping,” he said.
Next month they’ll participate in the Pinewood Derby at Harrison Elementary School, and in September they will do the Cubmobile races on Indiana Street.
Coffelt introduced Scoutmaster Joe Bowers for the boys troop and Lisa Castle for the girls troop, which started last year.
Thallemer said the First United Methodist Church was the first in the community to charter a Boy Scout Troop.
He then read the proclamation with all the Scouts of the Troop present standing upfront with the city council.
Boy Scouts of America was established Feb. 8, 1910. In 1935, the First United Methodist Church in Warsaw chartered Troop 30, later changed to Troop 730.
Thallemer proclaimed Feb. 9, 2020, as Scout Sunday.
During public comments, North Union Street resident Sherry Compton said she “had concerns with them shooting with guns in the woods near Gateway, the old Madison.”
She lives in that area and said that every Sunday that’s all they hear.
“Everybody’s telling me that that is not city property, that it’s county. I talked to (city councilman) Mr. (Jerry) Frush. And I’ve done a little bit of research and the city owns property in there. These hunters are going in from the Boggs (Industrial Park) side. I’m assuming hunting geese. And they’re going through city property, they’re going through the Little League diamonds, and they’re hunting in there with guns,” Compton said.
She said that’s an area with many children – at homes, the skate park, ball diamonds and playing at the old Madison. She said she wanted to know the council’s thoughts on the issue and wanted some direction.
Thallemer said he talked to Frush and then WPD Capt. Joel Beam, and he’d be happy to talk to her after the council meeting. He and Councilman Jeff Gross met with Compton afterward.
In other business, the council:
• Heard a half-hour presentation from city Senior Planner Justin Taylor and Winona Lake Town Coordinator Craig Allebach on the Ride+Walk Committee and everything that’s been accomplished with the walking and bike trails in Warsaw and Winona Lake.
• Approved a resolution reimbursing the funds from the cumulative capital improvement fund with a $19,362.25 grant received from the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Committee. The grant was used for the creation of Rotary Park at the intersection of West Center and Market streets.
• Heard the next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, due to the President’s Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 17.
