Reynolds Says He’d Bring ‘Layman’s Perspective’ To Winona Council
Reynolds Says He’d Bring ‘Layman’s Perspective’ To Winona Council
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Reynolds Says He’d Bring ‘Layman’s Perspective’ To Winona CouncilEditor’s Note: This is a follow-up story to Tuesday’s story announcing that Austin Reynolds had filed to run for the Winona Lake Town Council Ward 1 seat. The interview for this story took place after the Monday night deadline for Tuesday’s newspaper.
If chosen by the caucus to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat on the Winona Lake Town Council, Austin Reynolds, 27, believes he will bring a different perspective than those already serving on the board.
“I just offer a layman’s perspective and can be that voice of the people who are more typical of those living in Winona Lake,” he said in a telephone interview Monday night. “We need more laymen’s perspectives, and I’m passionate about where I live and want to help make decisions for the town.”
As of Monday, Reynolds is the only person from Ward 1 who has filed with Republican Party Central Committee Chair Mike Ragan for the Council seat. It became vacant after Councilman Jim Zachary, 39, died Aug. 17 at Kosciusko Community Hospital. A caucus is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Winona Lake Town Hall.
Reynolds said he did not know Zachary, but learned about him after his passing.
Reynolds grew up in Warsaw. He and his wife, Lindsay Sciarra, graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 2013. He moved to Winona Lake about two years ago when he bought his first house.
He graduated in 2017 from Indiana University with a degree in kinesiology. He said he got an academic scholarship through the Army ROTC, which paid for his schooling. When he graduated, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and went into the Army Reserves so he could live back home and to marry his longtime girlfriend, Lindsay. “We wanted to have a life a little less uncertain,” he said. He and Lindsay were married last August.
Lindsay is a hospitalist at Kosciusko Community Hospital. She went for physicians assistant school at Saint Francis, and after she graduated she landed her job at KCH.
Two years into serving back his six-year contract, Reynolds received an honorable medical discharge.
While in college, he thought he’d go into the medical field, but during his last year, he found he really loved working with his hands. For the last four years, he’s worked at Coplen Construction and is now a lead carpenter for them.
It’s partially due to local photographer and historian Al Disbro that Reynolds decided to file for the Winona Lake Town Council seat. For the last two years that Reynolds has lived in Winona Lake, Disbro has been his neighbor. They would often talk, and in the last year Reynolds told Disbro he was interested in getting involved locally in politics. There was no position available then. When Zachary died, Reynolds said Disbro asked him if he was still interested in serving and Reynolds said yes.
“I’ve always wanted to see Winona Lake do well,” Reynolds said. “I offer a new perspective. I know I’m young, but I’ve lived and worked around a bunch of different people. I feel I’m a good listener. I’m a carpenter, not a business owner.” He said his layman’s perspective is a valid one for the Council.
As to what he’d like to specifically do on the Council, he said, “I want to gain a better perspective of how the town is functioning right now. I’m curious to see how it really operates.”
He said he’s really passionate about buildings and infrastructure and that’s the strongest suit he can speak to. He’d like to serve on a Council committee that looks at the future development of the town.
“I could be a part of that. Aside from that, I want more of an understanding of how it works. I would bring a listening ear,”?he said.
The deadline for candidates to file is 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14.
Any Republican interested in seeking the position must live in Winona Lake Ward 1, be a Republican in good standing and not have a felony in their past. Declarations of candidacy are available at the office of the Kosciusko County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw.
Eligible members of the caucus are the Republican precinct committee members of Winona Lake who have served continuously from 30 days prior to the date of the commencement of the caucus.
The Winona Lake Council member shall be elected by secret ballot of the majority of the members of the voting caucus to fill the vacancy in the office.
Candidates will be allowed a maximum of three minutes to address the voting caucus.
