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WINONA LAKE - Town council president Brent Wilcoxson admitted Tuesday that he alone decided to remove the Lions Club boat ramp on the island.
He said he did it as a private citizen, trying to improve the property.
The ramp was removed after a seawall was constructed at the request of Winona Restoration Corp., of which Wilcoxson is a partner.
Under renewed questioning from a representative of Winona Lake Concerned Citizens at Tuesday's town council meeting, Wilcoxson at first said it was not a town council issue.
He then admitted he alone decided to have the ramp removed.
Although he said the decision was made as a private citizen, documents filed with the state as part of the permit needed to construct the seawall said the town of Winona Lake was an agent.
But other parts of the application listed Wilcoxson as a representative of Winona Restoration.
Marv Oakley, of WLCC, said he brought up the issue Tuesday because he received calls about the ramp and because he doesn't think the issue was handled correctly.
He brought up the issue at an earlier meeting, but returned Tuesday because he wasn't satisfied.
"I don't feel the people are being represented," Oakley said.
The ramp is located on the north side of the island near the post office.
Although the seawall project is part of Winona Restoration, Wilcoxson said he is unsure who owns the property. Oakley said he is researching the issue.
But a member of the Lions club, Paul Jenkins, said he believes the club has a 99-year lease on the property through the town.
Wilcoxson suggested removal of the ramp represents an improvement.
"I was acting as a concerned citizen of Winona Lake. To me, having a broken slab of concrete is not as attractive as a seeded lawn," Wilcoxson said.
"I assumed the Lions would be semi-ecstatic about having their lawn seeded," he said.
That's not the case.
Jenkins, the Lions Club secretary, said they discovered in early May the ramp was gone and he thinks the club should have been consulted since they paid for and constructed the ramp 37 years ago.
"It kind of upset us. We had no idea," Jenkins said.
Wilcoxson pointed out that nobody objected until after the construction and changes were made.
I didn't talk to them personally, but all the notification procedures were followed and nobody said a thing about it," Wilcoxson said.
Councilman Harold Dunn also questioned what happened to the ramp and said several residents including a conservation officer asked about it.
Jenkins said the lack already lacked easily accessible boat ramps onto Winona Lake.
"That just leaves one less access to the lake for the public," Jenkins said.
He said the ramp at the fairgrounds requires a fee and the other one at Kiwanis Park on Smith Street isn't very navigable.
He said he believes the ramp could have been saved.
"It could have been connected into (the seawall)," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said they do not plan to pursue the issue, but added, "We thought an apology would be in order," Jenkins said.
Councilman Randy Ruppel sided with Wilcoxson on the issue:
"We need another boat ramp on the lake like a hole in the head."
