WINONA COUNCIL – Winona Lake Town Council Tuesday approved holding monthly town meetings once a month instead of twice a month. The council will meet the third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at town hall. Councilman Greg Winn made the motion to meet once a month, seconded by councilman Randy Swanson. The council previously met the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. and the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 a.m. The council will no longer meet during those dates. The council’s next meeting will be March 19 at 6 p.m. John Boal, council president, said he spoke with Kent Adams, Winona Lake clerk-treasurer, who informed him holding the meeting on the third Tuesday of the month will assist the clerk-treasurer’s office with making claim payments. The council will have the option of setting additional meeting dates and times during budget time and must notify the public 48 hours before a meeting. Adams informed the council the 2012 annual fund report was published in Tuesday’s Times-Union and said the town is in a positive financial condition. Boal thanked Adams and his staff for their work and Swanson’s leadership as council president. Adams introduced Jennifer Harting, who was hired as the town’s utility and payroll clerk to replace Kim Kotzenmoyer, who resigned. The council approved travel requests from Craig Allebach, town coordinator, to travel to Indianapolis as a grant administrator for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute quarterly meeting, attending a Bicycle Indiana Summit, and attending an Indiana-Purdue Road School program. Councilman Philip Hood made the motion for the travel requests, seconded by councilman Bruce Shaffner. Allebach informed the council that the final master plan for the Ride-Walk Warsaw Winona Lake master plan has been completed and the town will work with the city to implement the project. Allebach will meet Friday with Warsaw leaders to discuss extending the Greenway. He also said Winona Lake officials will meet with Indiana Department of Natural Resources to discuss the town applying for a $200,000 grant to develop a limitless park. The park will be a universally accessible playground and splash pad. Allebach will meet today with the Safe Routes School Committee and town officials will meet to discuss a centennial celebration. Winona Lake marks its 100th birthday this year. Councilman Bruce Shaffner said the village shop owners expressed interest in being involved in assisting the town with planning for the centennial. Shaffner asked for an update on viaduct beautification on Winona Avenue. Allebach said he contacted the railroad company, but they have not contacted him back and he will contact the company again to get a resource to fix the bridge. The marketing branch of Grace College contacted Allebach the first of the year and said they were interested in partnering with the town to beautify the viaduct and bridge including signage to hide the viaduct on the north side and new concrete work to the actual structure. Paul Schmitt, town marshal, informed the council he and Mike Foster, Winona Lake police officer, are working on building its data base for a Computer Aided Dispatch System. The system gives officers the ability to record information on computers and makes notes about the calls they’re on. Allebach said the town unplugged a storm drain on the north side of Roy Street where there was a pond that flooded. The town is working with the property owner to install a steel pipe. John Elliott, Winona Lake resident, asked what could be done for mailboxes in Stonehenge that have been difficult to open due to the ice and rain storm. Elliott said water from the storm has gotten into the mailboxes, causing them to freeze. Elliott suggested mailboxes be put on the west side of the road so locks face east instead of west. Allebach said the town is working with the post office to discuss the possibility of constructing a shelter to protect the mailboxes. Elliott also asked for an update on the Winona Lake lodge. The town approved demolishing the lodge due to mold issues. Allebach said the Winona Lake Fire Department will do some training in the facility March 16 and bids will be sought to demolish the building after that. “We are anticipating for the lodge to be demolished in April,” Allebach said. Upcoming events include the annual Winona Lake Easter Egg Hunt March 16 at 10 a.m. in Winona Lake Park; World Compassion Network Run and Walk for Hunger 5K at Winona Lake Park March 23 at 10 a.m.; and the annual Fat and Skinny Tire Bicycle Festival May 17 to 19.
