Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - A recent decision by the town council to postpone the purchase of a new tanker truck for the fire department resulted in verbal bombasts being hurled between members of the fire department and the council at a special budget meeting Tuesday.
"We're concerned with the decision to postponement of a new tanker," said Mike Cox, fire department member. "We think it would not be a good idea to postpone the purchase of a new tanker at all, but not more than one year, if at all."
Cox's opinion was reiterated by department member Dan Harstine, who intimated the firemen feel under-appreciated by the council due to their decision to postpone the purchase of a new tanker.
"The firefighters feel they do not have the support of the town council," Harstine said. "We are supposed to have a (council) liaison attend department meetings, but they're never there."
"The bottom line is, we are concerned about the lives and safety of the people of Winona Lake," Harstine added.
Councilman Randy Ruppel took exception to Harstine's comment and said that neither Harstine nor any other firefighter regularly attends council meetings to have their concerns heard and addressed.
"What a bunch of crap, Dan," Ruppel said. "Firefighters are never attendees of the council meetings. We always accommodate the fire department whenever they've asked for something in terms of equipment."
Councilman Harold Dunn said the council approved a new engine and other major repairs to the tanker truck last year, and the department was satisfied with those repairs then.
The council agreed to discuss the question of a new tanker truck for the fire department at a special meeting July 7 at 7:30 a.m.
In other business:
• The council agreed to an across-the-board 5 percent pay increase for all town departments, with a portion of that increase to be based on merit and determined by department supervisors.
• The council, responding to concerns of town resident Sandy Hoke, directed Police Chief Malcolm Gilbert to investigate the need to reduce the current 25 miles per hour speed limit on Esplanade Street to 15 mph.
"I'm concerned about the cars coming into the curve too fast and then accelerating after the curve. It is a very dangerous situation, especially with increased pedestrian traffic going back and forth across the street to the lake," Hoke said.
Gilbert said he would support lowering the speed limit to 15 mph, but it will require a new ordinance being passed by the council.
