Winona Lake Considers Increasing Wastewater, Trash Rates
Posted
Amanda Bridgman-abridgman@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE – A public hearing to increase Winona Lake residents’ wastewater rate by $9 and trash rate by $1 will be Dec. 17 at the next town council meeting.
If adopted at that meeting, the rates will take effect Jan. 1. Council President Rick Swaim said the decades-old tax rate no longer provides sufficient revenues to adequately operate the town sewage works system or provides sufficient revenues for the trash contract. The hearings will be held in the town hall.
The council also read a salary ordinance for a 3% raise for the Winona Lake town marshal and park board members. A 3% increase in the salaries and hourly rates for deputy marshals, the town manager, office staff, park employees and the building commissioner was approved. Clerk-Treasurer Kent Adams said that such salaries and hourly rates were included in the previously approved 2020 budget, which reflects a 4.6% total decrease from the 2019 budget.
Also Tuesday, the council approved the purchase of a new Ford F550 truck with a hydraulic dump for the public works department. Director Tom Miller said the cost of the hydraulic dump from WA Jones is $19,968, with the purchase of the truck from Rice Ford for $45,967. The total package comes in at $65,935, and was included in the 2020 budget, Miller said. He also said the department will use the current plow instead of purchasing a new one.
At the start of the meeting, the council held a moment of silence for Warren Zellner, who died Saturday. Zellner served as the council president at one time and was a longtime resident and fixture in Winona Lake. He also served on the Winona Lake Fire Department.
Also Tuesday, the council:
• Heard from WLPD Town Marshal Joe Hawn that his department purchased four refurbished computers on Amazon for $1,091. The department’s current computers were operating Windows 7, which will no longer be supported by Microsoft in the new year.
Hawn also said next month he’ll be swearing in two new reserve officers.
He also addressed the Friday rescue of a boy who had fallen through thin ice in a retention pond near Merrywood Trailer Park. Indiana State Police Trooper Jacob Bill and WLPD officer Dave Swain and Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh assisted in the rescue. Hawn said five boys were playing on the thin ice when one boy was unable to get out. The boys ran back to the trailer park and an adult called police.
“The boy was pretty hypothermic when he got out,” Hawn said of the youngster. He also said Bill, who went into the water and retrieved him, was becoming hypothermic as well, even though he was in the water for less than a minute.
Hawn said his department plans on speaking with Indiana Conservation Officers to partner up and do an ice safety presentation in local schools.
• Heard from Miller that the town’s leaf pick up has been delayed by the recent wet and snowy weather. Miller said his crews tried to get out the leaf vacuum today but it just kept getting clogged. They’re using Bobcats and dump trucks to clear what they can, and he asked residents to be patient.
• Heard from WLFD Chief Kevin Gelbaugh that Rebecca Modrowski and David Holladay have been added as probationary firefighters. They’ll be voted in after their year’s probation, he said.
• Announced upcoming “Winona Happenings” are the KringleFest at the Senior Center from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 30 and will include a visit from Santa and his real reindeer, along with crafts and a holiday shop for children to purchase items for family. The event is free.
Immediately following KringleFest is the tree-lighting ceremony in The Village from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wooden ornament painting will take place in the pavilion and the fire department will bring the ladder truck to the tree around 6:15 p.m. to light it. Carolers and organ music will be featured at The Village event as well.
On Dec. 8 in the Winona Heritage Room, One Starry Night concerts will take place at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or at the Wagon Wheel box office.
The next Winona Lake Town Council meeting is 6 p.m. Dec. 17 in town hall.
