Winamac Council elects officers, makes appointments

WINAMAC – Ken McFarland was elected president, and Tom Murray vice president, of the Winamac Town Council during a special session of the council Monday morning, Jan. 4.

McFarland welcomed new member Jim Watkins to the council, and new town attorney Justin Schramm. Watkins succeeds Richard Denney who did not seek re-election.

Also at the annual re-organizational meeting, clerk-treasurer Melanie Berger presented the council with the appointments for 2016. The council voted to accept the appointments as presented. They are:

  • Town Manager, Bradley Zellers
  • Town Attorney, Justin Schramm
  • Chief of Police, Michael Buchanan
  • Park Manager, Dave DeLorenzo
  • Electric Superintendent, Doug Shorter
  • Water and Street Superintendent, Jeremy Beckner
  • Wastewater Superintendent, Bradley Zellers
  • Wastewater Foreman, Waylon Burke
  • Board of Finance President, Kenneth McFarland.

In other appointments, Tim Murray was accepted as the citizen member for the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The council voted to change the term date from June 12, 2016 to Jan. 1, 2020 for the Town’s representation for the airport board.

Clerk-Treasurer Berger was appointed as the Town’s Main Street representative.

John Simmermaker was appointed as the Town’s representative to KIRPC to serve for one year.

Council resident Ken McFarland was appointed as the Town’s representative to the YMCA board to serve for one year; but later in the meeting, the council changed its mind and voted to appoint councilwoman Judy Heater as the YMCA representative.

Clerk-treasurer Berger was appointed as the Town’s representative to the Northwest Indiana Solid Waste District to serve for one-year.

The council voted to appoint Tim Murray as the Town’s representative to the ABC Board to serve for one year.

Town manager Zellers presented a copy of the revised contract for the cemetery and Decker Drive mowing.  Discussion was held regarding the new cemetery property.