Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE – Winona Lake Town Council approved the hiring of several employees during its meeting Tuesday.
Brittany Denney was approved as the Miller Sunset Pavilion manager. The position is a part-time position for a maximum of 30 hours a week and pays $25 per hour.
Denney previously worked as the Farmers Market at Winona manager and ice rink manager. Denney was hired effectively immediately.
Council President Ashley McGinnis said Denney has done a great job as rink and farmers market manager, and Denney has lots of things lined up for the farmers market this summer.
Another position that was posted was for street superintendent. During the council’s February meeting, they approved discontinuing their contract with SiteWorx in order to hire street department employees directly.
Town Manager Pam Howard and Council Vice President Austin Reynolds did some interviewing for the position and recommended hiring Shane Parrott for the position effective April 6.
The position is full-time at a pay scale of $33.65 an hour. The council approved the position to be eligible to use a take-home vehicle, but McGinnis said the town needs a take-home vehicle policy. She said the council could iron out those details at next month’s meeting.
McGinnis said Parrott has been working with the town as street superintendent under SiteWorx and “has been a great, great person to have involved in our town. So we’re also very grateful that he has applied for this position.”
The council also approved to hire Shawn Kantenwein as a full-time grounds maintenance worker at $28.36 an hour, effective April 13.
In other business, the council:
• Heard the new name for the senior center is The Willow at Winona.
Park and Senior Center Director Holly Hummitch also said there was an open house and welcome lunch Thursday at the senior center. Hummitch said attendance was good and the senior center has gained three new members since then.
• Heard the deadline to register for Egg My House is April 1. People can register through the town’s Facebook page or website.
• Tabled a decision on a utility dispute for 1219 Bibler Ave., owned by Joe and Lynette Hawn.
Joe, the Winona Lake town marshal, was requesting $1,036.30 be waived. He said his son will eventually take over the residence and requested utility services to be turned off as the property was remodeled. Joe said the property continued to receive bills and late fees after the turnoff paperwork was filled out.
The council decided to table the issue while it was investigated.
• Approved a change order for a 2024 Community Crossings Matching Grant.
Town Manager Pam Howard said in 2024, the council approved two different road projects, one with Niblock and one with Phend & Brown. Howard said the town will have to pay $50,023.74 back because that’s what Phend & Brown came in under with the road project they worked on.
