September 2011
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
SHIPSHE TOWN COUNCIL — cont. from previous page
8/11/2011 - The meeting started off with a request
for a new K-9 police vehicle by the Shipshewana police
force. Town Marshall, Tom Fitch, explained the need
for the vehicle and presented a visual aid during his
request. There was a partial grant awarded to the
department for $16,000. There was a 2011 Ford SUV for
$27,095 that Fitch recommended. During the past few
days, members of the town board had been receiving
phone calls by the town tax payers complaining that
this vehicle wasn’t a necessity. Fitch countered that
by saying that the vehicle was a necessity and that you
never know when a vehicle will break down. Board
member, Jerry Rice, made a motion to wait a year
for the vehicle as he sided with the people. He felt
the car wasn’t needed during these “tough economic
times.” During this motion board member Lynn. M
Bontrager opposed. In the end, it was decided that
the Shipshewana Police Department would have to
wait a year for a new car.
There was a presentation by Keith Gillenwater at
the meeting. He unveiled his strategic plan for the
town of Shipshewana with the LCEDC. The new plan
stresses on small business’s and downtown revitalization.
He also said that the town of Shipshewana is the
“farthest along” of anyone he is working with, with
their downtown revitalization project. At the end of
his presentation, Gillenwater proposed that the board
sign another three year contract with the LCEDC. The
proposal stayed the same with no money increase as it
was three years ago when the first contract was signed.
Shipshewana followed Topeka and made a motion to
sign the new contract.
A snow plow will have to be replaced for the town
in the next few months as their last one was destroyed
during an electrical fire. The town received $27,950
in the settlement after the electrical fire. The board
went back and forth about a few ideas. Idea’s such
as whether to buy a new one, rent one, or lease one.
Board member, Roger Yoder, leaned towards the idea
of leasing to buy. It will be formally decided on what
direc