Bruce Shaffner, left, was elected as council president and Rick Swaim was elected as council vice president for 2018.

WINONA LAKE — At the first meeting of the year, held last night, Jan. 16, the Winona Lake Town Council elected officers and made approved board appointments.

The council will look the same moving into 2018 as it was unanimously approved that elected officials were to remain the same. Bruce Shaffner was elected as council president and Rick Swaim was elected as council vice president.

The council also unanimously approved the following board appointments:

Board of Zoning Appeals

• Jill Serbousek
• Ken Nisley

Park Board

• Oxana Mullins

Redevelopment Commission

• John Elliott
• Alan Alderfer
• Jim Lancaster
• Denny Daniels
• Al Disbro

Plan Commission

• Rick Swaim

Housing Authority

• Carolyn Shanklin

Art Commission

• Rick Swaim
• Joy Lohse
• Al Disbro
• Amanda Banks
• Martha Beeson
• Retha Hicks
• Terry White

Economic Development Commission

• Leo Boyer

Chief of Police Joe Hawn then asked for the council’s approval to trade a 2002 Crown Victoria to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. The vehicle was previously used by the police department but hasn’t been operating for a while. The street department was able to get the vehicle running again to make the trip to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.

The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy is giving a $2,000 credit for training in exchange for the vehicle.

“We thought it was a good idea. We weren’t going to get $2,000 out of it,” explained Hawn. “We might be able to get something out of it that way and help out the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy also.”

The council approved the trade.

In other news:

• The annual Pajama Party Sale will be happening in the Village at Winona from 7 to 10 a.m. Jan. 30.
• The Winona Lake Preservation Association will be providing $1,000 to the first 20 people to apply for the installation of rocks as a seawall. The hope is that more seawalls will cut down on the lake’s erosion. More information will be available soon.
• Council members thanked the street department for their hard work on snow and ice removal.