By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WINONA LAKE — Winona Lake Town Council approved a resolution Monday, July 7, to hire Pamela Howard as the new town manager.

Pamela Howard

Council President Ashley McGinnis said the council has been through a lot of interviews for the position of town manager. They have been looking since October when Craig Allebach said he planned on retiring at the end of October or when a new town manager could be found.

“We are very lucky that Pam ended up in our inboxes and I think we’re all really excited about her. I think she has a lot of great experience that she can bring to our town,” McGinnis said.

McGinnis said Howard currently lives in Butler. The Waterloo Town Council promoted Howard to be their town manager in 2019, according to an article from The Star. Prior to that, she was Waterloo’s deputy town manager and code enforcement officer. Before that, she had been the town’s deputy clerk since 2017.

McGinnis said Howard has done a lot of projects in Waterloo and applied for many grants.

Howard has her certified public management certification.

McGinnis said the council talked to Howard’s references and they talked highly of her, so McGinnis thought Waterloo’s loss was Winona Lake’s gain.When asked if Howard will move to Winona Lake, McGinnis said she didn’t know. McGinnis said Howard has some daughters and one of them is finishing up school, adding she would think Howard could potentially move to Winona Lake soon “potentially maybe.”

Howard was not physically present at Monday’s special Winona Lake Town Council meeting but joined via Zoom after her hiring had been approved. Howard will start the town manager position in Winona Lake Tuesday, July 8. According to the resolution approved Monday, she will paid a biweekly salary of $3,461.54.

Howard’s responsibilities include attending the town council meetings and serving on other boards and commissions of the town, and to be present at the meetings of such other boards and commissions of the town as the council may require from time to time. Upon request, Howard is to administer the execution and enforcement of all resolutions, orders and ordinances of the town council and of the town and see that all laws of the state of Indiana and the United States required to be enforced through the town council or other town officials, subject to the control of the town council, are executed and enforced.

Howard’s responsibilities also include preparing and submitting to the town council budget estimates as required; execute contracts for goods, materials, services, construction or improvements authorized by the town council upon compliance with applicable state laws concerning appropriations, public notices and competitive bidding. She also must formulate and recommend overall policies regarding areas for which the employee is responsible; coordinate activities of the street, sanitation, park, planning, town marshal and fire departments of the town; and establish and develop short-range plans for the operation and development of the town.

As town manager, Howard will create, develop and establish plans for the future development and needs of the town; and investigate and apply for grants to aid the town in its operation now and in the future.

Allebach is planning on a 60-day transition time frame with Howard. McGinnis said both Howard and Allebach will be “paid the normal salary for the first month. We’re paying both of them. After the first month, whatever Craig’s salary comes down to an hourly rate, he will turn in time and we will pay him for the hours he spends with Pam. And at that point, he’s going to try to fizzle it out and not be spending so much time here with her and trying to point people towards her.”

Councilman Jim Lancaster said asked if effectively it will be set up so Allebach can be done by Sept. 1. McGinnis said she believed so.