WINONA LAKE — Discussion became heated during the Winona Lake Town Council meeting when a Winona Lake resident made her feelings known about recent changes in parking on a street in Winona.

During the summer, the Winona Lake Town Council voted to make Court Street a one way street going south, versus its prior status as a one way street going north.

Town Marshall Joe Hawn stated during the meeting that he had anticipated some tweaks may need to occur after the change had been made. Hawn stated Winona Lake resident Jan Nelson had mentioned she felt the area of Twelve Street and Court Street were dangerous and needed to be looked at.

Hawn investigated the situation at Twelfth Street that Nelson brought to his attention. He mentioned that it would be in the town’s best interest if parking were only allowed on the south side of the street. Hawn explained there was simply not enough room for cars to come through if cars are parked along both sides of the street. Hawn also stated he wanted to change the stop sign into a yield sign on Twelve Street.

The board agreed to abdicate parking on the north side of the street.

Nelson, however, was not happy with the plan they had come up with and came before the board.

“I have to be honest, that’s kind of like a band-aid. It’s kind of like you’re saying, ‘You just got off the boat, Jan,” said Nelson.

Nelson brought a picture to demonstrate to the board the width of the street. Twelfth Street is 20 feet wide just as Court Street is. When individuals come from the west, their outlet is only to turn left onto Court Street, because it is a one way street, into a dead-end with four residences.

The board insisted the only individuals coming from the west are going into the residences, meaning it wasn’t truly a two way street.

“I think it’s time for the council to man up,” said Nelson. She stated only one resident parks their cars along the south side of the road. Nelson claimed the board was only trying to cater to the one individual by letting him park on the south side of the street, rather than simply saying no parking was allowed on the two-way street.

Nelson stated the street either needs to be a two-way with no parking, or a one-way with parking on one side because she believes it is can be dangerous for individuals driving because they cannot see around the parked cars.

“If you got a road person to say it’s OK, then I give up,” stated Nelson.

Nelson accused the board of waiting to change the one-way status of Court Street until after Labor Day so as not to upset summer patrons.

The Street Superintendent Tom Miller replied, “That’s simply not true. I was waiting on signage.”

Board member Peter Christos stated, “There’s a parking issue on the island, we’re doing the best we can with limited resources.”

Nelson continued to explain that the one neighbor is the only one who parks vehicles on Twelfth Street, and he could find other parking elsewhere.

“Realistically, he is the only one who parked there,” said Hawn, “I’d say we continue to investigate it.”

Chaffer agreed, ” I personally think we need to take it under advisement.”

The issue was tabled for the next meeting.

Town Engineer Larry Long asked the board to approve an extra charge of $80,660.75 to contractors for the extra work on the Murfield subdivision they had not anticipated having to complete. The contractors ran into bad soil that stemmed from sewage systems not being filled with gravel from the prior contractor.

The board unanimously approved the motion.

Miller announced brush pick-up will end the week of Oct. 28 and leaf pickup will begin Monday, Oct. 31.

The 2017 budget amounting to $5,354,021 with an adopted tax levy of $1,112,389 and adopted tax rate of .8771 was adopted.