This year, he’s running for re-election as Ward 2 councilman because he’s developed a passion for it.
“It’s something I had never considered. Curiosity more than anything else probably,” Duncan said about running the first time. “I love our community, and it just seemed like an opportunity to get involved.”
On deciding to run for re-election, he said, “I think the second time, I’ve become really interested. I’m way more passionate about the community than I’ve ever been just because I’ve been involved and that has been really motivating.”
He said the first four years has been good and interesting.
“We have a number of things going on in the community that I think are great. It’s an amazing place, and I like being involved and I just want to do my part,” he said.
During his first four-year term, Duncan said he’s learned about many things that happen behind the scenes.
“Like the street department, maybe the street department more than anything else. It’s not something that you ever really think about. But once you’re sort of involved, you’re like, ‘these guys are amazing.’ They work really hard, they do a great job and you just never really notice it. It’s the kind of thing that’s thankless. You only notice that kind of thing if there’s something wrong,” he said.
He also mentioned the police and fire departments as being great groups as well.
Duncan characterized himself as the kind of person who listens but “has an even keel. I don’t get caught up in emotion. I make judgments based on, not what I particularly have an emotion about or someone else has an emotion about, but what makes sense in the long term for most.”
He said it’s been great to see and be a part of potential economic development possibilities and some changes coming to the community.
“I think there are possibilities for growth in the community that are huge but will be extremely beneficial over a period of time. That is the overriding motivating thing right now that I want to be a part of, and I want to be able to support those initiatives,” he said.
He said growing Winona Lake is really important and there’s “real and important” potential for expansion to the south or east. “Typically, I think that expansion would be residential, but I think there’s some commercial possibilities,” he said.
One change coming soon to Winona Lake is the planned roundabout at the intersection of Winona Avenue, Argonne Road, Kings Highway and Park Avenue.
“The roundabout obviously is going to be a big deal, it’s going to be a headache because it’s one of those things that’s going to cause some traffic issues and it’s not going to be a quick fix. It’s going to take a while. And I will be just as inconvenienced by this as the next person, but in the long run I think it will be valuable. It’ll be worth the headache,” Duncan said.
The roundabout is expected to be completed by early 2022.
Duncan has spent most of his life in Winona Lake.
He is a 1980 Grace College graduate. He began his teaching career at Washington Elementary School with Warsaw Community Schools. He taught for seven years before holding a couple of administrative positions, including assistant principal at Warsaw Community High School.
“And then the last 18 years – 34 years total – but the last 18 years as principal at Jefferson Elementary,” Duncan said. “I’ve spent most of my life right here (in Winona Lake). And after retiring from the school system (in 2012), I came back to Grace College and now I serve as the director of alumni engagement.”
