TIMES UNION REPORTS – Kosciusko Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Mike Ragan has scheduled a caucus for the Winona Lake Town Council Ward 1 seat.
The Council position was held by Jim Zachary, 39, who died Aug. 17 at Kosciusko Community Hospital.
The caucus is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Winona Lake Town Council meeting room. When an elected official dies in office, a caucus must be called to replace them within 30 days of when the county clerk is officially notified, which was Aug. 20.
Any Republican interested in seeking the position must live in Winona Lake Ward 1, be a Republican in good standing and not have a felony in their past.
Declarations of candidacy are available at the office of the Kosciusko County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, and must be filed with Ragan no later than 72 hours prior to the commencement of the caucus.
Eligible members of the caucus are the Republican precinct committee members of Winona Lake Ward 1 who have served continuously from 30 days prior to the date of the commencement of the caucus.
The Winona Lake Council member shall be elected by secret ballot of the majority of the members of the voting caucus to fill the vacancy in the office.
Candidates will be allowed a maximum of three minutes to address the voting caucus.
After Peter Christos resigned from the Council in July 2017, Zachary was one of three people who threw his name in the hat for the Ward 1 seat in a caucus. In August 2017, the caucus chose Thelia Banta over Zachary and Kearstin Criswell.
Zachary then defeated Banta in the May 7, 2019, Republican primary to win the Council seat. He was not challenged in the fall general election.
Zachary was a resident of Kosciusko County since 1988, according to his obituary. A 2000 Warsaw Community High School graduate, he worked at Zimmer Biomet and was the father of Haley Zachary, Winona Lake.
