TIMES UNION REPORTS – The nephew of Kosciusko County Councilwoman Kimberly Cates and the late Judge David Cates has filed for the open Winona Lake Town Council Ward 1 seat.
Austin Reynolds, 312 Sixth St., Winona Lake, is the only person to have filed with Kosciusko Republican Party Central Committee Chair Mike Ragan as of Monday. The deadline for candidates to file is 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14, which is 72 hours before the caucus at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Winona Lake Town Council meeting room.
The Council seat came open after the death of Councilman Jim Zachary, 39, who died Aug. 17 at Kosciusko Community Hospital. Zachary was elected to the Council after winning the May 7, 2019, Republican primary and was not challenged in the fall 2019 general election.
Multiple attempts to reach Reynolds Monday (Labor Day) by deadline were unsuccessful.
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.
Eligible members of the caucus are the Republican precinct committee members of Winona Lake 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.
