James D. Zachary wants to give back to the community that’s given him many opportunities so he’s running for the District 1 town council seat vacated by Peter Christos.
“I love Winona Lake and I’m finally at a point in my life where I can give some of my time back to the town. I just want to serve,” said Zachary.
The 35-year is currently the sole candidate who has filed for the 7 p.m. Aug. 8 caucus with Kosciusko County Republican Party Chairman Mike Ragan.
Christos resigned July 10. He pleaded guilty Julu 11 to domestic battery and invasion of privacy. Christos received one year of probation for each count, to be served consecutively.
Zachary said this is his first time he’s run for elected office.
He’s been at Zimmer Biomet for over 15 years. “I am in new product introduction, so I help bring new products to the market,” he said.
A priority for him if elected will be ensuring the town operates on a conservative budget. He said, “I think the most important thing for me is Winona Lake has always been fiscally conservative and had a strong budget and I want to continue that.”
Zachary has lived in the district for the past four years, and previously lived in Southtown addition the eight years prior to that. He grew up in Warsaw, graduating from Warsaw Community High School in 2000.
His 16-year-old daughter plays varsity soccer.
If elected, he said serving on the council would be “an opportunity for me to give back to the community that’s been so good to me.”
The caucus for Christo’s replacement will be in the Winona Lake Town Hall chambers, 1310 Park Ave. His replacement on the council will be elected by secret ballot of the majority of members of the voting caucus.
Eligible members of the caucus are the Republican precinct committeemen of Wayne 1, 3, 4 and 10 in Kosciusko County who have served continuously, from 30 days before the date of the beginning of the caucus.
Declarations of candidacy are available at the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, and must be filed with Ragan no later than 72 hours before the start of the caucus.
Candidates must live in Winona Lake District 1 and be a Republican in good standing.
