Shifting in to 2024

Jan. 2—GOSHEN — Changes across the county are beginning to take effect. The New Year is bringing several staffing changes, and changes to the way several municipal organizations operate here in Elkhart County.

Goshen Common Council will now be at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, while Goshen Board of Public Works has moved to 4 p.m. Thursdays, excluding the third Thursday of the month, when Elkhart County Council is held, and Goshen Traffic Commission is at 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays also. Most other boards and councils across the county will remain the same, but read on to learn about other notable changes.

Goshen Community Schools

Goshen Community Schools' Board of Trustees voted on Dec. 10 to bring interim Superintendent Jim DuBois on board permanently. DuBois worked as superintendent of Baugo Community Schools for over a decade and in other administrative and educational positions there and at Penn Harris Madison before that, retiring from the field in 2019 to ultimately found Craftman Mindset Enterprises LLC, a consulting firm focused on connecting businesses with education to develop apprenticeship programs and pathways much like he did at Baugo Community Schools.

DuBois returned to public education in July as interim superintendent for Goshen Community Schools following the departure of former superintendent Steve Hope.

Goshen School Board meetings will still be held on the second and fourth Mondays.

Elkhart Community Schools

Last week Elkhart Community Schools' Board of Trustees voted unanimously to hire Larry A. Huff as its district's new superintendent. Huff's duties as superintendent officially begin March 1. He replaces interim superintendent Mark Mow, a former superintendent of the district from 2002 to 2012, who came out of retirement for the second time — once in 2018 and again in 2023 — to fill the position in July upon the departure of Steve Thalheimer.

Huff most recently served as chief academic officer at Metropolitan School District of Pike Township near Indianapolis, where Elkhart school board members noted an increase in student performance in IREAD-3 and ILEARN and also an increase in graduation rate to 96.2%. A former teacher and principal, Huff earned his doctoral degree from Oakland City University with a focus on school superintendency in December 2020.

Elkhart Community Schools has also decided to resume school-hosted board meetings. Beginning in February, the first board meeting of each month will be held at a different school throughout the district. Board meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

NAPPANEE RECYCLING

Nappanee's curbside recycling program officially began on Tuesday. The city will be divided into two sections for service and residents should have received carts a few weeks ago. Service days will be on Mondays, but this week with the holiday on Monday, the city's first official service day was Tuesday.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Changes to the administration of the Elkhart County Health Department took effect on Jan. 1. Health Administrator Melanie Sizemore has been reassigned as the new health officer, succeeding Rick Hostetter, who is transitioning to medical officer.

The department also transitioned Andrew Bylsma, formerly Health Education manager, into the health administrator position; and David Wiegner, formerly the Health Promotion specialist, into Community Services manager.

ELKHART FIRE

Rodney Dale has been chosen to succeed Elkhart Fire Department Chief Shaun Edgerton as interim fire chief. It was announced Dec. 29 that Dale, formerly assistant fire chief, would begin his official duties on Jan. 1. Assistant Chief Kristi Sommer will remain in her role.

Both hired on the same day in 1996, Dale and Sommer have each held nearly every position within the department.

NAPPANEE UTILITIES

Gale Gerber's official last day with the city of Nappanee was Dec. 31. Gerber was superintendent of the Nappanee Water Department from 1987 until its merger with the Wastewater Department in 2005, when he became superintendent of both.

His 36-year tenure was celebrated by the city as "Gale Gerber Day," proclaimed by Nappanee Mayor Phil Jenkins.

He will be replaced by Shaun Kern as wastewater superintendent and Brian Van Voorst as water superintendent.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.