Utilities
Utilities Departments
Water – Shipshewana is the water service provider for town and for the surrounding area. Water is supplied by three groundwater wells. The water plant has the capacity to pump 450,000 gallons with a peak demand of 420,000 gallons per day.
In accordance with legal requirements, the town maintains a Wellhead Protection Plan approved by the state. Wellhead Protection Plans were developed by all municipal water providers following passage of the Amendments to the Safe Water Drinking Act in 1986. This Act is a formal policy for protection of the states’ drinking water to avoid any contamination.
Electricity – Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) provides the electrical service for Shipshewana. NIPSCO operates several power plants in Northern Indiana. The majority of the power is fueled by coal and natural gas, and a small amount is provided by hydro-electric power. Some supplemental electricity is also provided by the LaGrange County REMC.
Natural Gas – NIPSCO also provides natural gas service for the Shipshewana area.
Utilities Department Employees
Rick McBride
Street SuperintendentRick McBride is the Town Street Superintendent. He has been employed with the Town of Shipshewana since February 2022. He is tasked with general road maintenance, street light inspection, storm water system, sidewalk and curb repair, leaf pick up, compost site organization, snow and ice removal along with other various tasks. Rick is married, has three children and two grandchildren and is a Navy veteran.
Alan Chao
Custodian/Janitor
Kevin Wenzel
Wastewater SuperintendentKevin Wenzel is the Wastewater Superintendent for Shipshewana. He carries a Class II Wastewater Treatment License from the State of Indiana. He operates the treatment plant and performs all the laboratory testing. He also oversees the collection system which includes 18 lift-stations and the pretreatment/FOG program.
Kevin has a Bachelor of science degree from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana. He also graduated from Glen Oaks University in Michigan. He started his education at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Kevin loves sports, especially football and continues to lift weights and walk. Kevin coached high school football for 20 years at three different high schools in Indiana. Lakeland, Angola, and Howe Military School.
Kevin owns a hobby farm with calves, pigs, chickens, sheep, a horse, three dogs and a cat. He owns a 1952 John Deere G tractor in which he hauls manure, plows his garden, hauls hay, and other fun stuff. He is a member of a couple of two-cylinder tractor clubs.
David West
Water SuperintendentDavid is the Water Superintendent for the Town of Shipshewana. He is in charge of the daily testing at the Water Plant and also the weekly and monthly testing at certain locations in the Town’s Water System. David also reads all the meters every month and can also interrogate the meters when there is questionable usage. His other duties include supporting the other superintendents in their duties as needed.
David is also our Town of Shipshewana “Grill Master”.
Mike Neiman
Building/Grounds SuperintendentMike Neiman is responsible for general maintenance and repairs of all the town of Shipshewana’s buildings and grounds which includes but is not limited to upkeep of the Town’s property and facilities, scheduling inspections and maintaining preventative maintenance needs and identifying unreported damages. His responsibilities also include maintaining heating and air conditioning systems for all Town properties and performing necessary maintenance and repairs when possible to save the Town money and requisitioning outside contractors when needed.
Mike’s job also includes keeping the Town of Shipshewana looking beautiful including maintaining the health, safety, and maintenance of the town parks, playgrounds, ball fields, and the Pumpkin Vine Bike Trail. He keeps the flower beds looking nice by planting, weeding, mulching and maintaining them all summer. Mike makes sure the garbage and litter is always picked up to keep the Town clean.
Gage Naylor
Service/SupportWastewater Apprentice
Gage Naylor has lived his life in Lagrange County and has worked for the Town of Shipshewana since August 2020. He started as Service and Support which is a position that helps any Town Utility Department. He assisted with tasks such as painting fire hydrants, cleaning grounds, pothole patching and cleaning sewers. He has recently started his Wastewater Apprenticeship and is currently working on the distribution side of the Wastewater plant. He helps with the mechanical side of the plant and helps maintain the field work that is necessary to help the plant run. That includes helping clean lift stations, pipe cleaning, adding chemicals to help treat grease and other harmful things that could hurt the plant. He is also in charge 811 locates for the town’s utility lines. Through all this Gage has been taught by Dave West and was also an understudy of the former Wastewater Superintendent, Sean Neeley. He now works with current Wastewater Superintendent Kevin Wenzel. He hopes to complete his training so that he can be a Licensed Wastewater Superintendent in the future.
Matt Turner
Service/SupportWater Apprentice
Matthew Turner has been with the Town of Shipshewana since September of 2021. He is the Water Apprentice, which means he helps the Water Superintendent Dave West with his daily tasks such as the daily water testing, monthly water testing, flushing hydrants, and other things Dave needs help with. Matt is also service and support, that means he helps all the Superintendents with whatever they need help with from picking up leaves during fall, watering flowers, or pulling a pump at a lift station, or marking for 811 Locates
Barry Weldy
Crossing GuardBarry Weldy has been the crossing guard for 5 years. He took over for his wife that had been the Crossing Guard for the previous 14 years. Barry was in the army from 1959-1963, he then went to work for Western Rubber in Goshen for the next 36 years. Barry and his Wife owned Shipshe Pizza for 10 years. He has been a member of the American Legion for 30 years and was the Commander of the Middlebury American Legion for 3 years and is now a Past Commander. Barry has been married to his beautiful wife Nina for 39 years. He stated that the kids at his corner thank him every morning and afternoon.