This January, meet other community members with shared goals and together take the first steps to a healthier lifestyle.

The City of Goshen’s Parks & Recreation Department has partnered with Goshen College and Medicine Reimagined DPC to create a local chapter of Walk with a Doc, a national program that combines creating a habit of walking with health education.

Through this program, all scheduled walks —the first Monday of each month—are free and open to the public; a registration will be required. All walks will start at 6 p.m. and they will be held at the Goshen College Recreation-Fitness Center January–March and Pringle Park, 1912 W. Lincoln Ave., April–December.

Each month, the walk will start with a short session in which participants will learn about a health topic from a healthcare provider; the rest of the hour is for participants to enjoy a healthy walk and fun conversation.

The program kicks off Monday, January 3, at Goshen College. Mayor Jeremy Stutsman, Parks & Recreation Superintendent Tanya Heyde and Recreational Supervisor Kimberlee Stephens will participate in the first walk.

To register, go to https://walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/goshen-indiana/ and follow the instructions on the right-hand column under sign-up. For additional questions about the program or registration, contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 534-2901.

On Nov. 16, 2021, the Goshen City Council approved changes to the Water and Sewer rates per Ordinances 5106 and 5107. The utility rate increases will take effect the first billing cycle of each year.

Click here to read Ord. 5106, Goshen Water Utility Schedule of Rates and Charges. This has the full description of changes to the water utility rates.

Click here to read Ord. 5107, Goshen Sewer Utility Schedule of Rates and Charges. This has the full description of changes to the sewer utility rates.

Water rates and charges:

Sewer rates and charges:

To view the full list of rate changes, go to https://goshenindiana.org/utilitiesbilling. For other questions, contact the Utilities Business Office at 533-9399 or via email at watersewer@goshencity.com.

All City offices will be closed all day Friday, Dec. 31, in observance of New Year’s Day. Trash collection services will operate on a regular schedule this week.

All City of Goshen offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, December 23 and 24, in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Trash collection services will operate on a regular schedule this week.

The Center for Healing & Hope will have a vaccine clinic Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, from 9 a.m. to noon at their location at 400 W. Lincoln Ave.

They will have Pfizer vaccinations for people ages 5 and up. Children 5-17 and up must be accompanied by a parent.

• 1st and 2nd doses available, as well as boosters
• No insurance, ID or appointment required

Affected areas: Lincolnway East between E. Douglas Street and E. Plymouth Avenue, and Plymouth Avenue between S. 16^th Street and Lincolnway East.

On Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, starting at 8 a.m., the water main will be shut off due to a water valve replacement. A Boil Water Advisory will be issued when the water comes back on.

It is recommended that all cooking and drinking water be brought to a complete boil for five minutes before using.  Please continue to boil all cooking and drinking water until a notification that it is no longer necessary.

We appreciate your cooperation during this time and will update you as necessary until the drinking water problem has been solved.  If you have any questions concerning the drinking water problem, please contact your water department at 534-5306.

NOTE: The following is a message from the Elkhart County Health Department.

Elkhart County has been upgraded to advisory level red. This means there is substantial spread of COVID-19 throughout the county.

• Our regional hospital beds are rapidly filling with COVID-19 patients.
• Regional elective surgeries are being canceled on a daily basis due to the increased number of COVID-19 patients.
• Local employers have reported the highest number of COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic.

Please consider that your large gatherings or events could become possible super spreader events. Unfortunately, nearly 60% of our county residents are unvaccinated individuals. They are highly likely to spread the virus at your special events. High-risk individuals who are not vaccinated should consider masking or avoiding these large gatherings altogether.

To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, get vaccinated as soon as you can and wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. There are still many locations in the county where you can receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

Please remember that children ages 5-11 are now eligible for the vaccination as well. To find a vaccination site, please visit the Indiana Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine page.

The City of Goshen appoints boards, commissions and committees, comprised of residents and City staff, to help advise on various policy issues. Some of the boards are designated by Indiana statute, while others are created in the interest of bettering our community.

Members of these boards and commissions are appointed by the mayor and City Council.

For 2022, the Council must make the following appointments:

• Redevelopment Commission: 2 positions
• Community Relations Commission: 2 positions
• Shade Tree Board: 1 position

To read about these Boards and Commissions, go to: goshenindiana.org/boards-&-commissions

To apply for any one of these boards and commissions, go to https://goshenindiana.org/boardapplication and fill out the application.

NOTE: The City Council will make the appointments in January of 2022.

All City offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Trash collection will NOT be affected by the holiday this week. See a map of Goshen’s trash pickup areas here: https://goshenindiana.org/media/uploads/0/3994_TrashPickupAreas_Dec2017.pdf

The City of Goshen’s trick-or-treat hours are Saturday, October 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Trick-or-treaters:

• Please be respectful of the set trick-or-treat hours.
• Stop only at homes where the porch lights are on, and never go into a stranger’s home.

Treat givers and adults:

• If you do not wish to participate in the event, please turn off your porch lights.
• Motorists should drive slowly and be alert for pedestrians.
• Keep your driveway and porch lit whenever possible and clear your walkways of any tripping hazards if handing out treats.