City moves ahead on demolition (03/23/04)

DUNKIRK — The wrecking ball is moving closer to two more downtown buildings here.

Dunkirk city attorney William Hinkle prepared two resolutions for Monday’s city council meeting dealing with the acquisition of property at 120 S. Main St. and 124 S. Main St. The dilapidated buildings on these sites are next to land where the city has demolished three other structures during the past year.

Hinkle said he has been in contact with the owners of both pieces of property, and they have agreed to issue quit claim deeds to the city, which will then be responsible for the demolition of the old vacant structures and the removal of debris.

The landowners will be giving the property to the city, as two separate appraisals indicated that the land had “negative value” due to the present conditions of the buildings, which were described as “in a state of extreme deterioration,” Hinkle said.

The property at 124 S. Main St. is owned by Brian Whitesell and Mary Whitesell, Hinkle said. The land at 120 S. Main St. is owned by Randy Phillips, he added.

Hinkle suggested the council adopt the two resolutions as the first steps in acquiring the properties, and council members unanimously agreed.

Mayor Sam Hubbard said he wanted to keep moving on this project so the area could be cleaned up, prior to the start of Glass Days Festival preparations in May.

On a related topic, Hubbard said Police Chief Arnold Clevenger would be stepping up enforcement of junk car removal regulations and anti-littering measures now that the weather is improving. “Hopefully, we’ll get some of these properties cleaned up,” the mayor said.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, council members:

•Heard a report from Hubbard about the WInd.Net LLC antenna proposal for the city water tower. He said the firm had decided to withdraw its request because company representatives were not happy with the proposed contract with the city, including a clause allowing either party to terminate the agreement after giving 90 days notice.

•Agreed with recommendations from Jay County Development Corporation executive director Robert Quadrozzi and the Dunkirk Tax Abatement Advisory Committee that Saint-Gobain Containers and SDP Manufacturing were both in compliance with their tax abatement statements of benefits. Council members voted unanimously to accept these recommendations.

•Authorized spending $2,125 for intercom and headset equipment for firefighters using the city’s grass rig. This equipment will be purchased from TNT Electronics of Farmland.

•Noted that city water hydrants will be flushed on April 1 and 2. Hubbard said he hopes this will alleviate some of the rusty water problems in the city. Water department officials advised that residents should avoid doing laundry on the days when the hydrants are being flushed.

•Voiced disapproval with a Jay School Corporation proposal to rip up the West Jay Middle School tennis courts for a parking lot. This could leave the community without any tennis courts, council members said. “I don’t think (school corporation officials) asked (the city council members) about this idea,” Councilwoman Connie Whetsel said.

•Learned that one of last year’s Dunkirk City Pool workers had filed a claim for unemployment benefits after the pool closed for the season. Hubbard said that he didn’t feel such a claim should be allowed as this was a seasonal job. He recommended that clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler investigate the matter further.[[In-content Ad]]