July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Council OK's another try at grant (12/12/06)
Dunkirk City Council
By By ROBERT BANSER-
DUNKIRK - Council members here agreed Monday to forge ahead with plans to construct a combined fire station/JEMS base in the city's east side industrial park.
In a unanimous vote, the council authorized Ami Huffman, Jay County Community Developer, to re-apply for a $500,000 state grant to help fund the project.
The county will once again be acting as the grant applicant for the city-county project. Jay County Commissioners oversee Jay Emergency Medical Service. Meanwhile the city of Dunkirk is not eligible to apply for this type of grant, pending the satisfactory completion of its last grant project, the Quincy Place subdivision.
Earlier this month the original county application was denied, basically due to a technicality, Huffman said.
The state's Office of Historical Preservation and Archaeology through the Department of Natural Resources had failed to provide a necessary letter of approval for construction by the required deadline, Huffman said.
Consequently, she recommended re-applying for the grant. She added that even though the state officials have changed their funding guidelines for fire station construction grants, they will allow Jay County to resubmit the grant application in January for the full $500,000. "A technicality held us up," Huffman said, adding that the situation was "very fixable."
"It's a good project - a great project," she added, noting that two more public hearings will also have to be scheduled.
Craig Faulkner, councilman in charge of the fire department, made the motion to resubmit the grant application, seconded by councilman Tom Johnson.
In other business Monday, Huffman explained that she is working on the process of closing out the city's Quincy Place housing subdivision grant.
Mayor Sam Hubbard said the city now appears to have the necessary amount of residents living there to meet state grant requirements.
Huffman said she is preparing the necessary paperwork to satisfy state officials, and expects the process to take several months. Dunkirk clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said that her office would supply whatever help was needed, too.
Also Monday, Jay County Development Corporation board president Pat Bennett, along with JCDC supporters from the Dunkirk area, Dan Watson and Chuck Huffman, fielded questions from the council about the agency's recent request for continued funding at a level of $6,500 a year for the period of 2008-2010. Mayor Hubbard, also a member of the JCDC board, said the city had already budgeted its $6,500 pledge for 2007.
Hubbard said at one time Dunkirk's pledge to JCDC was $7,000 a year, but that had been cut back due to financial constraints. Council members had raised questions about the $6,500 figure at a Dunkirk meeting last month, citing the city's tight budget situation.
Chuck Huffman said the city has benefited greatly in the past from the work of JCDC, mentioning the construction of spec buildings in the industrial park as well as the major expansion project several years ago by Saint-Gobain Containers.
Watson said, "I wouldn't be on it (the JCDC board) if I didn't think it was a good thing for the city."
However, Dunkirk councilman James Doughty voiced his opinion that JCDC should concentrate more on projects to help the western part of the county.
"As a citizen of the local community here, I feel we should do our fair share in contributing to the JCDC," Chuck Huffman said.
Faulkner said that over the years Dunkirk has received a lot of benefits from JCDC.
Bennett said that since the city has already approved its $6,500 contribution for 2007, the levels of support for the following three years do not have to be decided until future budget deliberations are held in the summer.
Bennett said that he and the other JCDC board members and supporters would be available to answer questions.
Bennett gave an update on JCDC executive director Bob Quadrozzi, who is battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. "He's got a lot of spirit," Bennett said, adding that his treatment is progressing well.
In other business, council members:
•Changed the date of the next council session to 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at city hall. The regularly scheduled date would have been Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
•Wished Dunkirk resident Frances Mooney the best of luck with her plans to purchase the downtown landmark Todd building on contract and use it to enlarge her Bitz-N-Pieces Grocery Store operation. "This town deserves a grocery store," she said.
Ami Huffman and city officials said they would look into possible grants or low-interest loans in connection with the improvement of the Todd building. "It's a beautiful building if it could be fixed up," Mooney said, adding that currently the structure has 67 windows in need of repair.
•Approved spending approximately $10,500 worth of replacement equipment and supplies for the fire department. Some of these items may be ordered now, but not received until sometime next year, Deputy Fire Chief Ferral Wells said.[[In-content Ad]]
In a unanimous vote, the council authorized Ami Huffman, Jay County Community Developer, to re-apply for a $500,000 state grant to help fund the project.
The county will once again be acting as the grant applicant for the city-county project. Jay County Commissioners oversee Jay Emergency Medical Service. Meanwhile the city of Dunkirk is not eligible to apply for this type of grant, pending the satisfactory completion of its last grant project, the Quincy Place subdivision.
Earlier this month the original county application was denied, basically due to a technicality, Huffman said.
The state's Office of Historical Preservation and Archaeology through the Department of Natural Resources had failed to provide a necessary letter of approval for construction by the required deadline, Huffman said.
Consequently, she recommended re-applying for the grant. She added that even though the state officials have changed their funding guidelines for fire station construction grants, they will allow Jay County to resubmit the grant application in January for the full $500,000. "A technicality held us up," Huffman said, adding that the situation was "very fixable."
"It's a good project - a great project," she added, noting that two more public hearings will also have to be scheduled.
Craig Faulkner, councilman in charge of the fire department, made the motion to resubmit the grant application, seconded by councilman Tom Johnson.
In other business Monday, Huffman explained that she is working on the process of closing out the city's Quincy Place housing subdivision grant.
Mayor Sam Hubbard said the city now appears to have the necessary amount of residents living there to meet state grant requirements.
Huffman said she is preparing the necessary paperwork to satisfy state officials, and expects the process to take several months. Dunkirk clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said that her office would supply whatever help was needed, too.
Also Monday, Jay County Development Corporation board president Pat Bennett, along with JCDC supporters from the Dunkirk area, Dan Watson and Chuck Huffman, fielded questions from the council about the agency's recent request for continued funding at a level of $6,500 a year for the period of 2008-2010. Mayor Hubbard, also a member of the JCDC board, said the city had already budgeted its $6,500 pledge for 2007.
Hubbard said at one time Dunkirk's pledge to JCDC was $7,000 a year, but that had been cut back due to financial constraints. Council members had raised questions about the $6,500 figure at a Dunkirk meeting last month, citing the city's tight budget situation.
Chuck Huffman said the city has benefited greatly in the past from the work of JCDC, mentioning the construction of spec buildings in the industrial park as well as the major expansion project several years ago by Saint-Gobain Containers.
Watson said, "I wouldn't be on it (the JCDC board) if I didn't think it was a good thing for the city."
However, Dunkirk councilman James Doughty voiced his opinion that JCDC should concentrate more on projects to help the western part of the county.
"As a citizen of the local community here, I feel we should do our fair share in contributing to the JCDC," Chuck Huffman said.
Faulkner said that over the years Dunkirk has received a lot of benefits from JCDC.
Bennett said that since the city has already approved its $6,500 contribution for 2007, the levels of support for the following three years do not have to be decided until future budget deliberations are held in the summer.
Bennett said that he and the other JCDC board members and supporters would be available to answer questions.
Bennett gave an update on JCDC executive director Bob Quadrozzi, who is battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. "He's got a lot of spirit," Bennett said, adding that his treatment is progressing well.
In other business, council members:
•Changed the date of the next council session to 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at city hall. The regularly scheduled date would have been Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
•Wished Dunkirk resident Frances Mooney the best of luck with her plans to purchase the downtown landmark Todd building on contract and use it to enlarge her Bitz-N-Pieces Grocery Store operation. "This town deserves a grocery store," she said.
Ami Huffman and city officials said they would look into possible grants or low-interest loans in connection with the improvement of the Todd building. "It's a beautiful building if it could be fixed up," Mooney said, adding that currently the structure has 67 windows in need of repair.
•Approved spending approximately $10,500 worth of replacement equipment and supplies for the fire department. Some of these items may be ordered now, but not received until sometime next year, Deputy Fire Chief Ferral Wells said.[[In-content Ad]]
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