County to help pay for new Dunkirk station (08/29/06)

How to pay for the proposed construction of a new firehouse/ambulance base in Dunkirk was discussed at length Monday afternoon by Jay County Commissioners and Jay County Community Developer Ami Davidson.

Commissioners have agreed to help fund a portion or perhaps all of the project

Davidson told commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr that the first step in securing a $500,000 state grant for the project includes providing plans for the structure that is proposed to serve as a new home for the fire department and a Dunkirk base for Jay Emergency Medical Service.

"If it wasn't for EMS we wouldn't be in this at all," Miller said about the county's involvement.

Davidson told commissioners that because submission of the grant application has been stepped up due to changes in state regulations concerning such grants, she did not have time to offer the engineering services out for bid.

Schneider Corp., Indianapolis, engineering and architects, has agreed to provide the plans as quickly as possible which is a requirement for the first-round application.

The grant application deadline is Sept. 22.

Soon after discussion about applying for a grant was discussed earlier this year, Davidson said she learned that beginning Jan. 1, 2007, the state would award a maximum of $350,000 for such projects.

In order to get the grant in earlier and receive the maximum grant, the process was sped up, she explained, eliminating some of the steps including applying for a $50,000 planning grant.

The county is serving as the grant applicant because Dunkirk is not eligible to apply for the grant, due to the Quincy Place project which is incomplete.

Engineering costs were estimated at $19,500, Davidson told commissioners, with an additional $30,000 needed for Schneider engineers to oversee the project if the grant application is approved.

"Is this a given?" Miller asked about the grant application. "We need to meet with Dunkirk (officials) to see what they can contribute."

Dunkirk has struggled financially for the past year and is currently looking at ways to further cut back its expenditures.

"They ain't got any money to pay with," Miller said about Dunkirk paying for such construction.

Commissioners agreed to ask the Jay County Council at its September meeting for an additional appropriation of $50,000 as matching funds for the grant.

Davidson said planners would be asking the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation to use six acres of land in the Dunkirk Industrial Park.

As commissioners discussed funding issues, the possibility of funding the entire project and having Dunkirk pay back the loan was also considered.

"We're already committed (to the project)," Miller said, "we're just being drawn in a little farther."

Additionally Monday afternoon commissioners approved a request from county highway superintendent, Ken Wellman, to purchase a 1997 Chevy pickup truck at a cost of $3,500.

Wellman said the truck will be used to haul small equipment and highway employees.

A request from Wellman to repair a large roller the county uses to chip and seal the county's roads was also approved. Wellman said is expected to cost about $14,000 to repair. New equipment can cost up to $60,000, he said.

Meeting as the drainage board earlier in the day, commissioners heard county surveyor Brad Daniels explain that as sewer line construction continues on the south side of West Votaw Street near the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter, a 12-inch storm tile running parallel to a city water line on the south side of the street was discovered.

"Nobody knew it was there," Daniels told the board.

He said the state ordered the line be moved from the north side to the south side of the water line. "They didn't want it under the highway," that is set to be widened, Daniels said.

The line which extends from the west side of the corner of Western Avenue and West Votaw Street to directly across from Industrial Park Drive, will be moved at Wal-Mart's expense, Daniels told the board.

He said the line was found after workers were attempting to replace dirt along the highway shoulder that "wouldn't compact." All the dirt and stone placed in the ditch last week will be removed to allow for the work.

"It's a mess," Daniels said.

Additionally, the board approved having county workers clean out a portion of the Halfway Ditch in Redkey.

Redkey Town Board president Dottie Quakenbush, told the drainage board that county workers had sprayed the ditch earlier this summer, but brush in a two-block area between Harrison and George streets was creating problems.

Commissioners also gave CASA de Portland, permission to use an area of the courthouse on Friday, Sept. 15 for the official opening of Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month in the city.[[In-content Ad]]