July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Debate on proposal gets heated
Dunkirk City Council
By Robert Banser-
DUNKIRK - Several heated exchanges relating to city spending erupted at Monday night's council meeting.
The first occurred as council members reviewed an ordinance proposal, drafted by city attorney Bill Hinkle, which would have increased spending limits by department supervisors from $200 to $500; and from $500 to $1,000 for department supervisors with the approval of the council member in charge of that department. Expenditures of more than $1,000 would have to be brought to the city council for approval. Under current city regulations that figure is $500.
Hinkle was asked to prepare such an ordinance at the previous meeting when councilman Chuck Rife was not present. Wastewater treatment supervisor Tim Kesler suggested the idea, pointing out that many routinely purchased items had been increasing in price due to inflation and the economy.
However, at Monday night's meeting Rife asked if the new spending plan would include the mayor as well as council members. When Rife was told that it would, he replied without hesitation: "I'm opposed to it."
Elaborating, Rife accused Mayor Ron Hunt of trying "to circumvent" the present procedures, and said this would only make it worse. Rife recalled how the mayor had submitted separate bills for payments relating to a trip to Texas to pick up a new city police dog, and then more recently submitted two bills, each totaling $500 for painting a Jeep, formerly assigned to the fire department for use as the new canine unit car. Rife said the two separate payments to Vore's Auto Body of Redkey each totaled $500 - one for painting supplies and the other for labor. "What a coincidence," Rife said.
Rife then questioned how many quotes had been taken by the city for this work, and whether or not any of the Dunkirk auto body shops had been asked to submit a price quote.
Councilman Eric Bowler, a member of the city board of works and public safety, said two quotes were taken, but he couldn't remember the name of the second one. "So there's no paperwork?" Rife questioned.
At this point Hunt asked that a vote be taken on the proposal.
However, this was not the case, as council members continued to debate the issue.
Judy Garr, a member of the board of works along with Bowler and Hunt, said she remembered a discussion about getting decals for the Jeep, but not a complete paint job. "I didn't see any quotes," she said.
Meanwhile, Hunt continued to urge that a vote be taken, saying that Rife's comments were not relevant to the topic.
Rife continued that he would like to see the ordinance proposal re-written to help the department heads do their job more efficiently, but not as a "carte blanche" spending tool for the mayor.
"My only concern is that we've been taken advantage of," like on the airline tickets to get the police dog, Rife said.
"Chuck, nobody has taken advantage of nothing," Hunt responded.
Bowler then accused Rife of being anti-police department, adding: "The system has not been abused."
Next Bowler made a motion to accept the ordinance proposal.
However, Bowler's motion died for lack of a second.
"It isn't the motion I'm concerned about," Rife said.
"No - it's me he's concerned about," Hunt interrupted.
Hinkle in order for the measure to be adopted on first reading Monday, it would require votes from all four council members present.
Councilman Craig Faulkner was not in attendance.
At this point Garr proposed tabling the debate until the next council meeting, and getting Faulkner's opinion, too.
Later in the meeting as claims were being considered, Rife asked that No. 799, the bill for painting the Jeep, be voted on separately. That was done and following more debate, claim No. 799 was approved by a vote of 3-1 with Rife voting against it. Garr said she didn't want to vote against it because the work had already been done.
In other business, council members approved advertising to hire a third part-time employee to help with the water department during the major water main and plant improvements.
Initially, Hunt suggested promoting the water department's two part-time employees to full-time status. However, Garr pointed out that this would be a substantial expenditure, once fringe benefits were figured into the equation.
Bowler countered that it would be expensive if a private construction firm had to be hired to help with the work, and Garr said she would not be opposed to hiring a third part-time employee rather than changing the city's two part-time employees to full-time status, as those jobs were advertised as part-time positions.
"We should have advertised for full-time employees, if we wanted full-time employees," Rife said.
A motion by Garr to hire a third part-time employee passed unanimously.
In other action at Monday night's meeting, council members:
•Conducted a public hearing in preparation for applying for an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant to make improvements at the city wastewater treatment plant. No one spoke in opposition to this proposal that would involve $1.7 million in work, with the proposed grant covering approximately $1 million of that total.
•Authorized an agreement not to exceed $80,340 with Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Indianapolis, to cover engineering expenses relating to the grant and overall wastewater improvement project.
•Agreed with a recommendation from Chuck Huffman of the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation and Dunkirk Investment Group to approve spending $15,500 to retain Architecture Trio, Indianapolis, to work with the city on its downtown renovation and façade improvement project. Huffman said the DIDC had agreed to use economic development income tax (EDIT) funds to cover this expenditure.
•Listened to comments from Hunt that he wanted to squelch any rumors that he was in favor of closing the Dunkirk City Pool. "I said nothing about closing the swimming pool," Hunt said.
"That's the first I heard about this," commented Tom Johnson, council member in charge of the pool.
•Heard Hunt report that he had met with city employees last week and was going to emphasize more cooperation between departments.
"I want the city departments to work together," Hunt said, adding that if necessary he would coordinate and supervise this cooperation.
•Decided not to raise township fire protection rates for 2011.
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The first occurred as council members reviewed an ordinance proposal, drafted by city attorney Bill Hinkle, which would have increased spending limits by department supervisors from $200 to $500; and from $500 to $1,000 for department supervisors with the approval of the council member in charge of that department. Expenditures of more than $1,000 would have to be brought to the city council for approval. Under current city regulations that figure is $500.
Hinkle was asked to prepare such an ordinance at the previous meeting when councilman Chuck Rife was not present. Wastewater treatment supervisor Tim Kesler suggested the idea, pointing out that many routinely purchased items had been increasing in price due to inflation and the economy.
However, at Monday night's meeting Rife asked if the new spending plan would include the mayor as well as council members. When Rife was told that it would, he replied without hesitation: "I'm opposed to it."
Elaborating, Rife accused Mayor Ron Hunt of trying "to circumvent" the present procedures, and said this would only make it worse. Rife recalled how the mayor had submitted separate bills for payments relating to a trip to Texas to pick up a new city police dog, and then more recently submitted two bills, each totaling $500 for painting a Jeep, formerly assigned to the fire department for use as the new canine unit car. Rife said the two separate payments to Vore's Auto Body of Redkey each totaled $500 - one for painting supplies and the other for labor. "What a coincidence," Rife said.
Rife then questioned how many quotes had been taken by the city for this work, and whether or not any of the Dunkirk auto body shops had been asked to submit a price quote.
Councilman Eric Bowler, a member of the city board of works and public safety, said two quotes were taken, but he couldn't remember the name of the second one. "So there's no paperwork?" Rife questioned.
At this point Hunt asked that a vote be taken on the proposal.
However, this was not the case, as council members continued to debate the issue.
Judy Garr, a member of the board of works along with Bowler and Hunt, said she remembered a discussion about getting decals for the Jeep, but not a complete paint job. "I didn't see any quotes," she said.
Meanwhile, Hunt continued to urge that a vote be taken, saying that Rife's comments were not relevant to the topic.
Rife continued that he would like to see the ordinance proposal re-written to help the department heads do their job more efficiently, but not as a "carte blanche" spending tool for the mayor.
"My only concern is that we've been taken advantage of," like on the airline tickets to get the police dog, Rife said.
"Chuck, nobody has taken advantage of nothing," Hunt responded.
Bowler then accused Rife of being anti-police department, adding: "The system has not been abused."
Next Bowler made a motion to accept the ordinance proposal.
However, Bowler's motion died for lack of a second.
"It isn't the motion I'm concerned about," Rife said.
"No - it's me he's concerned about," Hunt interrupted.
Hinkle in order for the measure to be adopted on first reading Monday, it would require votes from all four council members present.
Councilman Craig Faulkner was not in attendance.
At this point Garr proposed tabling the debate until the next council meeting, and getting Faulkner's opinion, too.
Later in the meeting as claims were being considered, Rife asked that No. 799, the bill for painting the Jeep, be voted on separately. That was done and following more debate, claim No. 799 was approved by a vote of 3-1 with Rife voting against it. Garr said she didn't want to vote against it because the work had already been done.
In other business, council members approved advertising to hire a third part-time employee to help with the water department during the major water main and plant improvements.
Initially, Hunt suggested promoting the water department's two part-time employees to full-time status. However, Garr pointed out that this would be a substantial expenditure, once fringe benefits were figured into the equation.
Bowler countered that it would be expensive if a private construction firm had to be hired to help with the work, and Garr said she would not be opposed to hiring a third part-time employee rather than changing the city's two part-time employees to full-time status, as those jobs were advertised as part-time positions.
"We should have advertised for full-time employees, if we wanted full-time employees," Rife said.
A motion by Garr to hire a third part-time employee passed unanimously.
In other action at Monday night's meeting, council members:
•Conducted a public hearing in preparation for applying for an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant to make improvements at the city wastewater treatment plant. No one spoke in opposition to this proposal that would involve $1.7 million in work, with the proposed grant covering approximately $1 million of that total.
•Authorized an agreement not to exceed $80,340 with Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Indianapolis, to cover engineering expenses relating to the grant and overall wastewater improvement project.
•Agreed with a recommendation from Chuck Huffman of the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation and Dunkirk Investment Group to approve spending $15,500 to retain Architecture Trio, Indianapolis, to work with the city on its downtown renovation and façade improvement project. Huffman said the DIDC had agreed to use economic development income tax (EDIT) funds to cover this expenditure.
•Listened to comments from Hunt that he wanted to squelch any rumors that he was in favor of closing the Dunkirk City Pool. "I said nothing about closing the swimming pool," Hunt said.
"That's the first I heard about this," commented Tom Johnson, council member in charge of the pool.
•Heard Hunt report that he had met with city employees last week and was going to emphasize more cooperation between departments.
"I want the city departments to work together," Hunt said, adding that if necessary he would coordinate and supervise this cooperation.
•Decided not to raise township fire protection rates for 2011.
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