Delay has Dunkirk watching funds (06/24/08)

DUNKIRK - The delay in receiving property tax revenue this year has city officials here watching their spending habits more closely.

"We just need to watch spending," clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler told council members at Monday night's meeting.

Councilwoman Judy Garr agreed with Kesler, noting that while city finances were not "in dire straights," a close eye on all spending requests should be maintained.

Mayor Ron Hunt also urged council members to keep a close eye on spending, as Kesler explained that the city usually receives its spring property tax draw at the beginning of June, but now Jay County officials are predicting those funds will not arrive until sometime after July.

Major delays in obtaining Jay County property tax rates have contributed to the problem. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance has yet to set rates for Jay County tax units, and a hearing on the issue is set for July 1.

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

•Reviewed and approved a recommendation from the Dunkirk Tax Abatement Advisory Committee which found that both Saint-Gobain Containers Company and SDP Manufacturing Inc. were in substantial compliance with their tax abatement promises as far as employment levels and improvements for their businesses were concerned.

Jay County Development Corporation executive director Bill Bradley said he was also in agreement with the committee's report. A tax abatement compliance review is required annually, Bradley said.

The purpose is to see if the companies are living up to promises made when the abatements were granted.

•Discussed the possibility of increasing local township fire protection rates by 2 percent. Craig Faulkner, councilman in charge of the city fire department, said he would be sending out notices to the affected township trustees soon and answering any questions on this issue.

Present at Monday's council meeting was Dorothy Smoot, Delaware County's Niles Township trustee. She asked if the Dunkirk Fire Department was billing property owners with insurance for departmental services, like the ones in Delaware County. Faulkner said he thought the department was doing this, but he would check to be sure.

Other questions relating to the proposed increase have been raised by Richland Township Trustee Dave Champ. City officials said Champ is requesting a comparison of the number of fire runs per year in the various townships, as well as the status of the fire department's special fund for fire equipment purchases.

Noting that the township rates were not increased last year, Faulkner said he would try to provide answers to the various questions.

•Heard a report from Hunt that there were 26 applicants for the vacant patrolman's position, and testing procedures were continuing for the finalists.

•Listened to the mayor report that bid specifications would soon be advertised concerning the possibility of installing decorative, old-fashioned-style street lighting in the downtown area.

•Noted that efforts were continuing to have abandoned cars removed and weeds trimmed on individual pieces of property to improve the appearance of the community. "We're trying our best," Hunt said. He added that persons with complaints about the appearance of pieces of property in the city should contact the police department.[[In-content Ad]]