July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Depot grant given (11/11/2008)

Dunkirk City Council

By By ROBERT BANSER-

DUNKIRK - A $352,000 state grant will be used to restore and preserve the historic 100-year-old former Pennsylvania Railroad Depot.

Dunkirk Mayor Ron Hunt announced at Monday night's city council meeting that he had just received word about the awarding of the grant earlier in the day.

The grant was awarded through the Indiana Department of Transportation and will pay for the first phase of the renovation - including repair of the slate roof, windows, doors and exterior brick.

Application for the grant, with assistance from Jay County community developer Ami Huffman, was made in the summer.

Huffman, Dunkirk councilwoman Judy Garr and architect Dave Dixon recently met with INDOT officials to discuss the grant application.

The depot is located along Lincoln Avenue, about a block west of Main Street (Ind. 167) and adjacent to Webster-Depot Park.

Huffman added that the city will be eligible to apply for additional grant money in the future to further enhance the building.

The grant includes money the city will use to repay economic development income tax funds the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation used to purchase the depot.

Huffman said the grant totals $351,931 and is designed to start a three-year, three-phase process. She added that Dixon has a special degree in historic preservation architecture.

"This is such a good project and there are very few depots like this left," Huffman pointed out. INDOT grant officials apparently agreed that this was a project worth funding and an historic transportation building worth preserving, Huffman said.

At Monday night's city council session, Garr said she especially wanted to compliment and thank Huffman for all her work.

In other action at Monday's meeting, council members:

•Heard a report from councilman Tom Johnson that work is continuing to upgrade and repair the caretaker's house in Dunkirk City Park. Johnson recommended that a new furnace be installed in the building and some ductwork be repaired. Council members approved the installation of a new furnace by Sertech Heating and Air Conditioning, Portland, at a cost of $3,900.

Also Johnson said that the Dunkirk Park Board will meet at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in city hall. Hiring a new park caretaker will be on the agenda, Johnson said, noting that the selection process has been narrowed down to three applicants.

•Noted that city officials have received several compliments about the street department's work in collecting leaves from residential and commercial properties this autumn.

•Heard complaints about dogs running loose in the community. Hunt said that while the fine for a first offense is $25, the tickets for subsequent offenses increase to $50 for a second case involving the same dog, $75 for a third offense, and could increase from that level, too.

•Noted that a public hearing on the need to increase city water rates by 19 percent is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. as part of the next scheduled council meeting.[[In-content Ad]]
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