Depot group is off track early (04/24/07)

DUNKIRK - A committee designed to make recommendations about the city's historic railroad depot building is no longer on track.

Even before the approximately 10 volunteer committee members were publicly introduced and any suggestions proposed, Dunkirk councilman Tom Johnson said he was disbanding the committee immediately.

Johnson's decision came on the heels of the reading of a prepared statement by city resident Ailesia Franklin, criticizing him for "hand-picking" the depot advisory committee members and excluding her and other Dunkirk Improvement Committee members from participation on the group.

Johnson said that so far the volunteer committee had met once, and as far as he was concerned - "That's it."

At the April 9 city council meeting, Johnson explained that he wanted to have people on the committee with a fresh perspective who had not previously been involved with discussions about how to best use the former Pennsylvania Railroad depot building which was purchased last year by the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation.

Johnson said he didn't want to appoint people from the Dunkirk Improvement Committee to the group, and he was looking for new faces and new ideas.

In her prepared statement (letter) Franklin described the situation as a "miscarriage of justice." She said her request to serve on the depot committee had been rejected. She was also not notified about any meeting times, so she could attend as a spectator.

"This meeting was not posted; it was not publicized, nor were any interested members of the public allowed to attend. This was a very personally picked committee of one government official. In my opinion, in the United States of America governmental entities all are supposed to function under the same inalienable rights of by the people and for the people. When one government official ... decides that any member of the community is not important enough or is unwelcome to a publicly-formed committee, this is a violation of these rights," Franklin read Monday.

Johnson sat patiently until Franklin was finished. He then immediately asked, "Can I reply to that?"

Johnson continued, "I'm done with it. I was doing what I was asked to do."

Mayor Sam Hubbard added, "This is not a forum for personal attacks." He also questioned if Franklin was speaking as librarian of the Dunkirk Public Library or as a private citizen.

"I was interested in hearing new ideas, too," Franklin said. "I've made it known that I wanted to help ... I wasn't allowed or invited to come to the meeting.

"I wasn't a hand-picked person," she added.

At this point councilman Larry Smith interjected, "I think if Tom Johnson is going to head the committee, he should pick who he can get along with."

Hubbard said the idea behind the volunteer committee was to have one or two meetings and disband. "It was just a committee to come up with ideas," Hubbard said.

The initial idea was to solve a problem, the mayor said, but "it looks like we created another one."

Hubbard concluded the discussion by asking if Franklin had anything further to say.

"No. I said what I wanted to say," Franklin said.

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

•Heard a report from Bob Brown that it was time to renew the city's property liability and worker's compensation insurance package. The new annual premium will reflect a decrease of about $3,600 for the city, Brown said. The new premium, totaling about $43,000, was approved unanimously by the council members present: Johnson, Smith, Connie Whetsel and Craig Faulkner.

•Accepted the low quote from Taylor Construction of Dunkirk for replacement of the roof on the park shelter building. Taylor's quote totaled $4,059.

•Listened to more suggestions about improving the traffic situation in the area of Westlawn Elementary School on Pearl Street. City resident Donna Revolt suggested that possibly a meeting could be set up between council members, school officials and neighborhood residents to review parking and traffic concerns in that area.[[In-content Ad]]DUNKIRK - Emergency measures were approved Monday night to put one of the city's three wells back in operation as quickly as possible.

Water department superintendent Dace Mumbower told council members that the well's pump had failed and that extensive repairs might be needed.

Mumbower said that the well was due for inspection and routine maintenance this year, but last weekend it quit functioning.

Mumbower said he had contacted Peerless Midwest Co. of Westfield, and the company can begin repairs Wednesday if the council members agreed to the plan.

The pump in well No. 1 was pulled and overhauled in 1998, Mumbower said.

He said initial inspection reveals excessive iron and lime buildup on the pump and shaft. Peerless has recommended putting a video camera down the well housing for a visual inspection to determine the extent of the problem, Mumbower said.

He said the city water system is operating with only two wells, but no boil order has been issued.

"The work needs to be done," commented Connie Whetsel, council member in charge of the city water department, who said she had inspected the situation at the well earlier in the day.

Mayor Sam Hubbard agreed, noting that city officials were currently in the process of having a water rate study done to determine if water and wastewater treatment rates could be "flip-flopped" to provide more income for the water department.

Hubbard said the average monthly bill for his residence is about $12 to the water department and $18 to the wastewater treatment department. The city has retained the accounting firm of H.J. Umbaugh, Indianapolis, to see if these amounts could be reversed.

However, Hubbard said the city's immediate problem is getting this pump and well back in service. "I recommend we go ahead and accept the Peerless plan and correct this." He noted that the total bill could run between $15,000 and $20,000, but putting a new well in operation would cost between $100,000 and $120,000.

"This is an emergency situation," Hubbard said.

City resident Ailesia Franklin asked if money from the city's Rainy Day Fund could be used for this purpose. Hubbard rejected that idea, saying there was not enough money in the Rainy Day Fund to pay for the repairs. He also said water revenue funds should be used to pay water department expenses.