Dunkirk cleans up for Glass Days (5/25/04)

DUNKIRK — Continuing with efforts to try to improve the appearance of the community prior to the June 1-5 Glass Days Festival, council members here Monday approved the purchase of a new bush-hog, capable of trimming tall weeds.

At a meeting earlier this month, Dunkirk Police Chief Arnold Clevenger, who also serves as health and safety officer, pointed out that according to city ordinances, weeds have to be at least 10 inches tall before the city is allowed to trim them and then place a lien on the property.

Clevenger said the problem with this regulation is that if the tall grass or weeds grow much taller than 10 inches, the city did not have the type of equipment needed to cut them.

At the time, Mayor Sam Hubbard said that perhaps the solution would be to buy more heavy-duty mowing equipment. And that’s exactly what council members agreed to do Monday night.

They agreed to purchase a new bush-hog attachment for the city’s lawn tractor from Tri-County of New Holland Equipment in Bluffton for $695.

Also at the meeting, Hubbard reported that the city is continuing with its efforts to have the two dilapidated, vacant buildings at 120 and 124 S. Main Street demolished as soon as possible.

Hubbard said that the hold-up seems to be getting Verizon to schedule some time to move telephone lines from the side of one of those buildings to another location. The council recently approved a payment of $2,129 to Verizon to have this done.

Hubbard said Monday Verizon officials have told him that work to move the phones lines should begin later this week.

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

•Reviewed a request from Rita Saucedo, 219 N. Indiana St., to have an unimproved section of an alley near her home vacated. Council members said this appeared to be a good idea, but necessary legal procedures would have to be followed.

•Heard the Dunkirk City Pool is in the process of being filled for the summer. The park board has announced a tentative date of Sunday, June 6, for opening the pool to the public.

•Agreed to a 90-day extension of the current contract for refuse removal service with BestWay as a temporary measure until new contract details can be worked out.[[In-content Ad]]