Dunkirk council organizes (01/08/08)

DUNKIRK - Council assignments were announced Monday night by Mayor Ron Hunt.

Presiding over his first city council session, Hunt named new council members Judy Garr to oversee the water department, and Raymond Pettus to supervise the operations of the street department.

Other council assignments will remain the same: Tom Johnson, parks department; Craig Faulkner, fire department; and Larry Smith, wastewater treatment department.

Hunt will supervise the police department.

In addition Hunt announced that all the city department heads will remain the same with the exception of police chief. On Jan. 1 Hunt promoted Capt. Dane Mumbower to chief, replacing Arnold Clevenger, who will continue with the department as a patrol officer.

Other Dunkirk department heads include: Steve Fields, fire chief; Greg Buckner, wastewater treatment plant; Howard Fisher, street department; and Dace Mumbower, water department.

The new mayor also announced he will replace former Mayor Sam Hubbard on several boards and organizations, including board of zoning appeals, police pension board, board of safety, the tax abatement advisory committee and the Jay County Development Corporation board of directors.

He will also serve on the board of directors for the Jay County Solid Waste District.

Faulkner was also unanimously re-elected as council president Monday.

In other business Monday, council members:

•Approved the appointment of Mike Shannon to The Dunkirk Foundation board of directors.

•Named Leo Glogas as a lifetime member and director emeritus on the West Jay Community Center Board of Trustees.

•Approved a new one-year contract between the city and Dunkirk Volunteer Firefighters organization, calling for a 2.5 percent raise to $22,884 a year.

•Learned that Garr planned to meet with Dace Mumbower later in the week and take a tour of the city's water plant.

•Listened to a report from Dane Mumbower that the police department's new squad car had been delivered. Also he invited each of the council members to visit the police department for a tour at their convenience.

•Noted that the council will meet Jan. 14 and Jan. 28 at the West Jay Community Center. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]DUNKIRK - The long-awaited move of the city clerk treasurer's office to new temporary quarters at 202 S. Main St. may begin as early as Thursday.

At Monday night's meeting, councilman Tom Johnson provided an update on the city's moving plans, reporting that Grant Fager was in the process of making requested improvements to his building so it could be used as a temporary location for the city clerk-treasurer's office.

Once the move is completed, clerk-treasurer office hours will return to normal, city officials said. The clerk's office has only been open in the mornings during the past few months due to problems relating to mold, mildew and odor problems in the present city hall structure at 131 S. Main St.

Johnson also reported that the city will be accepting bids for roof repairs to the 131 S. Main St. structure in February, and video cameras will be used to try to locate sewer problems affecting the current city hall site in the next few days.

Meanwhile, local resident Stan Pitman addressed the council, saying that in his opinion it might be wiser and more economical to move the city hall offices to the vacant license branch building on South Main Street rather than invest a lot of money in the current city hall building.

Pitman suggested that the city hall and police department offices could both be located in the former license branch building.

Brian Addington, owner of the former license branch building, approached the council in December about purchase of the property. Addington said his asking price is $80,000.

Council members told Addington they wanted to obtain cost estimates for repairs on the current city building before making further decisions. In purchasing buildings or land, government bodies in Indiana may not pay more than the average of two appraisals.

Mayor Ron Hunt thanked Pitman for his suggestion, and Johnson pointed out that the city was still in the stage of obtaining cost estimates for repair work at the 131 S. Main St. structure before making any definite decisions on its future.

Meanwhile the city will be renting space in the Fager building for the clerk-treasurer's office while city council meetings continue to be held at the West Jay Community Center.