Dunkirk council updated on projects (10/23/07)

DUNKIRK - A downtown building is getting a facelift; the Ind. 167 water main relocation project is proceeding despite a setback Monday; and city employees are continuing to cope with a mysterious odor permeating city hall.

Updated status reports on a variety of ongoing projects here were topics of discussion at Monday night's city council meeting.

Mayor Sam Hubbard said he was pleased to report that work is starting on upgrading the insulation and appearance of the north wall of the former Harold Nichols building at 126 S. Main St. A base for siding materials was recently put in place, Hubbard said.

"I think it will look pretty good when it's finished," he added.

The downtown Dunkirk building was recently purchased by a small group of investors, including Rock Fuqua. Plans call for seeking a commercial tenant for the two-story structure, and Chuck asked Oct. 8 if city officials were interested in selling four nearby lots or using them to build a parking lot in the area which borders the west side of Main Street and Lincoln Avenue.

"We haven't made a decision about how the lots will be transferred," Hubbard said.

The mayor city attorney William Hinkle is in the process of checking to see if the titles on the lots are clear and whether it would be best to sell or lease the lots for the parking proposal.

Hinkle promised to have a detailed report ready for the next council session on Nov. 12.

Also Hubbard said that the Ind. 167 water main relocation project seemed to be going just fine until construction workers broke an eight-inch water main late Monday afternoon. The main was repaired Monday night without the need for any boil orders, city officials said.

Hubbard said the water main project is supposed to be complete in about five weeks. Resurfacing of the street is expected to begin next spring.

Concerning city hall, which is only being used half-days due to the odor problems there, Hubbard said testing for mold, mildew and sewer problems is continuing.

"We still don't know what the exact problem is, and until we determine the problem we're kind of stuck," Hubbard said.

City clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said there was a definite odor in the building Monday. "It was stinky," she said, adding that council meetings will continue to be held in the West Jay Community Center until further notice.

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

•Approved naming Barnum-Brown Insurance Agency, Dunkirk, as the city's agent of record for employee health insurance. Barnum-Brown handles Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield which is the current city insurance carrier. Barnum-Brown will replace the Stafford Insurance Agency, Muncie, which has handled the city's account for the past several years.

•Approved an agreement with area resident Ted Darr to pick up leaves throughout the city. He will make the collections on each Saturday in November between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. as he has done for the past few years. The leaves should be placed at the curb in plastic bags, and Darr stressed that only leaves should be put inside the bags. The council agreed to pay Darr the same price as last year - $2,600.

•Unanimously voted to rescind a contract with Newsome's Tree and Stump Removal, Dunkirk, to cut down four large trees in Dunkirk City Park. Newsome had submitted a quote of $500 as compared to a quote of $400 from E & T Tree Service, Dunkirk. Council members decided to table the project for now, and re-bid the work at a later date, possibly including more trees.[[In-content Ad]]