Dunkirk 'flip-flop' approved (06/12/07)

DUNKIRK - More revenue for the city's water department won't mean bigger bills.

Members of the Dunkirk City Council voted Monday to "flip-flop" water and sewage treatment rates, following a brief public hearing.

The move is designed to produce more income for the financially strapped water department at the expense of the city's wastewater treatment department which currently has a surplus in its operating fund.

Mayor Sam Hubbard explained the bill for his residence shows $12 going to the water department and $18 going to the wastewater department. The "flip-flop" proposal will effectively reverse those figures, Hubbard said. Consequently, there will not be any noticeable rate increase on the overall water-sewer service bills, he added.

The short public hearing featured the mayor's explanation of why the move was needed. There were about 10 audience members present but none addressed the council on the issue.

"What brought this about was we didn't have enough money in the water department fund, but we did in the sewer department," Hubbard said. That developed into this proposal to flip-flop the rates, providing more income for the water department with little change in the overall bill for the customer.

"This is really going to help us out," Hubbard said.

Council members Connie Whetsel, Craig Faulkner, Larry Smith and Tom Johnson voted in favor of the change. Councilman James Doughty arrived at Monday night's meeting late, and was not present for the vote.

In other business at the meeting, council members:

•Heard an update from Hubbard on the status of an application for a grant to fund a new combination fire station and Jay Emergency Medical Service facility in the Dunkirk Industrial Park. The grant is being applied for by Jay County on Dunkirk's behalf.

A follow-up grant needs to be submitted, and a public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, June 25, at Dunkirk City Hall, Hubbard said.

The mayor said that Jay County community development director Ami Huffman reported that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources requested an archeological dig to determine if there were Indian artifacts on the land in question, and that is in the process of being done.

•Learned from Hubbard that construction work on the Ind. 167 water relocation project should begin by the end of this month or early July. Once all the paperwork as required by state officials is in order, a contract will be signed between Dunkirk officials and Jutte Excavating, Fort Recovery, which submitted the low bid on the project.

This work is needed before resurfacing and other improvements to the highway can begin. The water main relocation project will affect the entire length of Ind. 167 (Main Street) through Dunkirk.

Jutte submitted a bid of $755,700. The other three bids ranged from $959,000 to $1.1 million.

•Agreed with a request by water department superintendent Dace Mumbower to hire a part-time employee in his department to help with the water main relocation project and installation of new water meters in the area.

•Approved making a contribution to Dunkirk police officer Andrea Weekley's fund-raising bicycle ride for Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) which benefits the families of police officers who die in the line of duty. Hubbard said the contribution would probably be $100 from the city's promotional activities fund.

Weekley said she will be using her vacation time to participate in the bicycle ride, which is scheduled to start on Monday, June 18.

•Discussed efforts to control pest problems relating to bees, groundhogs and other critters in the community. Police Chief Arnold Clevenger said he is looking into these problems.

•Heard a report from Johnson that the city pool opened on Monday, attracting a large crowd. It will be open seven days a week through the summer.[[In-content Ad]]