Dunkirk gets FEMA reimbursement (7/12/05)

DUNKIRK — A smiling mayor had some good news to report at Monday’s council session here.

Dunkirk Mayor Sam Hubbard said the city had received a reimbursement check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency totaling $77,094.96 to cover expenses which the city incurred as a result of January’s ice storm and power outage.

The reimbursement comes at a very opportune time, Hubbard added, as city department heads are in the process of figuring out their budget requests for next year.

“This is a pretty good sum which will solve a lot of problems in our budget at the present time,” Hubbard said. He added that the FEMA fund breakdown by city department is roughly: police, $500; street department, $49,500; water department, $14,400; and wastewater department, $12,700.

Concerning another piece of good news, Hubbard reported that negotiations are under way to acquire a piece of property and vacant mobile home which has been an eyesore in the community for several years. Neighbors have complained that the dilapidated mobile home, located along an alley near Mount Auburn Street on the northeast side of the city, has become a home to many unwanted rodents and other animals.

Hubbard said the Dunkirk Economic Development Committee is working to acquire the lot, and then the city plans to clean it up and remove the mobile home.

On yet another positive note, Hubbard said that even before its completion, there has been interest from a prospective tenant in the city’s new spec building. Hubbard said he was not at liberty to disclose any details yet, but hopefully he will have some more good news on that issue soon.

The city’s spec building is being constructed in the Dunkirk Industrial Park along county road 400 South, and to the east of the city park and Haskell Road.

However, on a not so positive note, Hubbard said this morning he has not received any word from state officials about when a public hearing might be scheduled to determine the fate of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch in Dunkirk.

That branch was recently placed on a list of 24 branches across the state which are being considered for closing by the end of the year. Hubbard urged area residents to sign petitions which are circulating in favor of keeping the Dunkirk license branch open.

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

•Approved a motion to have an ordinance prepared, granting a 2 percent salary increase to city clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler, starting in January 2006. Council members said they didn’t want to grant pay raises to any of the city’s other elected officials, but thought she deserved an increase.

Last month the council agreed to grant 3 percent pay increases to the city’s full-time hourly employees.

•Were given copies of reports from Commonwealth Engineers Inc., Indianapolis, and Cleanwater Ozone, Fort Wayne, concerning possible improvements which could be made to the city’s water system. Hubbard asked council members to review the lengthy reports for discussion at a future meeting.

•Unanimously approved an amendment to a city ordinance regarding the cutting of weeds and grass, lowering the height requirements to eight inches in average height at the time of the issuance of a notice requiring the weeds or grass to be cut, and no more than 12 inches maximum height on at least 20 percent of the growing area.

•Unanimously approved an ordinance amendment directing that dogs and cats should not be allowed in city parks once appropriate signs are posted.

Reasons for this include keeping the parks clean so people can picnic in them and sit on the grass during the Webster-Depot Park summer concert series.

•Agreed to amend the city’s health and sanitation ordinance to prevent noticeable litter or refuse from being stored on property throughout the entire year and not just during the summer months. This amendment was also approved unanimously.

•Heard comments from Dunkirk resident Pam Bunch and Councilman Tom Johnson praising the Fourth of July fireworks display by the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department.

“I think this year’s Fourth of July fireworks were spectacular, and it will be hard for the firefighters to top it next year,” Bunch said.

•Tabled discussion of possibly purchasing a new or used backhoe for the sewer department until competitive bids from three companies are obtained.

•Heard a report from city water department superintendent Dace Mumbower that Well No. 4 was still out of service. Repair work should be completed by the end of the month, Mumbower said.[[In-content Ad]]