Dunkirk gives grant for water main (03/27/07)

DUNKIRK - More than $860,000 in state grant funds are earmarked for this summer's water main relocation project along Ind. 167 (Main Street), Mayor Sam Hubbard told council members here Monday night.

Construction work bids for the project are scheduled to be opened Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in Dunkirk City Hall.

The grant will allow the initial phase of a major reconstruction project to begin.

The city advertised for bids several weeks ago, but at the time Hubbard said he had not received word from the Indiana Department of Transportation that the state had approved funding the city's portion of the improvement project, which will total approximately $2.5 million.

The water main relocation work will be one of the initial phases of the project, but the state has agreed to fund more than $860,000 of the approximate $900,000 cost.

The water main relocation work is expected to take place this summer, while the road improvements will be done next year, the mayor said.

As part of the city's portion of the work, water mains will be relocated from beneath the road to the west side of Ind. 167 below the sidewalk.

Some of the old water mains will be replaced with larger pipes to increase water pressure, Hubbard said. Fire hydrants will have to be replaced and relocated, as well.

At Wednesday afternoon's meeting, representatives of Commonwealth Engineering Inc., Indianapolis, will be present to review the bid documents on behalf of the city, Hubbard said. A contract for the work will be awarded once the review by the engineers is completed, the mayor added.

Also Hubbard explained that the state won't do anything about the roadway reconstruction work until all the water mains, gas lines, telephone wires and other utility equipment has been relocated. "When we get all that mess taken care of, the state will come by and make another mess," Hubbard said.

In other business Monday, council members:

•Once again tabled enforcement of the council's recently passed ordinance prohibiting parking along Pearl Street, pending discussions with Westlawn Elementary School officials about the subject. The city put up no-parking signs along the residential street in February, but they have remained covered since that time.

Hubbard said that February's blizzard initially was the reason why the parking ban wasn't enforced, but later some area residents complained about the idea. Pearl Street resident Orrin "Butch" Franklin said that without parking along the street, visitors to his home would have no convenient place to park.

James Doughty, council member in charge of the street department, made a motion that the ordinance be enforced immediately. However, his motion died for lack of a second. Councilman Tom Johnson said he thought that school officials should be consulted first. "The school needs to work with us on this," Johnson said.

Doughty said having cars parked along the street interfered with snow plowing operations.

Following further discussion, the matter was tabled, pending talks with school officials about the traffic situation in the area.

•Denied a request by local resident Jamie Fraley to allow golf carts to be driven on city streets. Police Chief Arnold Clevenger said that unless the golf cart has a valid state license plate, it should not be driven on a street. "I can't answer for other cities, but I think it's wrong to allow golf carts on city streets," Clevenger said. "They should stay on the golf courses," the chief added.

•Heard the mayor report that the next meeting of the Dunkirk Improvement Committee is scheduled for 7 a.m. on April 4 in the West Jay Community Center.

•Approved the appointment of Oma Scruggs as a replacement for Teresa Paquette on the Dunkirk Park Board.

•Agreed with the appointments of Jane Ferguson and Jeff Davis to the West Jay Community Center board of directors.

•Decided to have city ordinances amended to allow residents to walk dogs in designated areas of the Dunkirk City Park. Johnson explained that restricted areas should include the playground and picnic sections. City attorney William Hinkle was directed to draft a proposed ordinance amendment to this effect. It will be discussed at a future meeting.

•Noted that West Jay Community Center board members were considering the idea of prohibiting smoking on a portion of the grounds in front of the center, which is located in Dunkirk City Park.[[In-content Ad]]DUNKIRK - Debate about how best to utilize the depot building continues to chug along, with some members of the city council expression reservations about moving the police department from its current downtown location.

Police Chief Arnold Clevenger told Dunkirk City Council Monday the historic former railroad depot was big enough to accommodate the needs of the police department, in addition to a community social room or gathering place for library or Arts in the Parks activities.

Clevenger said the building could work for the police department with a minimal amount of changes. Also he noted that the department had $6,000 in its current budget, earmarked for a new squad car, which could be used to start making those changes, if the squad car purchase was delayed.

Dunkirk Mayor Sam Hubbard said specific cost figures should be obtained and council members eventually agreed to table the matter until more information could be gathered.

Council members Larry Smith and James Doughty raised the point that relocating the police station to the depot site would create another empty building in the downtown area.

The city owns the current police station, and chances of renting it are slim, Smith and Hubbard said.

"I think the project (moving the police department into the depot building) is feasible, but do we want another empty building downtown?" Hubbard asked.

Dunkirk Improvement Committee member Pam Bunch suggested the city sign a one-year lease agreement, as proposed by Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation, to retain possession of the depot building, while talks about its future continue.

Hubbard said the DIDC would either like to have the $1 a year lease signed or start accepting offers on selling the building.

If the lease agreement is signed, the city would be responsible for paying all utility bills and insurance. Those expenses were not included in the city's 2007 budget.

City attorney William Hinkle suggested applying for a Portland Foundation or Dunkirk Foundation grant in addition to appointing a committee of community members to consider the future of the depot further.

"I don't feel we should jump right in and turn that building over to the police department - not at this time," councilman Craig Faulkner said.

Doughty suggested tabling the issue and getting some more information.

Dunkirk Improvement Committee member Ailesia Franklin noted that there were a great deal of unanswered questions, but added: "We certainly don't want to see this building go back into private hands."

Smith said, "Give it back to the DIDC and let them sell it," pointing out that the city is dealing high taxes and a lack of funds to devote to improving the depot.