Dunkirk OK's lease (05/24/08)

DUNKIRK - Saving the city's historic Pennsylvania Railroad Depot building is once again on the minds of members of the city council, which agreed Friday to assume costs related to the building's maintenance.

The city agreed to lease the building from the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation at $1 per year for two years, as well as paying for insurance, utilities and maintenance.

Councilman Tom Johnson kicked off the discussion at Friday morning's city council meeting by saying he believes city officials have debated the issue of taking over responsibility for the depot long enough.

Johnson said that he had been in contact with Dan Watson, former city councilman and a member of the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation, during the last few months regarding whether city officials were willing to accept the DIDC's lease offer, originally made last year.

Johnson said that Watson told him that the alternative would be having the DIDC advertise the building for sale.

The DIDC purchased the depot in 2005 with economic development income tax (EDIT) funds, but DIDC members never intended to keep the depot on a long-term basis, Johnson said.

At Friday's meeting, which was rescheduled from Memorial Day, Mayor Ron Hunt pointed out that Watson and other DIDC members were once again asking for a decision from council members about the fate of the building.

Johnson said that he had figured these expenses into this year's park department budget for which he is responsible. Consequently, he made the motion for the city to lease the depot for a two-year period for $1 a year. Johnson said this would allow city officials time to determine what would be the best use for the building and also investigate the possibility of obtaining some grant funds to help refurbish it.

Several Indiana Department of Transportation officials were in attendance at Friday morning's meeting. They had come to discuss the Ind. 167 (Main Street) road reconstruction project. However, when they heard about the depot situation, they noted that the state might have some grant programs that could be used for depot renovation.

INDOT representative Larry Loveall said he was familiar with grants from his agency that had helped other similar buildings in different parts of the state.

Loveall said such grants focused on emphasizing the history and significance of different modes of transportation in Indiana.

Johnson agreed to investigate these grant possibilities further.

His motion for the two-year lease agreement won unanimous approval, with the formal signing of the lease slated for the council's next meeting on June 9.

In other business Friday morning, council members:

•Agreed to set aside $22,140 to be drawn upon, as needed, for sanitary sewer relocation work in connection with the Ind. 167 road reconstruction project. INDOT representative Matthew L. Thomas explained that funds from this account would be paid to the general contractor, Brooks Construction Company, Fort Wayne, as the work was done.

This $22,140 figure represents an estimate, and if it is not all used, the city will receive a refund, Thomas said. On the other hand, if more is needed, the fund will have to be increased by the city, Thomas said.

In 2007, city officials were given an engineering estimate of $13,400 for this work, but Thomas explained that that figure was no longer valid, as the low bidder, Brooks, was awarded the contract with a quote of $22,140.

After listening to Thomas' explanation of the situation, the council agreed to establish this special $22,140 fund to cover work on relocating city sanitary sewer pipes along Ind. 167, as needed.

•Heard a report from Johnson that Dunkirk City Pool is scheduled to open on June 3.

•Agreed to suspend permit fees for rummage sales during Glass Days.

•Granted permission for the pavilion area at Webster-Depot Park to be used for a farmers market on Saturdays. Plans call for locally grown produce to be offered for sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays during the late spring, summer and early fall months. Items will include vegetables, fruit, homegrown produce, flowers and home-crafted items, according to Oma Scruggs. who is helping to organize this project. There will not be any set-up fee charged, but there will be rules to follow, Scruggs said.



[[In-content Ad]]DUNKIRK - Plans for improvements for the city's beleaguered downtown received a big boost this week.

State officials announced that Dunkirk's application for a $50,000 planning grant for the downtown had won approval from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Jay County community developer Ami Huffman said Friday her office had received a letter announcing the approval of the grant, which requires a $5,500 match from the city. Members of the council have already approved that matching amount.

The council has hired the consulting firm of Rundell Ernstberger Associates, Muncie, to conduct the planning study.

The firm specializes in land planning, urban design and landscape architecture.

Consultants will be working with community members to develop a comprehensive plan to revitalize the city's downtown, Huffman said.

They will be developing a plan that will include economic development strategies, she said. It could include ways to attract new businesses to the community - including specific businesses such as a full-service grocery store, Huffman explained.

Also involved in encouraging Dunkirk officials to apply for the OCRA grant was Richard "Chuck" Huffman, an area resident and member of the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation. "Hopefully, this grant will be a catalyst to help us get moving toward revitalization of the downtown," Chuck Huffman said Friday.

Dunkirk Improvement Committee members had also suggested seeking this type of grant.

Rundell Ernstberger has also been retained by the city to find funding for historic decorative street lighting to the downtown in connection with the Ind. 167 (Main Street) reconstruction project.