Firm hired for water project (02/10/2009)

DUNKIRK - Moving forward with efforts to improve the city's water system, council members Monday gave the green light to an engineering firm to start making plans for construction of a new water plant and other upgrades.

The council is in the process of applying for grant and loan money to fund these improvements.

The city wants its plan to be "shovel ready" in anticipation of taking advantage of federal stimulus or other potential grant funds, explained Judy Garr, council member in charge of the water department.

After months of discussions with representatives of Commonwealth Engineers Inc. and The Schneider Corporation, both of Indianapolis, council members Monday unanimously selected Schneider to design the new water plant and related improvements.

Schneider Corporation is the architectural and engineering firm that supervised construction of the new combination fire station and Jay Emergency Medical Services ambulance facility in Dunkirk's Industrial Park.

Schneider senior project manager Bob Haneline was present at Monday's council meeting. He thanked council members for their decision, and then said he wanted to schedule a kickoff meeting to get the project under way as quickly as possible.

Also Monday, council members agreed to have H.J. Umbaugh and Associates, a financial consulting firm from Indianapolis, do a water department rate review update. Garr said such a review will be needed in connection with any potential improvements for the water department.

Garr and city water department superintendent Dace Mumbower explained that some short term improvements are also being considered as temporary ways to upgrade the system.

One of these will involve working with Peerless Midwest of Westfield, Ind., to bring three of the city's former wells back on line. Initially Dunkirk Well No. 6 will need repairs totaling about $4,900 in addition to piping modifications, estimated at approximately $4,600.

Peerless said it was willing to accept payments over a three-month period, and council members agreed to this plan.

Garr said plans called for restoring the three pumps to service one at a time, as money allowed, with Well No. 6 being the first one.

Also at Monday night's meeting, council members:

•Approved a proposal from TNT Electronics of Farmland to set up an antenna system for the fire department at its new station. The antenna will be 48 feet high and cost $3,803, including installation, councilman Craig Faulkner reported.

Installation of the antenna equipment is one of the final steps necessary before the fire department will be able to move into its new station, Faulkner pointed out.

•Were introduced to new city employee Lisa McIntire, who will fill the post of pretreatment coordinator-lab assistant at the wastewater treatment plant. Another person was hired for that position last month, but the assignment did not work out, and that employee resigned, wastewater treatment plant superintendent Tim Kesler said.

•Tabled a proposed appointment to the Dunkirk Park Board, pending research by city attorney William Hinkle regarding whether or not an appointee has to be a registered voter and declare his or her political party affiliation.

•Heard city clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler comment that she felt she and Mayor Hunt should be able to work out their differences regarding how the clerk's office is run. However, she also pointed out that she was an elected official and Hunt was not her boss. When questioned after the meeting about her statements, Kesler said she didn't want to elaborate on the apparent friction between her and Hunt. The mayor was not present when she made her comments, and he returned after she had left.[[In-content Ad]]