Grant will be sought

DUNKIRK - Needed improvements for the city wastewater treatment plant stirred up a major discussion at Monday night's city council meeting. And this same topic is scheduled for more review at the June 28 council session.

Consulting engineer Edward Biskis of Flies & VandenBrink Engineering Inc., Indianapolis, updated council members on plans to apply for grant money to help with the work.

Biskis explained that he is working with Jay County Community Developer Ami Huffman on the project.

Biskis said a public hearing on the need for the grant funding is scheduled for will be held June 28 at 7 p.m.

Biskis said several major pieces of equipment at the plant should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

He said other improvement work could be done on a long-range basis.

Biskis estimated that the overall project could total $1.6 million, with a state grant possibly covering $997,.

One of main improvements will be replacing the plant's dilapidated belt filter press with a new dumpster enclosed Geotube sludge dewatering system, designed to save the city money in operating costs.

Biskis said he and Huffman will be present June 28 to answer questions and explain the project.

Also Monday, city council members:

•Heard a complaint from Judy Faulkner, 129 E. Grand St., that someone in her neighborhood is starting a chicken farm with 20 chickens - including four roosters that crow daily at 5 a.m.

Faulkner said she had contacted the police department to no avail.

Mayor Ron Hunt said the city has ordinances against having farm animals in town. He said the situation could also be dealt with under the city's public nuisance laws.

Faulkner said that she was told the owner considers these chickens to be "pets," but she felt the city should have some sort of restrictions, prohibiting them from being in the city limits. Hunt said he would talk to Police Chief Dane Mumbower about the problem. City attorney Bill Hinkle said that fines could be assessed if the chickens were not removed promptly.

•Appointed Rodney Jackson II to another term on the Dunkirk City Library Board.

•Approved a proposal from the Dunkirk Foundation to use funds, donated by former resident Dr. Donald Johnson of Carmel, to landscape and beautify the island area surrounding the Benjamin E. Rubrecht Monument at Highland Avenue and Main Street.

Foundation spokesperson Brenda Brumfield said the project would cost about $2,500, and Johnson had made that amount of funding available to complete the job. She added that the landscaping work would be designed not to interfere with the vision of motorists at that intersection.

•Approved a request from councilman Tom Johnson to have the city donate $100 to help sponsor Dunkirk Police Officer Andrea Weekly's participation in the annual Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) fund-raising bicycle ride this summer in Indiana. The city has done this in the past, Johnson said.

•Heard a report from councilman Eric Bowler that city crews will be trimming trees and bushes in the next few weeks that interfere with motorists' vision at intersections.

•Learned from Judy Garr, council representative in charge of the water department, that improvements at the water plant should be starting within the next 30 days. She added that replacing water pipes along Moore Avenue will be given first priority once that phase of the project begins.[[In-content Ad]]