July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Main Street project almost ready to begin (07/10/07)
Dunkirk City Council
By By ROBERT BANSER-
DUNKIRK - Preparations for the Ind. 167 resurfacing and improvement project through Dunkirk are moving forward.
While plans call for keeping Ind. 167 (Main Street) open to through traffic during the construction period, Mayor Sam Hubbard pointed out the work will cause considerable inconvenience for both motorists and pedestrians.
That work, he said Monday, could begin in a couple weeks.
"So be prepared to hear a lot of griping," Hubbard told council members and city officials during Monday's council meeting.
Plans call for widening some intersections along Ind. 167, also creating some temporary bottlenecks, the mayor added.
Sidwalks along Main Street will be torn up as water lines are moved from under the street to under the sidewalks. Temporary asphalt sidewalks will be constructed until the final phase of the project. Eventually there will be handicapped accessible sidewalks along the entire route.
A preconstruction meeting is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the West Jay Community Center to finalize procedures and sign documents between the city, Commonwealth Engineering Inc. of Indianapolis which is doing consulting work for Dunkirk on the project, and the low bidder - Jutte Excavating of Fort Recovery, Ohio.
State officials are expected to advertise for bids for the resurfacing of the roadway later this year, with that work to begin next year.
But the city's portion involving the relocating of water mains in the area should begin in the next few weeks, Hubbard told council members Monday night.
The water main relocation calls for installation of new water mains along the west side of Ind. 167, Main Street, below the sidewalk area.
In connection with the relocation of the water mains, several fire hydrants will need to be relocated. The project calls for the installation of 7,500 feet of new water mains, along with all associated valves, fittings and connections, along Ind. 167 from the north to the south city limits.
Jutte's bid was $755,700, as compared to three other bids ranging from $959,000 to $1.1 million.
In other business at Monday's meeting, council members:
•Heard Hubbard report on the possibility of doing an engineering feasibility study to determine the cost of providing sanitary sewer service to about 25 homes southeast of Dunkirk in the areas of Barbier Street and Willow Drive.
These homes currently have septic fields but already are served by Dunkirk's water, police and fire departments. Providing sanitary sewer service would be a stepping stone toward annexation of the properties into the city, Hubbard pointed out.
The mayor said he plans to discuss the possibility of applying for a United States Department of Agriculture grant to finance a planning and feasibility study with Commonwealth Engineering helping in the process.
•Approved tax abatement compliance forms for Saint-Gobain Containers regarding a project which was started in 2001.
•Heard a report from clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler that she is in the process of getting ready for 2008 budget discussions which she expects will begin in the next few weeks. She said that budget considerations may be on the council agenda for either the July 23 or Aug. 13 council session.
•Listened to a request from councilman Craig Faulkner for a donation from the city to help pay for the recent Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department Independence Day fireworks display. This proposal was tabled, pending the receipt of specific figures from the fire department volunteers about their expenses and needs. "Let's find out how much they're short," Hubbard said.
•Received a report from water department superintendent Dace Mumbower that the current dry spell was causing numerous water main leaks throughout the city. He said in the last few days, there have been seven leaks, one or two a day.
Mumbower said that the dry ground is more unstable, making the water mains susceptible to cracks and leaks.
•Listened to Kesler explain that William Fields of rural Portland had presented a bill for $948 to the city for the disposal of 53 dogs at $12 each and 52 cats at $6 each, covering a period dating from Jan. 1, 2007, to July 1, 2007.
Kesler said that the city pound has not generated any income in the last two years from people paying boarding costs to retrieve their animals. She said that this is one area which should be discussed at budget time.
Councilman Tom Johnson said he is aware of this problem, and one city resident even went so far as to tell him that if the city didn't take his "unwanted dog" to the pound, he would just abandon it on the streets, forcing city animal control officer Charles "Butch" Parfitt to deal with it.
Fields' bill was included with the city claims for payment.[[In-content Ad]]
While plans call for keeping Ind. 167 (Main Street) open to through traffic during the construction period, Mayor Sam Hubbard pointed out the work will cause considerable inconvenience for both motorists and pedestrians.
That work, he said Monday, could begin in a couple weeks.
"So be prepared to hear a lot of griping," Hubbard told council members and city officials during Monday's council meeting.
Plans call for widening some intersections along Ind. 167, also creating some temporary bottlenecks, the mayor added.
Sidwalks along Main Street will be torn up as water lines are moved from under the street to under the sidewalks. Temporary asphalt sidewalks will be constructed until the final phase of the project. Eventually there will be handicapped accessible sidewalks along the entire route.
A preconstruction meeting is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the West Jay Community Center to finalize procedures and sign documents between the city, Commonwealth Engineering Inc. of Indianapolis which is doing consulting work for Dunkirk on the project, and the low bidder - Jutte Excavating of Fort Recovery, Ohio.
State officials are expected to advertise for bids for the resurfacing of the roadway later this year, with that work to begin next year.
But the city's portion involving the relocating of water mains in the area should begin in the next few weeks, Hubbard told council members Monday night.
The water main relocation calls for installation of new water mains along the west side of Ind. 167, Main Street, below the sidewalk area.
In connection with the relocation of the water mains, several fire hydrants will need to be relocated. The project calls for the installation of 7,500 feet of new water mains, along with all associated valves, fittings and connections, along Ind. 167 from the north to the south city limits.
Jutte's bid was $755,700, as compared to three other bids ranging from $959,000 to $1.1 million.
In other business at Monday's meeting, council members:
•Heard Hubbard report on the possibility of doing an engineering feasibility study to determine the cost of providing sanitary sewer service to about 25 homes southeast of Dunkirk in the areas of Barbier Street and Willow Drive.
These homes currently have septic fields but already are served by Dunkirk's water, police and fire departments. Providing sanitary sewer service would be a stepping stone toward annexation of the properties into the city, Hubbard pointed out.
The mayor said he plans to discuss the possibility of applying for a United States Department of Agriculture grant to finance a planning and feasibility study with Commonwealth Engineering helping in the process.
•Approved tax abatement compliance forms for Saint-Gobain Containers regarding a project which was started in 2001.
•Heard a report from clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler that she is in the process of getting ready for 2008 budget discussions which she expects will begin in the next few weeks. She said that budget considerations may be on the council agenda for either the July 23 or Aug. 13 council session.
•Listened to a request from councilman Craig Faulkner for a donation from the city to help pay for the recent Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department Independence Day fireworks display. This proposal was tabled, pending the receipt of specific figures from the fire department volunteers about their expenses and needs. "Let's find out how much they're short," Hubbard said.
•Received a report from water department superintendent Dace Mumbower that the current dry spell was causing numerous water main leaks throughout the city. He said in the last few days, there have been seven leaks, one or two a day.
Mumbower said that the dry ground is more unstable, making the water mains susceptible to cracks and leaks.
•Listened to Kesler explain that William Fields of rural Portland had presented a bill for $948 to the city for the disposal of 53 dogs at $12 each and 52 cats at $6 each, covering a period dating from Jan. 1, 2007, to July 1, 2007.
Kesler said that the city pound has not generated any income in the last two years from people paying boarding costs to retrieve their animals. She said that this is one area which should be discussed at budget time.
Councilman Tom Johnson said he is aware of this problem, and one city resident even went so far as to tell him that if the city didn't take his "unwanted dog" to the pound, he would just abandon it on the streets, forcing city animal control officer Charles "Butch" Parfitt to deal with it.
Fields' bill was included with the city claims for payment.[[In-content Ad]]
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