Penalties upped in Dunkirk (05/13/008)

DUNKIRK - Not paying water, sewer and trash service bills on time will soon be a little more expensive here.

Dunkirk City Council members approved an ordinance Monday night increasing the water reconnection fee from $15 to $35. Also as part of the amended ordinance, a customer whose bill has gone 30 days without payment will be required to pay the $35 water reconnection fee as well as bring his or her entire bill for water, sewer and trash collection service up to date.

City officials said that in the past the wording was unclear and some residents argued that if they only paid the water portion of their delinquent bill, they should be entitled to having water service restored. It is difficult to discontinue trash or sanitary sewer service to a single home, and consequently city officials said they have never taken such action. This increased the tendency for customers to argue that once the water portion of the bill was paid, water service should be restored, city officials said.

In other business at Monday's meeting, council members:

•Awarded a contract to Newsome Tree and Stump Removal Service, Dunkirk, to remove five trees and stumps as well as a large limb at the city park. Newsome's submitted a low bid of $400 for the work.

•Approved a quote from Virgil Taylor Construction of Dunkirk, totaling $2,352 to make some additional repairs to the city hall, 131 S. Main St. The work calls for repair of some bad wooden flooring; putting an emergency, second exit in the city council chambers; and redoing a section of the clerk's countertops in the front of the building. Funds for this expenditure will be taken from the clerk-treasurer's budget, council members agreed.

•Rescheduled the next city council meeting to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, in the West Jay Community Center. The regular date would have been Monday, May 26, which is the date for the observance of Memorial Day.

•Heard a report from Police Chief Dane Mumbower that dispatcher Robert Bicknell will be retiring, effective May 31. "Working for the department has been a rewarding and learning experience. Thanks to all of you whom I have worked with, for all the memories I will have to remember," Bicknell wrote in a letter to the department and council members.

Mumbower said he intends to start advertising to fill the position on June 1.

•Listened to the police chief explain that a campaign to eliminate junk cars, litter and tall weeds will be starting this week throughout the community. Unsafe buildings will be targeted, too, Mumbower said, adding that residents may fill out complaint forms at the police station.

•Heard an update on plans to install decorative, historical street lights in the downtown area from Michael Sommer of the consulting firm of Rundell Ernstberger Associates, Muncie. He left a sample street light design with the city, as well as one of the proposed fixtures. It should be available for public inspection at the next Dunkirk Improvement Committee meeting at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, May 21, in the Dunkirk Library.

•Heard a presentation about prevention of identity theft from Larry Evans of Identity Theft Shield. Council members said they would take the information under advisement to see if city employees were interested in participating in the program.[[In-content Ad]]