Repairs to fire truck approved (01/23/07)

DUNKIRK - An emergency expenditure of $10,795 was approved by city council members here Monday to repair and return to service the city's 1980 backup fire engine pumper truck.

Deputy Fire Chief Farrel Wells told council members that mechanics have determined that the fire truck's engine has a broken crankshaft and the best solution is installation of a rebuilt engine.

Wells said the department received an estimate of $10,795 for the rebuilt engine and installation labor from Selking International of Muncie, which promised the work would be complete in five days.

Council members unanimously agreed to proceed with the repair work.

Wells said there would be a two-year warranty on engine parts and labor.

"It doesn't appear we have a lot of choice," Dunkirk Mayor Sam Hubbard said. "I recommend we get it repaired."

Councilman Tom Johnson added that if the backup fire truck is not put back into service, property insurance rates in the city could be affected.

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

•Re-elected Craig Faulkner to another term as council president. In the absence of the mayor, Faulkner will chair council sessions.

•Appointed Dunkirk Patrolman Bobby Johnson to the part-time position of health and safety officer, effective Feb. 1.

•Approved an ordinance prohibiting parking at all times on both sides of Pearl Street between Main Street and Westlawn Elementary School. Council members agreed at a previous meeting that this change would alleviate some of the traffic problems in connection with parents picking up and dropping off students at the school. It also should help when snow plowing needs to be done along Pearl Street, city officials said.

•Heard a report from Johnson that the city park board would be meeting at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, with election of officers on the agenda.

•Noted that former city street department superintendent Elijah "Lash" Harvey was retiring, effective at the end of next month, after more than 40 years of service with the city. Howard Fisher was appointed last year to succeed Harvey as street department superintendent. "We'll miss Harvey. He's done a good job," Hubbard said.

•Were informed that the next meeting of the Dunkirk Improvement Committee is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 in city hall.

•Approved a resolution, as recommended by state officials, to begin utilizing the Bank of New York Trust Company in connection with the city's sewer and water works revenue bonds. The sewer bonds were issued in 1999 and the water bonds in 2000.[[In-content Ad]]DUNKIRK - Construction work relating to the major improvement planned for Ind. 167 through Dunkirk could begin as early as this spring, creating traffic delays and problems for area motorists this year and next.

While road work is slated to begin in 2008, preparation such as relocating utility lines and fire hydrants may start as early as April, Dunkirk Mayor Sam Hubbard said this morning.

Estimated cost for the city's water main relocation project is $740,000 to be paid with state and city funds.

Hubbard said that the city is working with Commonwealth Engineers Inc., Indianapolis, on trying to secure a state grant to help finance the city's portion of the expenditure. Hubbard said that so far he has been told the grant request looks promising, but city officials have yet to receive notice from Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) that it has been approved.

On Monday, Hubbard requested that Jay County Commissioners approve an appointee to a Common Construction Wage Committee.

That committee is a step in meeting state requirements for the project. Hubbard said members of this committee will include himself, Dunkirk councilman Tom Johnson and Jay County engineer Dan Watson.

"This will be a really big project for Dunkirk," Hubbard said.

In a recent letter to the Indiana Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Hubbard wrote, "The project consists of the replacement of approximately 8,000 feet of water main along Ind. 167 in the city of Dunkirk." The mayor continued that a contract for this portion of the project is expected to be awarded in March, with construction work estimated to begin in early April.

Hubbard said that city officials have been working with Commonwealth Engineers for the past several months to develop plans and bid specifications for the work.

The mayor added that this preliminary work should not present a major problem for the 2007 Glass Days Festival, scheduled for late May, because it will not have a large impact this spring on the downtown Dunkirk area.