Tower contract reviewed

DUNKIRK — The idea of placing an antenna on the city water tower to bring wireless, broadband Internet service to Dunkirk and the surrounding area is being considered.

Meeting Monday night, Dunkirk City Council members agreed to study the matter further and instructed city attorney William Hinkle to review the initial draft of a contract proposal with WInd.Net L.L.C. of Muncie.

WInd.Net representatives made a preliminary presentation about their plan at the previous council session.

They are seeking permission to install receiving equipment on the top of the water tower in exchange for a nominal monthly fee. Company representative Jay Miller said the aim of the project is “to lease space on top of the water tower with power availability to provide affordable high-speed Internet services.”

Miller said this would be WInd.Net’s first tower, but the firm is affiliated with Whisper Communications of St. Louis, which provides a similar service in that area.

Miller told council members Monday that the WInd.Net equipment would be attached to the tower with brackets, and no holes would be drilled in the tower. He also said lightning suppresser mechanisms would be installed.

The Internet equipment would not interfere with the Jay County 911 emergency radio antenna which is already attached to the approximately 300-foot tall tower.

Following further discussion, council members unanimously voted to pursue the idea with approval of a contract as the next step in the process.

In other action Monday, Police Chief Arnold Clevenger explained a proposal from Government Acquisitions Inc. to enable the city to obtain a new police car for a cost of $1 a year for three years, provided the car display advertising logos, similar to those on a NASCAR racing vehicle.

This sort of arrangement was first proposed in connection with the federal Homeland Security Act as part of a national project to help provide new equipment to public safety departments, Clevenger said.

He added the city would have the authority to approve the type of advertisements displayed on the car’s exterior. Clevenger described the advertisements as “tasteful,” and said no ads for alcoholic beverages or cigarettes would be included.

Hinkle said he thought the city should definitely have some control over the type and content of the advertisements.

In some respects, Mayor Sam Hubbard said the proposal “sounds too good to be true.”

Council members agreed to have Hinkle and Clevenger review the matter further. The police chief was instructed to try to contact other police departments which have taken advantage of this program.

Also Monday, council members:

•Agreed to adjust a wastewater treatment bill for Bill Hamilton, whose family owns a house at 329 W. Short St. in Dunkirk. A water leak developed in the home while it was vacant this winter, Hamilton said. He added he didn’t object to paying for the water, but thought it was unfair to be charged for sanitary sewer service since all the water leaked into the ground around the house.

“I don’t dispute the water, but it didn’t go into the sewers. It went into the ground,” Hamilton said, asking for the adjustment which totaled more than $100.

City clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said his new sewer bill would reflect an average monthly figure for the home.

•Heard the mayor compliment the city water department on its efforts to repair a four-inch water main under Ind. 167, despite the cold weather conditions.

Hubbard also complimented the city’s street department on its efforts in clearing streets of snow and ice. “I personally think the streets have been in excellent shape,” Hubbard said.[[In-content Ad]]