VFW to lease former base

DUNKIRK - Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7081 will have a new home soon.

Dunkirk council members Tuesday unanimously approved a lease agreement with Redkey-Dunkirk VFW Post 7081 for the lease of the city-owned former Jay Emergency Medical Service base at 301 S. Main St.

The lease agreement calls for a rental fee of $1 a year, with the VFW being responsible for maintenance and repair costs. The lease is 25 years, with a renewal clause for 25 years if both parties agree.

In their agreement proposal VFW representatives said they intend to use the building for meetings and the good of the community.

Earlier this month city council members advertised that they were interested in finding a new tenant for the building because JEMS has moved to the new Dunkirk Fire Station/EMS base in Dunkirk's Industrial Park on the east side of the city.

City officials said Tuesday that the VFW submitted the only proposal. Representing the post at Tuesday's meeting was VFW member Michael Shannon who said VFW representatives were interested in remodeling the building as soon as possible.

"We want it for the long term. We want a veterans building on Main Street" where it will be noticeable, Shannon said.

City council members instructed city attorney William Hinkle to start drawing up the necessary paperwork for the lease agreement as soon as possible.

In other business Tuesday, Jay County community developer Ami Huffman reported that although Dunkirk's application for a $600,000 grant for water system improvements through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs had not been approved initially, an alternative solution was being sought.

Huffman explained that OCRA officials had explained to her that the city could potentially qualify for State Revolving Loan funds that would combined a grant and loan totaling more than $600,000.

Huffman said the breakdown of loan versus grant money was yet to be established, but it could total $642,500 under a Disaster Response stimulus fund category for which Jay County qualifies.

She explained this was a complicated arrangement, but "I'm letting OCRA hold our hand to get through this." A new "pot of money" is being tapped as a result of the switchover, she said.

Consequently, Huffman said she is forwarding all the comments and information collected initially about the OCRA grant application to officials in connection with this new SRL application. She said that this would delay advertising for bids on the water improvement project, previously set for early next month, but hopefully not for long.

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

•Learned that the Dunkirk City Pool is scheduled to open for the summer season on June 9.

•Heard councilman Eric Bowler encourage city officials to try to take at least two quotes on work projects whenever possible.

"It all boils down to the taxpayers are having to pay for these things,:" Bowler said. "I just think getting two quotes is a good idea. That's what I plan to do in my department," he added.

•Approved an amendment to the city's salary ordinance, naming Gerald Kirby as a temporary, part-time employee to be paid $100 a week to help with the city water department and do certification reports as required by the state. Council member Judy Garr said Kirby is licensed by the state to perform these tasks, as he formerly worked for the town of Montpelier on a full-time basis.

•Authorized payment of $345 to Dunkirk resident Christy Johnson, who has been serving as temporary animal control officer for the past three weeks. Mayor Ron Hunt said she is filling in and taking care of the animals at the city dog pound, while he continues to look for someone to fill the animal control officer position on a permanent basis. Clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler said she needed council approval before paying Johnson.

•Heard Hunt say that he had considered changing some of the council member supervisory assignments, but then changed his mind. Hunt said his initial idea was to put Craig Faulkner over the parks department and Tom Johnson over the fire department.[[In-content Ad]]