WJCC set for 2nd expansion (01/10/06)

DUNKIRK — West Jay Community Center will soon be the focus of yet another expansion project.

WJCC board president Richard “Chuck” Huffman told Dunkirk City Council members Monday night that the center had been awarded an $108,500 grant from the Johnny and Margaret Finch Charitable Trust, and most of those funds were earmarked for constructing an addition to the center to accommodate a larger fitness and exercise room.

WJCC is located in Dunkirk City Park on property owned by the city, and council approval is needed for an expansion of the building.

The approval was given unanimously by council members following Huffman’s presentation.

Huffman said that detailed plans still need to be developed for the approximately 600-square-foot addition which will either be located to the west or south of the present gymnasium portion of the building.

Huffman said that when the center was originally designed, it was done with future expansion in mind.

The first such expansion featured construction of the gymnasium.

Also Monday, Huffman noted that a smaller portion of the Finch grant money was earmarked for the installation of a marquee-type, free-standing sign near the corner of Hoover and Mount Auburn Streets. The sign would be used to publicize programs at the center.

Council members approved the concept of allowing the sign, but said they wanted to review more detailed plans concerning its size and exact location, once those plans were developed.

Councilman Tom Johnson said he planned to monitor how the future expansion of the center might affect trees in the park. Huffman said that smaller trees could probably be moved.

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

•Heard a report from Mayor Sam Hubbard that the next meeting of the Dunkirk Improvement Committee is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday in the city council chambers. He said that more volunteers are needed to serve on the committee and he encouraged interested persons to come to the meeting.

•Noted that due to statutory requirements, a motion passed at the Dec. 29 city council meeting concerning transfer of budget money into a Rainy Day Fund needed to be rescinded. According to state law, such a motion should not be approved until after the first of the new year. Council members unanimously approved a motion to rescind the action at the Dec. 29 meeting, but did not authorize any new motion, pending receipt of more up-to-date figures from clerk-treasurer Jane Kesler.

•Reappointed the same members to boards and committees for the new year. The council also reappointed all the present department heads for 2006, and continued with the same council member assignments to city departments.

•Heard a report from Dunkirk Police Chief Arnold Clevenger that his department should be contacted by residents who wanted to dispose of Christmas trees. Clevenger said arrangements would be made for the collection of such trees.[[In-content Ad]]