Council seeks to help with flood

Dunkirk City Council took steps Monday to help a business owner and residents affected by flooding in the town in late August.
Council members agreed to defer a loan payment for a local business and discussed possible assistance for homeowners at its regular meeting after Mayor Dan Watson expressed concern about damage to Fuqua Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep and to homes on Walnut Street.
“I know we’ve had a lot of people that have had a lot of hardships in town,” Watson said.
He said Fuqua’s had between $50,000 to $70,000 in damage, with insurance covering some of the cost of damaged cars but none for damage to the building.
A $25,000 loan had been given to the dealership’s owner, Rock Fuqua, in 2012, and one of five yearly payments of $5,000 was made in 2013. Watson suggested deferring the $5,000 payment due this month until Fuqua’s business can recover.
“It’s an established business, it’s been here forever, I don’t know how many years, I think we need to do something,” Watson told council members, who agreed to defer the loan payment until next year.
Watson also said he is going to contact the engineering firm Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering, Inc., to check storm drainage on Walnut Street.
“Maybe we can update things and help people out, it’s just something that can’t be corrected overnight,” Watson said.
He said volunteer church organizations from around the state are going to be looking at flood-damaged homes in that area today and that low interest loans from the state may be available.
Watson also informed council members that Ralph Frazee, Jay County Emergency Management director, wants the town to form a long-term recovery group of volunteers in order to form a 501C3 to be accountable for flood donations.
“This to me is just overwhelming,” Watson said while reading the many volunteer positions required for the group.
Watson plans to talk to Frazee and see if the committee can be a county-wide undertaking.
In other business, council members, minus Jack Robbins:
•Voted to have Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation pay $4,144 for a new website for the city to be designed by Craig Frazee of Dynamic Business Solutions in Portland.
•Amended salary ordinance 2014-6 and 2014-7 to raise the pay to $14.59 per hour from the current $14.31 next year for John Sampley, who was named a plant/equipment operator at the Dunkirk Wastewater Treatment Plant.
•Learned from city attorney Bill Hinkle that the deed has been recorded for a property north of West Jay Community Center on Mt. Auburn Street that was donated to the city by Dunkirk resident Mike Shannon.
•Heard from Tom Johnson that the new roof on the depot building at Webster Depot Park is finished.
•Agreed to pay claims of $1,316.15, $10,731 and $1,162.41 for repairs and maintenance to the water department and to purchase 12 new meters for $1,199.94 each.
•Were invited to the Fireman’s Awards Banquet at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
•Learned from clerk-treasurer Phonnie Kesler that the reading of the budget will be at the Sept. 22 meeting and the adoption will be on Oct. 13.
•Approved paying claims 1,774 to 1,879 totaling $464,230.14.
•Heard from resident Dorothy Mays that her neighbors on Ohio Street have someone living in a camper in their driveway and there are a lot of bonfires being held in town. Hinkle said he will check the town’s zoning ordinances concerning the camper, and Watson said he will check on the fires.