Blight demo date is set

DUNKIRK — A tentative date has been set to tear down blighted homes.
Councilman Jack Robbins, who also serves as zoning administrator, told his fellow Dunkirk City Council members at their meeting Monday that Sept. 8 is the target date to tear down nine blighted homes.
Dunkirk was awarded an Indiana Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination grant of $176,000 in October 2014 to raze the homes, which are located at 316 W. Jay St., 349 W. Washington St., 325 E. High St., 217 N. Main St., 221 E. Railroad St., 324 Shatto St., 325 E. North St., 219 N. Indiana and 826 S. Franklin St.
Kesler Excavating LLC was chosen in July to do the demolitions at a cost of $79,000.
Also Monday, Mayor Dan Watson welcomed John Phillips as the new clerk-treasurer. He takes over duties from Phonnie Kesler, who resigned the position earlier this month.  
“It’s a pleasure to be here. Basically we just want to keep the home fires burning,” Phillips told council.
He plans to perform the duties of clerk-treasurer until the end of the year. The position is up for election in November, but Kesler is the only candidate on the ballot.
In other business, council members Tom Johnson, Jesse Bivens, Judy Garr, Lisa Street and Robbins:
•Voted to pay $1,398.65 to Moser Motors to purchase and install a steering gear assembly and $586 to Greens Fork Alignment for four new tires, both for Dunkirk Police Department’s 2013 Ford Explorer.
•Transferred $200 from the garage/motor fund to the medical fund for the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department to purchase medical equipment.
•Agreed to have Newsome’s Tree Removal remove four trees in the city at a cost of $1,000.
•Paid claims totaling $195,209.05.