Dunkirk is still looking for funding

DUNKIRK — Mayor Dan Watson isn’t giving up on making improvements to the city.
Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, which is working with the City of Dunkirk on the senior housing project to be built on Main Street north of the railroad tracks, was denied its request for more than $900,000 in Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority tax credits in February.
“Obviously you’ve heard that we weren’t awarded the senior housing,” Watson told Dunkirk City Council on Monday. “We are appealing … Should know by the end of the month whether that went through or not. Ami (Huffman) and I are also working to resubmit another application for Stellar this year. That has to be submitted a week from today. So we’re still moving forward.”
The city also missed out on last year’s Stellar Communities Grant, which would have helped fund the senior housing project as well as moving the library and glass museum to the Stewart Brothers building on Main Street.
Watson also informed council that a planning commission meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 23 prior to the next council meeting to rezone the property east of West Jay Middle School to allow storage units to be built on the lot that is owned by Dru Hall.
A public hearing will follow at 6 p.m. with Jay County Director of Development, Ami Huffman, discussing the Stellar Communities Grant, which is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.  
Council agreed to begin purchasing chlorine from Water Solutions Unlimited for the Dunkirk Water Plant after prices increased at Brenntag. The cost savings will be $428.20 per year.

In other business, council members Tom Johnson, Jesse Bivens, Judy Garr, Lisa Street and Jack Robbins:
•Agreed to sign a contract with accounting firm H.J. Umbaugh & Associates to continue disclosure services for bond issues at the Dunkirk Wastewater Treatment Plant.
•Approved a water bill adjustment of $480.57 for an underground leak at 355 E. North St.
•Donated $100 to the after-prom committee at Jay County High School.
•Approved the purchase of a surge protector for $1,250 from Precision Controls for the main control panel at the water plant.
•Approved paying Culy Construction $9,871 to install two valves at Mt. Auburn and Johnson streets.   
•Heard from Johnson that a one-year contract will be signed with Coke to supply beverages at Dunkirk City Pool.
•Approved not to exceed spending $1,700 on a new heater for the garage at Dunkirk City Park.
•Heard a Dunkirk Police Department report from Robbins that 127 complaints were handled during February and officers drove 5,400 miles.
•Paid claims totaling $489,358.31.