Ellspermann visits

DUNKIRK — Civic leaders turned out in force Tuesday to welcome Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann as she visited Dunkirk to congratulate the city on becoming a finalist in the state’s Stellar Communities program.
“I applaud you,” Ellspermann told Mayor Dan Watson, members of the city council, two former Dunkirk mayors, the Jay County Commissioners and other supporters of the project. About 50 people were on hand to greet Ellspermann at Webster-Depot Park.
“We want to make sure our smaller communities are appreciated,” Ellspermann said, noting that the Stellar Communities program had been revised to create new opportunities for towns with a population of fewer than 6,000.
Dunkirk is one of two small community finalists and is seeking $2.6 million in grants and tax credits that would fund a variety of projects that have been in the planning stage for years.
Those include relocating Dunkirk Public Library and The Glass Museum to the former Stewart Brothers Building on South Main Street and the construction of a senior housing complex on North Main Street.
The city and county partnered to fund the stabilization of the Stewart building, but major renovation would be required to transform it into a new home for the library and glass museum.
Crown Crossing Senior Housing Development in partnership with Buckeye Community Hope Foundation of Columbus, Ohio, is proposing to build a $3.4 million, 28-unit senior housing facility west of Main Street between Center Street and the railroad tracks.
Downtown lighting and Safe Routes to Schools are also part of the Stellar proposal.
Dunkirk’s final proposal must be submitted to the Office of Community and Rural Affairs by June 30. The winning communities will be announced at the Indiana State Fair in August.
This is the first time that Dunkirk has been a finalist in the Stellar Communities program after falling short on two previous attempts.
Following a meet-and-greet session at Webster-Depot Park, Ellspermann joined Mayor Watson for a walking tour of downtown Dunkirk to see some of the sites that could be transformed if the city is selected as the winning small community.