Watson will work on Stellar

DUNKIRK — The former mayor will help the city with its Stellar Communities application.
Dunkirk City Council on Monday appointed former mayor Dan Watson as its liaison for its application for the Stellar Communities designation.
Council also heard a local history buff speak about her work doing a Legacy Project to commemorate the state’s bicentennial, got an update on city projects and made plans for the 50th Glass Days Festival.
Councilman Jesse Bivens nominated Watson, who lost his bid for a second term as mayor to Gene Ritter in November, to be Ritter’s liaison to attend meetings related to the Stellar Communities process. Watson is able to be in Dunkirk during the day when needed for activities related to the program.
Ritter recently began a job in New Castle and has been working long hours. Bivens thanked him for being understanding about the nomination.
“I still want to be kept in the loop,” Ritter said. “I’ve got to be honest with you. This job is not a part-time job.”
Dunkirk is making its fourth try for the Stellar Communities designation. The city was a finalist in the division for municipalities with populations of 6,000 or fewer last year, but finished as the runner-up to North Liberty.
It’s application in 2015 included moving the glass museum and library to the Stewart Brothers building and constructing a senior housing facility. Those items will again be part of the application this year.
Mitch Hansel of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering told council that the Title VI Implementation Plan is complete and ready to be sent to the Indiana Department of Transportation. The study of all city buildings was required to see if they were compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act and is due March 18.
Clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott was named a Title VI administrator.
Meetings are scheduled about the sewer project on Layne Drive to see if lining the lateral sewer pipes can be done without having to use a clean-out and using retention ponds for flooding. Hansel also informed council that the Indiana Department of Transportation has grants available for sidewalks and other updates.
Historian Janice Stucky, a member of the Jay County Historical Society board and former teacher at Westlawn Elementary School, informed council she has done a study about former mayors of the city. Her work will be used as a Legacy Project for the Indiana Bicentennial Celebration.
At the request of Glass Days committee member Holly Knight, council sanctioned the 50th Glass Days Festival to be held June 1 through 4 in downtown Dunkirk and gave the committee a donation of $750. She asked for help placing barricades on side streets and alleys for the festival and in the Dunkirk City Pool parking lot for line-up for the parade June 4.
Council also granted permission for Cinderella Queen of Glass contestants to have a heel drive to accept donations from 1 to 5 p.m. on May 14 at the stop light on Main Street and at the intersection of Hoover Street and Blackford Avenue near Dunkirk City Park, for contestants to use the Dunkirk City Building from 3 p.m. May 31 to 9 a.m. June 2 and to use the green space on Main Street to place a tent for office space.
In other business, Brian Jessup, Tom Johnson, Jack Robbins, Lisa Street and Bivens:
•Heard Ritter congratulate Rock and Kathy Fuqua, who were recently given the Dunkirk Community Commitment Award. He also recognized Beverly Roydsen and Cindy Shephard for being finalists for the award, and Randy Davis for being a finalist for Citizen of the Year.
•Agreed to have Dunkirk city attorney Wes Schemenaur begin the process of re-codifying city ordinances that date back to 1983.
•Agreed to pay $4,700 to Shumaker Heating and Cooling for a heating and cooling system for the Dunkirk Street Department office.
•Made a water bill adjustment of $205.67 for Tom Dornberger and agreed to allow Mark Wihebrink to make $70 payments on his water usage because he has never received a bill. A request for an adjustment for Julia Moles was tabled until a valve is installed in the home so the water department can check for a leak.
•Approved an amendment to the Nov. 23, 2015, minutes to pay the full price of $25,121 for a truck for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The wastewater department had planned to trade in the truck, but instead sold it to the city’s park department.
•Gave a $500 donation for a banner to be put in center field at the Dunkirk Junior League diamond.
•Paid claims of $284,010.20.