Mayor selects Crosbie

DUNKIRK — A new member has been appointed to the Dunkirk Library Board.
Mayor Gene Ritter named John Crosbie as the newest member of the board during Monday’s Dunkirk City Council meeting.
Council also signed a proclamation for April, approved a new fire contract and a new five-year plan for the wastewater treatment plant and learned more properties are being considered for the blight elimination program.
Crosbie was named to replace Jesse Bivens, who is also a member of city council. His term on the library board was up, and Ritter asked that he remain active with the board.
Bivens expressed concern about being taken off the library board because the city’s application for Indiana’s Stellar Communities states that he is a member.
“I’d still like Jesse to be very involved,” Ritter said. “I feel like we need to do something a little different with our library. Things haven’t been as smooth as we’d like with our library board. We’ve lost a lot of members.”
Bivens asked the mayor to consider keeping him on the board. But after some discussion, he agreed to stay involved despite not being a board member.
Ritter recently proclaimed April as the “Month of the Child” in Dunkirk in connection with the Association for the Education of Young Children to bring more awareness to the education of youth. Activities will take place at childcare facilities, Head Start, preschools and the elementary school.
Council members Tom Johnson, Lisa Street, Brian Jessup, Jack Robbins and Bivens approved a new contract with the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department for $23,575 to provide fire coverage in the city. They also approved paying $7,500 to H.J. Umbaugh and Associates consulting firm for a new five-year plan for the wastewater treatment plant.
Robbins told the council that six properties are coming up for sale and will be checked to see if they qualify to be torn down with leftover money from the blight program.
The city was awarded $176,000 from the Indiana Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program in 2014 that was used to tear down nine blighted homes in the city last year. There is about $80,000 left over that can be used to remove other blighted properties.
In other business, council:
•Asked the mayor to write a vision statement for the town’s website.
•Appointed Deb Storie to the West Jay Community Center board of directors.
•Gave a $500 donation to the fire department.
•Approved paying $205.80 for shut off valves for the water department.
•Learned Portland Insurance was the only company that responded to an advertisement asking for quotes for municipal insurance for the city.
•Approved a water bill payment plan for Julia Moles. She will pay her regular bill, plus an additional $75 per month.
•Transferred $3,000 to the wastewater treatment plant to pay for the truck it sold the Dunkirk City Park.
•Were reminded by the mayor that he is in his office from 9 a.m. to noon the first and third Saturday of each month.
•Paid claims of $96,186.28.