Dunkirk moves forward on loan

DUNKIRK — The city is one step closer to finalizing a loan for the development of two restaurants in the Todd Opera House.

At its Monday meeting, Dunkirk City Council signed the proposal for a $75,000 loan to the Todd Opera House LLC, headed by developers Ray Willey and Bill Brown. The proposal will be forwarded to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance for its approval before council finalizes the loan agreement.

Council also signed another resolution appropriating money for equipment for the city’s new police vehicle and for repairs to the concrete deck at Dunkirk City Pool, opened bids for a sewer liner installation on Barbier Street and approved a tax abatement for SDP Manufacturing.

City attorney Wes Schemenaur overviewed the progress of the deal to provide a $75,000 forgivable loan to the developers of the Todd Opera House building.

Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation (DIDC) will also provide a $75,000 forgivable loan, resulting in a total of $150,000. The loan will be forgiven provided the developers meet the terms of the development agreement, including completing the restaurants within three years. Dunkirk will give its portion of the loan to DIDC, allowing DIDC to administer the full amount.

The money must be used to pay invoices from contractors for work done in the building, allowing verification of all work that is done. DIDC also requested an additional requirement that the money only be used to cover 50 percent of an invoice, meaning the Todd Opera House LLC will have to cover the other 50 percent of each invoice.

Council members Bryan Jessup and Jack Robbins expressed concerns that the developers had not requested the proper city occupancy permits, stating that the city needs to maintain control over the development of the property through its permit process.

Council will still be able to make a final decision on the loan after it receives approval from Department of Local Government Finance. Schemenaur said the approval process typically takes two to three weeks.

Council members Jesse Bivens, Tom Johnson, Jessup and Robbins, absent Lisa Street, signed appropriations for $51,000 to repair cracks in the concrete at Dunkirk City Pool and one for $6,000 to purchase equipment for the city’s new police vehicle.

Johnson rehashed the issues with the concrete pool deck and explained that the repairs were necessary to seal major cracks, including one wide enough to fit a hand in. He also said the repairs may not happen before the pool opens this season, depending on how fast Department of Local Government Finance approves the appropriation and how quickly the contractor is able to get the work done.

Mitch Hansel of Fleis-Vandenbrink Engineering opened seven bids for improvements to a sewer line underneath Barbier Street. Four of the bids were for installing a liner in the main, and three bids were for a installing liners in the lateral pipes. Culy Contracting submitted the low bid for adding the liner to the main line at $59,473.05 and Humbard Contracting submitted the low bid for the lateral lines at $64,200.95. Council tabled a decision on awarding the bids to allow Hansel to review the specifics of each bid and return to council with a comprehensive bid sheet.

Council also approved a tax abatement for SDP Manufacturing after the city’s tax abatement advisory commission recommended the city award the abatement for the Dunkirk company’s new 20,000-square-foot building expansion.

The abatement will save SDP $53,000 over a 10-year period, retaining 24 jobs and creating one new job.

In other business, council:

•Approved Donna Revolt’s request a $500 donation from the city for the summer concert series, scheduled for June 10 to Aug. 12. Council elected to volunteer to work at the Jay Fox Band concert July 15.

•Heard an additional request from Revolt that a stop sign be added to an alleyway intersecting Franklin Street next to Westlawn Elementary School. Council will make a decision on amending the ordinance to add the sign at its next meeting.

•Discussed issues with the city pool’s filtration system and its backwash system. Johnson said the filter dumps backwash into the creek next to the pool, but the city needs to purchase a new tank to comply with the county health inspector’s request and prevent chlorinated water from being dumped into the creek. Johnson will present estimates for the project at the next council meeting.

•Approved $620.64 expense to purchase new tires for the police department’s Dodge Durango from Greens Fork Tire and Alignment.

•Approved a proposal from the Dunkirk Beautification Committee to use money from a grant to add two new planters on city property, six benches on Main Street, 23 banners on Main and Commerce Streets, two historical plaques and a new 10-foot by 16-foot shed at Webster-Depot Park.

•Voted to spend $2,900 to purchase two new desks from Staples for the city office. The state requires that clerk-treasurer Tina Elliot’s desk have locking drawers, and another desk in the office is falling apart.