Sewer rates will rise

Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review

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DUNKIRK — Sewage rates will be going up.

Dunkirk City Council approved a 3-percent sewage rate increase at Monday’s meeting after receiving the results of a five-year plan rate study for the wastewater treatment plant.

Council also approved advertising for bids for the Barbier Street sanitary sewer project, changed the procedure for appointing a health and safety officer and approved a new fund for the police department.

Councilman Jesse Bivens, who oversees the wastewater treatment plant, said the five-year plan revealed the need for the 3-percent increase this year, which will be approximately 46 cents per month. Bivens said the city will likely need similar increases in each of the next four years in order to keep up with costs of operation.

City attorney Wes Schemenaur will draft a rate ordinance and get it to council members to review before the next meeting.

After hearing from Mitch Hansel of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering about the Barbier Street sanitary sewer project, council approved advertising for bids. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for March 22, and bids to be opened on April 10.

The project includes main and lateral line projects, with a manhole to be added where the plastic line and clay pipe meets, and the lines will be done by two separate contractors.

Council members adopted a new procedure for the appointment of the city’s health and safety officer and also approved a job description. The changes were prompted by the recent resignation of Rick Buckner from the position.

The new rules call for the board of works — Mayor Gene Ritter, council member Jack Robbins and Mike Shannon — to appoint the position instead of just the mayor.

Also approved was an ordinance to create a criminal investigation fund for Dunkirk Police Department at the request of Police Chief Dane Mumbower. The fund will use donations to the department to help with drug investigations.

“It’s just a really good tool,” said Mumbower. “This have never been done ever, in Dunkirk. It’s something that we can really use.

In other business, Bivens, Jessup, Robbins and Johnson, absent Lisa Street:

•Approved a fee change from $11,600 to $8,895 for the study of construction engineering from F&V for sign and post replacement throughout the city to become in compliance with federal guidelines.

•Agreed to allow Ami Huffman, Jay County’s director of community development, to continuing pursuing tax credits for a senior housing project in the city in partnership with a different developer. She had been working with Buckeye Community Hope Foundation of Columbus, Ohio, for several years.

•Heard from resident Al Curts that semis are continuing to use Center, Commerce and Washington streets, which are not intended as truck routes. Mumbower and council members agree that larger and more uniform signs need to be posted to make drivers aware of where they are allowed to travel.

•Learned the Glass Days Committee will donate the storage shed it is purchasing to the city so that it can be covered by Dunkirk’s insurance policy.

•Donated $500 to Dunkirk Junior League.

•Appointed Connie Retter and Jill Ford to the Dunkirk Foundation board and Phil Ford and Judy Garr to the city’s redevelopment commission.

•Heard Dunkirk Neighborhood Crime Watch will have a chili cook-off at 6 p.m. March 8 at West Jay Community Center.

•Approved a claim for $255.68 from Menards for the park department.

•Approved paying for an oxygen probe for $365.75 for the lab at the wastewater treatment plant.

•Heard a request from Bivens for volunteers to go door to door to complete a storm study to be eligible for a grant.

•Approved paying $661.65 to J & K Communication for Dunkirk’s part of a service contract for radio repairs for the fire department.

•Approved paying claims of $247,818.86.