Council gives OK to buying firetruck

DUNKIRK — Dunkirk is one step closer to having its new fire truck.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday passed a resolution allowing the purchase of a 1998 KME Renegade Pumper from the City of Portland for $35,000.

Talks about purchasing a new rig to replace the city’s current 1980 pumper have been in the works for at least three years, council member Bryan Jessup said. Jessup first introduced the idea of purchasing the Portland fire truck to council during its March 25 meeting.

While the city will have to wait to finalize the sale until council approves an appropriation to purchase the rig, which it plans to do during its May 13 meeting, Jessup said the future of Dunkirk’s 1980 pumper is up in the air.

“I don’t plan on keeping three fire trucks,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s worth. We’re going to try and figure out how much it’s worth … we’re not going to get a lot of money from our 1980 truck, and if we can help somebody else out like Portland helped us out, I think that would be a good deal.”

Jessup said when the city acquires the 1998 rig, it won’t fight fires right away because it will still need to have decals applied and the department will need to train with the new equipment.

Also Monday, Mayor Gene Ritter told council Jay County was selected as a Stellar Communities finalist. If the county, which is being referred to as the Jay! Region, is selected, funding would be available for various revitalization efforts. Suggestions from Dunkirk’s revitalization plan include a rail trail loop that would front the Webster Depot, a bazaar that could include a makerspace or kombucha brewery and downtown housing. 

In other business, council:

•Renewed the city’s insurance plan with Barnum – Brown Insurance for $70,873. The city paid $72,250 for its 2018-19 plan.

•Donated $500 from the mayor’s promotional fund to the Webster Depot Park Summer Concert Series.

•Approved the summer concert series at Webster Depot Park. The concerts begin June 8 and end Aug. 17. Concerts start at 7 p.m., with refreshments being served at 6:30 p.m. The lineup includes Moments Notice, Mix Factory, John Beatrice, Harmony, Jay Fox, Boot Hill, Memory Lane, In Harmony’s Way, Sweet Sounds and Spittin Image.  

•OK’d a request from the beautification committee to add two trash bins on Main Street — one in front of the city building and the other near the green space. Also approved was the installation of 16 tables and four benches, along with trash cans, at Webster Depot Park and expansion of the brick walkway in front of the park.

•Was told the Dunkirk Police Department responded to 162 complaints in March and drove 4,260 miles.

•Adjusted a water bill.

•Heard about multiple scheduled meetings, including: a town hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Jim Banks at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at West Jay Community Center; a public meeting with the Indiana Department of Transportation regarding the City of Dunkirk’s stoplight at Indiana 167 (Main Street) and Commerce Street at 6 p.m. April 30 at West Jay County Middle School; and a pocket parks meeting at 6 p.m. May 1 at the city building.

•OK’d various purchases, including: $520.85 from the sewage department for light bulbs, $1,099.47 to purchase three chemicals to test for E. coli bacteria and $1,500 to replace the bearings on a Water Department motor.

•Heard water superintendent Dace Mumbower was elected to the Indiana Rural Water Association board.

•Paid claims totaling $154,783.71.