Dunkirk plans for glass mural

DUNKIRK — The north wall of the Weaver Building will get a new look.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday agreed to spend $21,200 to the repair of the wall, which is adjacent to a small park, in order to allow a mural to be painted.

Dunkirk residents Dru Hall and Chuck Huffman, who is also a Jay County Commissioner, and approached council about the possibility of a mural at Monday’s meeting. They are leading a group that is raising funds for the project.

The planned mural would feature glass workers, the phrase “Glass capitol of Indiana” and an arrow directing passers-by to The Glass Museum. The group plans to work with muralist Pamela Bliss, who painted the Elwood Haynes mural on the north side of the Eagles building in Portland and recently completed the Portland Rockets mural on the south side of the Ritz Theatre. (Hall owns the Ritz.)

“That park was put in a several years ago,” said Huffman. “Did a good job putting it in and the city has done a good job of taking care of it, but whenever you come across the tracks you don’t really see anything, you see that wall …”

“We talked about what the subject of the mural would be and there just wasn’t any question that it had to be about the glass here in town,” he added.

The building that formerly stood at the site of the park at the southwest corner of Lincoln and Main streets was damaged by fire and torn down. But when that was done, its remaining north wall, a partner wall with the Weaver Building that is owned by Rock Fuqua, was left with some remaining structural issues.

Work now required in order to make the wall safe and prepare it for a mural includes removal of some bricks and plaster, tuck pointing and a cap on the top. The city agreed to pay the cost of that work as well as putting a primer and base coat on the wall to prepare it for a mural.

Council member Bryan Jessup noted that his only concern was that the money for the project not come from the general fund, which already has a tight budget. The money for the repairs will instead come from funds the city receives from the state cigarette tax. Dunkirk currently has just over $31,000 in that fund, which it has traditionally allowed to build up in order to be used for such projects.

Council members Jack Robbins, Tom Johnson, Jesse Bivens, Lisa Street and Jessup approved the project.

“It’s going to bring beatification to the city,” said Mayor Gene Ritter. “It’s going to clean up that wall. Show passer-by that there is a past history here.” 

In other business, council:

•Approved he purchase of two three-way fire hydrants at a cost of $5,910 and the payment of $250,67.53 in claims.

•Briefly discussed the 2020 budget. Council plans to have more information and discussion at its Aug. 12 meeting.

•Heard Second Harvest Food Bank, in partnership with United Way of Jay County and Community and Family Services, was able to provide food for more than 400 families at a tailgate last week at Dunkirk City Park.

•Learned license plates and registration have arrived for the city’s new fire truck. Some equipment still needs to be installed before it is put into use, and the city is looking to purchase a new radio as well.

•Heard the city pool’s planned closing date is Aug. 11, but could be changed if necessary. The first day of classes for Jay School Corporation is Aug. 9.

•Were reminded that a public information session about a planned Indiana Michigan Power project to replace and build new transmission lines in the county is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 25 at Jay Community Center.