Dunkirk delays rate hikes

DUNKIRK — Utility rate increases that were supposed to go into effect this summer have been delayed until next year.

At its meeting Monday, Dunkirk City Council gave final approval for water and sewage rate hikes beginning Jan. 1.

Council members also tabled discussion of whether an employee in the clerk’s office should be full-time or part-time. 

Council had its final reading of ordinances to raise the water rate by 5% and the sewer rate by 2%. Both were originally scheduled to begin this year, but were postponed out of consideration for potential financial struggles during the coronavirus pandemic.

The changes will represent a total base-rate increase of $1.38 for Dunkirk residents. The base rate for water will go up by $1.07 to $22.48 from the current $21.41. The base rate for sewage will go up by 31 cents to $15.76 from the current $15.45.

Also on Monday, council continued but ultimately tabled discussion of the clerk’s office’s third employee.

The clerk’s office has had two full-time employees (including clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott) and one part-time employee for the past few years. Because of increasing responsibilities, the part-time employee is currently working full-time and is being paid with the office’s budget surplus.

Elliott had budgeted for the employee to continue working full-time in 2021. However, council president Jesse Bivens argued against the permanent change, pointing out that Elliott and deputy clerk Jodi Hines received raises in 2016 intended to offset the need for a third full-time employee.

“You told us that you would do everything and you wouldn’t need an extra person,” Bivens said.

“That was three years ago, a lot has changed since then,” Elliott responded.

“I’m not here to argue with you, I’m just telling you the workload is almost double.”

With members Lisa Street and Bryan Jessup absent, council members Tom Johnson, Kevin Hamilton and Bivens decided to table the decision until the Sept. 14 meeting.

In order to meet the state’s budget deadline, council will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 to have the budget’s first reading, with the second reading scheduled for October.

In other business, council members:

•Approved rezoning 1251 S. Main St. from agriculture to commercial at the recommendation of the Dunkirk Zoning Commission. The 5 acres will be the home of the new Glad Tidings Church.

•Voted to have Dunkirk resident Catherine Ridgway pay the full balance of her water bill, which is more than $6,000. The bill had been discussed at a previous meeting with the city saying there was a water leak somewhere on Ridgway’s property while her representatives countered that there was a problem with the water meter. The motion passed 2-1, with Johnson dissenting.

•Set up payment plans for residents who have accumulated past-due water bill balances. Each will pay an additional $50 a month to catch up, and will check back in with council at its Nov. 9 meeting.

•OK’d waiving permit fees for residents participating in the 10-mile Yard Sale scheduled for Sept. 11 and 12. The yard sale will take place on Indiana 167 from Indiana 67 in Albany to Indiana 26 north of Dunkirk.

•Purchased a Pulsar precision feeder for Dunkirk City Pool from Spear Corporation for $4,650, with an additional $100 set aside for shipping. A one-year warranty for the chlorinator will go into effect next year when it is installed.

•Appointed Randy Murphy to an empty seat on the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation (DIDC) Board. Also approved allowing the DIDC to sell 1.5 acres of its property to American Electric Power for the expansion of its substation.

•Gave approval for Cain Bilbrey to begin the process of connecting his home to the city’s sewage system. Bilbrey’s residence is outside of the city limits, but he can connect it to the system if he installs the line and assumes responsibility for maintaining it.

•Heard from Johnson that food giveaways scheduled for this month will be from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 19 and 26 at Dunkirk Community Center.

•Learned that the Dunkirk Neighborhood Crime Watch will have a golf cart scavenger hunt beginning at 1 p.m. on Aug. 30 at Depot Park. The entry fee is $5 per cart and forms are available at city hall and Dunkirk Police Department.

•Paid claims of $531,171.96.