Dunkirk plans to make updates

DUNKIRK — The city’s ordinances will continue to be updated in the new year, including several that have been defunct for years.

Dunkirk City Council received an update on the effort to revise the city’s laws and regulations at its Monday meeting.

Council president Jesse Bivens has been working with city attorney Wes Schemenaur to edit and update the city’s ordinances as needed. They are going section by section, currently focusing on laws related to the police department. Many of the ordinances haven’t been updated in quite some time, and some are now obsolete.

“They run the gamut from, you know, kind of mundane things like adding a word or two here and there to abolishing the requirement that you license your bicycle by the city,” Schemenaur said.

Schemenaur gave council members a packet with the proposed changes to the police department ordinances, asking them to review the edits and contact him with any additional feedback. Once the updates are complete, the city will advertise changes that affect penalties for violating the ordinances. Council will be reviewing the water department ordinances next.

In other business, council members Tom Johnson, Bryan Jessup, Lisa Street, Kevin Hamilton and Bivens:

•Learned that the police department’s Chevrolet Tahoe, which recently had its engine replaced, is back on the road. The final bill from Rich’s Auto Repair was $4,979.74, down from an estimate of $5,500.

•Heard that a new water line had been installed on Chestnut Street. Council approved paying $1,323.57 to US Aggregates for gravel used in the project.

•Discussed a potentially blocked stormwater drain on Pearl Street. Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins said the 18-inch line will likely have to be scoped and cleared.

•Approved the Knox Township fire contract for 2021, which is $1,688.25.

•Received information about the animal control task force’s proposal for a new Jay County Humane Society building. Task force chair Julie Forcum will give a presentation at council’s Jan. 25 meeting.

•Were reminded there will be an open house at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Dunkirk Railroad Depot with entertainment and snacks in an effort to attract new businesses to the building.

•Heard from Robbins that the department supervisor assignments will remain the same in 2021 as they were in 2020.

•Paid $176,583.04 in claims, including $4,300 to Mann’s Electric for installing LED lights at the water plant and $1,299.99 to W.W. Williams for an annual inspection of generators at the water plant.

•Heard Dunkirk Park Board is working on a five-year plan for the city’s park, which will be necessary to seek out grants for further renovations.

•Re-elected Bivens as council president.

At the Dunkirk Board of Works and Public Safety meeting, also held Monday, board members Dan Watson, Street and Robbins:

•Voted to add a fourth full-time police dispatcher position to reduce overtime costs. There are currently three full-time dispatchers and several part-time employees.

•Heard that for the second month in a row, the chloride levels at Ardagh were down. The city has been combatting high chloride over the past year to remain in compliance with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.