Council OKs alcohol policy

DUNKIRK — Council has given its approval for the sale of alcohol in Dunkirk City Park.

Dunkirk City Council split its vote 3-2 to allow alcohol sales in the park with a permit and prior approval from council and Dunkirk Park Board.

Council members also heard the city will be receiving almost half a million dollars in federal relief funds.

According to the new alcohol ordinance, vendors will be able to sell alcohol at Dunkirk City Park as long as they have the proper permits and have obtained permission from the city. Previously, consumption and sale of alcohol had been forbidden at the park. Several residents were in attendance at Monday’s meeting to express their concern with the change.

Gloria Hamilton told council she opposed the policy because the park is a place for families.

“If there’s families there and children, I don’t feel there should be alcohol because you can’t always control people who drink it,” Hamilton said. “I just feel it’s better to not have it when there’s children present.”

According to the ordinance, both council and Dunkirk Park Board have to approve any sale of alcohol at the park.

“We all have to say that event is going to happen,” said council member Lisa Street. “Obviously, I’m not going to vote to let them sell alcohol where there’s going to be children, primarily.”

Carol Jones, another resident, wondered if the city would be liable if someone who drank at the park later got into an accident.

“Could that family come back on the city and sue the city for giving them the alcohol?” Jones asked. “Do we want to be known as the city who’s going to provide somebody the right to be able to get drunk and to do other things that could be harmful?”

Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins clarified the city wouldn’t be liable for drunk-driving accidents, as vendors — not the city — would be serving the alcohol.

“We’re not opening up the park to alcohol. This is for a special permit,” Robbins said. “They’ll have to go through the park board, then the city, they have to have a state permit.”

Council split its vote on the ordinance, with Jesse Bivens, Tom Johnson and Street voting in favor and Bryan Jessup and Kevin Hamilton voting against. Hamilton echoed concerns about liability after his vote against, mentioning a fatal vehicle accident that occurred the same week the ordinance change was put in motion.

Also Monday, council members heard that the city is slated to receive about $470,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act over the next two years.

It is meant to make up for lost revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and to help pay for needed infrastructure updates.

Half of the money is slated to come in the next 60 days and the second half in 2022.

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

•Were invited to a walk-through of the Westlawn Elementary School building later this week. Robbins told council that Jay County School Corporation is considering donating it to the city, but that he would like to examine the school for potential problems and come up with ideas for the building.

•Heard that Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne had the low bid of $142,716 for the city’s paving work to be completed this year as part of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings program. The bid is about $58,000 below the engineers’ estimate to pave Moore Avenue, Walsh Court and Ellis and Layne drives.

•Approved paying K&L Tractor Sales Inc. $1,100.24 to fix the park’s tractor.

•Heard that Robbins’ State of the City address will be at 7 p.m. April 27 at West Jay Community Center.

•Gave final approval to an ordinance that will keep the basketball courts at Dunkirk City Park open until 3 a.m.

•Approved donating $300 to the Westlawn Elementary parent teacher organization for school supplies.

•Paid claims of $117,486.68.

•At the Dunkirk Board of Works and Public Safety meeting Monday, board members Dan Watson, Street and Robbins approved paying $11,270 to Leary Construction Company for its water tower maintenance annual contract, $1,460.31 to W.W. Williams for repairs to a generator at the water department and $1,303.40 to Robinson Corporation for repairs to the salt spreader.