Dunkirk council passes 2022 budget

DUNKIRK — The city has a budget for 2022.

In order to achieve some of its infrastructure goals, it will need to try again.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday approved the city’s $1.91-million budget for next year while also learning it was not awarded funding for a grant for water and wastewater upgrades.

Council members Bryan Jessup, Kevin Hamilton, Christy Curts, Jesse Bivens and Tom Johnson unanimously approved the city’s 2022 budget. (It includes 2% raises for city employees.)

The $1,912,530 budget includes $1.41 million in the general fund. There is also $297,875 in the motor vehicle highway fund, $78,000 in the economic development income tax fund, $50,000 in the public safety local option income tax, $31,000 in the local road and street fund and $30,108 in the police pension fund.

Also Monday, Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins told council the city was not awarded a State Water Infrastructure Fund grant for work identified in its five-year master utility plan. (Portland also applied for a State Water Infrastructure Fund and also did not receive funding.)

Robbins noted that the plan identified more than $6 million in infrastructure projects. He said while there is the opportunity to apply for a State Water Infrastructure Fund grant next year, he would like to move forward with the master utility plan and look at other funding opportunities. He told council he plans to meet with Kent Anderson of Kenna Consulting and return to the next meeting with a proposal to hire Anderson as a grant writer to seek funding through Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Robbins also issued a reminder that properties that have been cleaned up as part of blight elimination will be sold at auction next month. Bidding on 13 properties will begin by phone Oct. 8. Final bids will be opened at 1 p.m. Oct. 15 in council chambers.

The mayor also noted that the city will hold a fall festival from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 30 at Dunkirk City Park. Trunk-or-treating will follow from 6 to 8 p.m.

Council and the city’s board of works, which met earlier, approved paying $6,800 to Mantz Electric for new outdoor lights at the wastewater treatment plant. (The city is expecting a $1,800 rebate on the work.)

In other business, council:

•Approved the following: A $550 donation to the Secret Families of Jay County Christmas charity; a new truck bed for the water department at a cost of $15,659; having a well at the water plant cleaned at a cost of $23,000; a water leak adjustment of $99.15.

•Formally approved rezoning 1001 and 1005 S. Meridian St. to commercial from residential and an adjacent plot from agricultural to commercial for a proposed new business. (The business seeking to locate in the city has not yet been publicly identified.)

•Decided to skip its first October council meeting, which was scheduled for Columbus Day. It will meet once next month on Oct. 25.

•Heard from clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott that the city building will remain closed to the public through at least Oct. 15. It has been closed this month in response to an increase in cases of COVID-19.

During the board of works meeting, members Dan Watson, Bivens and Robbins:

•Heard from Robbins that he presented quotes to Jay County Commissioners for a new liner, two lifeguard stations and grates at Dunkirk City Pool at a total cost of about $85,000. The city has asked commissioners for assistance with funding those items.