Dunkirk council gives OK for mural

DUNKIRK — Plans are underway for another mural.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday gave permission for Dunkirk Beautification Committee to commission a mural on the south wall of the city building.

The project is contingent on receiving grant funding.

Donna Revolt of Dunkirk Beautification Committee explained that plans for the mural would include the Dunkirk High School Speedcat logo in the middle. The logo would be flanked by two of the city’s former schools — Sutton School and Dunkirk High School. Beautification committee members came up with the idea for the mural design.

“Any advertisement for Dunkirk is good,” said council president Jesse Bivens in support of the effort.

Revolt said after the meeting that the beautification committee has already received a $1,500 donation toward the project and plans to apply for a grant through The Dunkirk Foundation’s Dr. Donald Johnson Fund. She added that the group will look into other grant opportunities, such as the IN Indiana Public Art Activation grant through Indiana Destination Development Corporation that was recently awarded to Portland.

Council members Bryan Jessup, Tom Johnson, Kevin Hamilton and Bivens, absent Christy Curts, voted unanimously to give the committee permission for the mural.

Revolt noted that the group has reached out to Pam Bliss, who painted the city’s Glass Capital of Indiana mural in 2020. The 65-foot-by-30-foot mural on the north side of the Weaver Building features a glass blower, a train with the Speedcat logo, a modern view of the Ardagh glass factory and various glass bottles.

Bliss also painted the Elwood Haynes and Portland Rockets murals in downtown Portland.

Revolt said the beautification committee’s goal is to work to secure the funding necessary, with painting possibly to begin next spring.

Also Monday, Mayor Jack Robbins revisited the city’s ordinance and employee handbook. He had asked Bivens and Curts to review it and work on updates, but said after talking with city attorney Wes Schemenaur it may make sense to go through a more formal process.

Schemenaur recommended that council consider hiring a consultant to review the handbook and make updates. He noted that the last such look at the handbook was about seven years ago and there have been a lot of changes with ordinances and policies.

“I really think with all the changes in employment law, I think it would be worth it to have it professionally done,” he said. “I think it would be money well-spent.”

He suggested the city seek quotes, including from Muncie firm Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele and Associates. (The firm has worked with Jay County for more than a decade.)

Council members voted to give Mayor Jack Robbins permission to seek multiple quotes for the work.

In other business, council:

•Heard a reminder from Robbins that his State of the City address is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at West Jay Community Center. Robbins and the city’s department heads will be providing updates at the event.

•Approved a $250 donation to the Jay Community Center 5K Circuit and payment of claims totaling $205,203.39.