New law will require live-streaming

DUNKIRK — City officials need to begin considering how they will comply with a new state law.

City attorney Wes Schemenaur talked with Dunkirk City Council on Monday about planning for compliance with House Bill 1167, which will require the live transmission of meetings beginning in 2025.

Schemenaur brought up the issue following a meeting Monday during which Jay County Commissioners approved the installation of recording equipment for live streaming and recording meetings in the Jay County Courthouse auditorium. (Commissioners had been talking about recording meetings and looking at options since late last year.)

House Bill 1167, which passed unanimously in the Indiana Senate and by an 89-5 vote in the House, was signed by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb last week.

It requires that beginning July 1, 2025, any executive, legislative or fiscal body of a county, city, town or township and school board, as well as any governing body that regularly meets in the same location as those listed, do the following:

•Livestream meetings

•Archive copies of the live transmission with agenda, minutes and memoranda

•Provide a website for live transmission and archives

Governing bodies that do not have internet access for live-streaming are still required to record meetings and retain them as a public record. In all cases, they must be available “for public inspection and copying or downloading” for at least 90 days.

“It’s got two years to be implemented — they could always come back and tweak it — but I just thought as you guys are going into budget, do you want to start thinking about it?” Schemenaur asked. “It’s just something you may want to put on your radar.”

Council members Jesse Bivens, Bryan Jessup, Christy Curts and Tom Johnson, absent Kevin Hamilton, also voted to hire Indianapolis human resources consulting firm New Focus to review its handbook and make updates for $5,000.

Schemenaur previously recommended hiring a consultant to handle the work as many changes to ordinances and policies have been implemented since the last update about seven years ago.

In other business:

•Robbins reported that pre-construction meetings are planned for Tuesday for the city’s flood mitigation project that includes the creation of two detention basins and Friday for work to install a sidewalk along Highland Avenue connecting West Jay Elementary School and Dunkirk City Park. He noted that he wants to have a walk-through before the sidewalk project begins to clarify the path of the sidewalk in respect to fire hydrants and catch basins in the area.

•The mayor noted that there has been recent activity in the Todd Opera House building, 209 S. Main St., with individuals working inside, tearing items out and cleaning up. Developers had purchased the building with plans for two restaurants but failed to meet various deadlines after receiving funds from Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation for the project. The city and DIDC subsequently filed suit in 2019 against the company, known as Todd Building Group LLC, for $89,473.44 — the amount of funding that had been released from DIDC at that point. Robbins said he has asked Schemenaur to look into the situation.

•Water department superintendent Dace Mumbower said a new blow-off hydrant — a flushing hydrant used to keep water main dead ends clean — on the west end of North Street for $2,537.88 and another hydrant to replace one that would not open when city workers were flushing hydrants next week.

•Robbins said efforts are being made to clean up problem properties in the city. He noted warnings have been issued, but added that dumpsters would likely be needed to clear trash from several properties. “We’ve got some bad ones,” he added. “I don’t know what else I can say for people to clean their properties up.”

•Voted again to spend $40,800 for Pro Air Midwest to update Dunkirk Fire Department’s compressor, fill station and cylinders for its air packs. Council had already approved the expenditure last year, but the work had not yet been completed.

•Robbins said he plans to have quotes for replacement of the awnings on the city building for the next meeting.

•Council approved a $200 sponsorship for an Optimist Club June 10 golf outing at Albany Golf Club.

•Paid claims totaling $589,344.10.