Dedicated to Dunkirk

DUNKIRK — Streets that had been privately owned for about 20 years are now property of the city.

Dunkirk City Council on Monday approved a resolution to accept the dedication of the streets in Quincy Place to the city.

City attorney Wes Schemenaur explained to council at its previous meeting that confusion dating back to the early 2000s has the streets in Quincy Place — Hart Drive, Shrack Lane and Merry Court — on the verge of going up for tax sale. (They were subsequently pulled from that sale.) He told council there had apparently been a discussion amongst Dunkirk City Council to accept ownership of the streets two decades ago, but the process was not followed through to completion. As a result, developer The Biggs Group, Decatur, had unknowingly continued to own and pay taxes on the streets. That changed recently when Biggs sold its final lots in the development. The taxes were unpaid, leading them to be in the tax sale.

Dunkirk City County on Sept. 12 approved paying the $4,639.81 in back taxes for the streets. Biggs has since signed the documentation to dedicate the streets to the city.

Council members Jesse Bivens, Bryan Jessup, Tom Johnson, Kevin Hamilton and Christy Curts on Monday approved the resolution accepting city ownership of the streets.

Council also heard from Griffin Schermer about plans to rehabilitate a trailer park at the east end of Ohio Street.

Schermer explained that he has been involved in projects with similar properties in Connersville, Bedford, Brazil and Westport. He said plans would call for cleaning out the current park, redoing the infrastructure and bringing in new trailers for rent.

Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins noted that the state license for the facility is lapsed and that Schermer wanted to seek support from city council before continuing through the process to get it renewed.

“It’s not good right now, so you’ve only got one direction to go,” said Jessup.

Council gave its blessing for the project, with Robbins asking Schermer to keep him updated on the licensing process with the state. Jessup also suggested that council review its ordinances regarding trailer parks, with Schemenaur suggesting the process should begin with the local zoning board.

Council members also gave final approval of the $2.74 million 2024 budget for the city.

It’s up from $2.05 million this year, though the bulk of the increase comes from federal coronavirus relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that are being spent on a detention pond and storm sewer project that is already underway. Removing those funds, the budget went up by about 8.7%.

In other business, council:

•Set residential trick-or-treat hours for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28. The city’s Trunk or Treat event at Dunkirk City Park will be held during the same period.

•Approved the following: a water bill adjustment of $415.83 for 224 W. Pleasant St.; a donation of $200 for the Toys for Tots co-ed softball tournament Oct. 21 (last year’s tournament brought in 8,000 toys); Jordan Wolford as a new member of the West Jay Community Center board; a $500 sponsorship for Glass Days Inc. for downtown decorations; holding the city’s Turkey Drop at 10 a.m. Nov. 18; paying claims totaling $116,342.37; allowing clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott to seek a better interest rate on a $195,987.10 CD for the sewage department; and hiring Winget's Tree Service of Dunkirk to put a new fence around the water tower for $8,050.

•Heard a request from park board president Eva Kreps for a new fund for park improvement needs. Schemenaur will look into what needs to be done to create the new fund.

•Tabled discussion of the updated employee handbook at Bivens’ request.

•Heard information regarding the county’s owner-occupied rehabilitation program. The program is being funded with the $1 million the county is receiving through Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs for being a part of the state’s Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) that assisted with planning for how to spend federal coronavirus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act. Kimball said the county is still working on getting approval for its application process from the state but that he is hopeful applications will be available in early October with the first round of projects to begin in January.

•Was reminded by Hamilton that visiting hours for former Dunkirk Police Chief Billy Meacham are from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Dunkirk Church of the Nazarene with services to follow at 11 a.m. Thursday. Meacham died Friday at the age of 79.

•Canceled its Oct. 9 meeting. Council’s next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 23.