Sewer, water increases OK'd

DUNKIRK — Sewer and water rates will go up in February.

Dunkirk City Council approved ordinances increasing sewer and water rates by 3%, as they had discussed at meetings over the last two months.

The increases push the minimum water rate to $25.54 per month from the current $24.80 and the minimum sewer rate to $17.90 per month from the current $16.87.

The ordinance regarding sewer rates also increases the fee for handling waste from septic tanks to 9 cents per gallon from the previous 4 cents per gallon. That increase will go into effect immediately.

It will be the third consecutive 3% increase for the city on its water and sewer rates. Enacting regular incremental annual increases in order to help build balances for needed water and sewer projects was part of city’s master utility plan.

“We’ve been working on this probably the last five years,” said Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins. “We’ve been doing 2% (or 3%), instead of trying to go five years without and make one big jump. (We’re) keeping it to where it’s not that much.”

He explained that the increases are necessary because the cost of chemicals, water meters and replacing lines have all gone up.

There were no comments during the public hearing on the water and sewer rate increases.

Council members Christy Curts, Dan Watson, Donna Revolt and Randy Murphy approved the increases unanimously. Council president Jesse Bivens was absent.

Council also heard a request for a $25,000 downtown revitalization loan from Zach Crouch, who owns the building at 326 S. Main St. The location is now known as Glass Capital Commons and has a daycare operating in some of the space. Crouch explained that the goal is to bring several businesses into the former church.

Crouch said about $53,000 has been invested into rehabilitating the building already.

Council members briefly discussed the loan, which would have a five-year payback period. City attorney Wes Schemenaur said he will put together a draft agreement for both Crouch and city officials to review.

Robbins also reported that Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation has deeded the former Stewart Brothers building (304 S. Main St.) to Rock Joak LLC, a partnership between Rock Fuqua, Oakland Gaerke and Jesse Walter. The trio made improvements to the building, including new windows, as part of an agreement with the city to take over ownership. The goal is to create apartments upstairs with retails space on the first floor.

He told council that Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation has also taken ownership of the adjacent 303 S. Main St. from Andrew Bishop. The city is in the process of applying for a grant through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to demolish the structure. Robbins explained that through the grant, the property would need to be maintained as green space for at least five years.

In other business, council:

•Set residential trick-or-treat hours for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. A trunk-or-treat event will be held at the same time at Dunkirk City Park.

•Approved a resolution to transfer $6,864.56 from the fire protection contract fund to the fire department non-reverting fund.

•OK’d the payment of $498,919.54 in claims.