Seeking grant

DUNKIRK — The city will seek a grant to tear down a building in the downtown area.

Dunkirk City Council gave Mayor Jack Robbins permission Monday to move forward with seeking a grant to take down the former Green Building at 303 S. Main St.

Robbins noted that the city has officially acquired the property through the tax sale process. He said he had a meeting scheduled for Tuesday to discuss plans with the owner of the adjacent H&R Block office. The buildings share a common wall.

The mayor also reported that he has a meeting scheduled with officials from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Jay County Development Corporation to talk about a potential grant to tear down the structure. He noted that through the OCRA grant program, the property would have to remain green space for at least five years after the building is demolished.

Council members Christy Curts, Dan Watson, Donna Revolt and Randy Murphy voted to allow the mayor to move forward with seeking the grant funding. Council president Jesse Bivens was absent from the meeting.

In other news regarding the downtown, Robbins said a water flow test is needed to determine if there is sufficient capacity for a fire suppression system in the former Stewart Brothers building at 304 S. Main St. Rock Joak LLC, a partnership between Rock Fuqua, Oakland Gaerke and Jesse Walter, now owns the building and plans to have commercial space on the first floor with apartments above. The flow test is scheduled for next week.

In other business, the council:

•Approved the city’s 2026 salary ordinance. It calls for 2% raises for all city employees.

•Approved the following: vacating an alley connecting Franklin and Main streets; the paying claims totaling $154,446.35; and repairs to the city’s vacuum truck by Best Equipment at a cost of $13,837.06.

•Heard from Murphy that city crews are continuing to paint curbs along Main Street. 

•Received the following updates from Revolt: the city has secured a $20,000 grant to help toward the cost of installing pickleball courts at Dunkirk City Park; the shelter house at the park are being painted; the park board has received bids for removing two trees along the walking trail at Dunkirk City Park and one at Webster Depot Park; the final summer concert at Webster Depot Park will be Spittin’ Image at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6; and the city’s pool has been drained for the winter.