City explores consolidation ideas
The city of Dunkirk’s police and fire chiefs know their facilities have seen better days, but the trick now, they say, is having a plan for when those buildings can no longer pass muster.
At a Public Safety Committee meeting Wednesday at city hall, Fire Chief Mike Edwards and Police Chief David Ortolano discussed the situation with Mayor Wilfred Rosas and other officials in attendance.
Edwards said they would do their best “to forecast the future, so that at least we have a goal, whether that’s replacement or repair (for the aging stations).”
Rosas stated that the city has put in for another grant, this time for a municipal building that would consolidate the headquarters of the city’s emergency responders.
“We put in this grant … for a municipal building,” he said. “It would consolidate our police and fire (departments) into one location.
“We’ve (sent the grant application) up to Albany, we made the deadline, and we’re waiting to hear back.”
Councilman-at-Large Andy Woloszyn asked for and received clarification that the grant would be for a “city-only” facility — no other municipalities would be involved.
But, Rosas said, it’s not a guarantee, and the city needs to come up with contingency plans — and since the previous idea to merge police departments with the village of Fredonia didn’t work out, officials are more ready than ever to think on their feet.
“If that doesn’t happen, we need to sit down and look at all the options available to us, the realistic options,” Rosas said.
Edwards said that it would make sense to form a committee to look into those options, including other grants, and everyone at the table agreed both departments should be kept in the loop. However, not involving other municipalities limits the number of potential grants.
“We have been looking toward those types of grants over the past few years, (but) just like a lot of other things, most of everything available is tied to some kind of consolidation,” he said.
Rosas stated that he is very willing to research any and all grant funding opportunities, and to put the city’s resourceful department heads on the hunt, as well. And like he has in the past, Rosas reminded the chiefs and councilmembers that the clock is ticking.
“I’m telling you, there are funds out there. This is all a matter of public record. You can go online and look at the opportunities that are out there right now for municipalities that decide to consolidate. (But) you get more points for full consolidation with another municipality, and other municipalities across the state are taking advantage of these opportunities, which may not be here very long,” he said.
Rosas said he will keep council apprised of any news regarding the grants.
“There is a need to address these issues (with the aging police and fire stations),” he added. “I’m fully aware of it, and like I say, if these grants don’t pan out, we’re going to have to actually, realistically sit down and look at what the options are.”
Rosas and Ortolano agreed that the courts need to stay with the police station for logistical reasons, so if the police department moves to new digs, the courts will move, too. Edwards pointed out that location will be key if the fire department moves, since firefighters will need to easily access all points of the city from the station. If the plan for a joint building does come to fruition, with the help of grant funding, careful studies and analysis will help find the first responders’ new home.
COMMENTS