The Dunkirk Common Council faces a full schedule today with two public hearings and a regular meeting with 12 resolutions on the agenda.
First up at 5 p.m. in City Hall is the public hearing council is required to hold on Mayor Anthony J. Dolce's proposed 2013 budget. Dolce's proposal calls for a property tax increase of 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation along with a water rate increase that will double the basic charge over a two-year period. The city's tax stabilization fund is also set to take a $65,000 hit as part of balancing the nearly $22 million spending and revenue plan.
A hearing on that water rate increase is scheduled at 5:20 p.m. with the regular meeting to follow at 5:30 p.m. Resolution 83-2012, which sets the new water rates, is the first council will consider.
Water-related expenses are the subject of resolutions 92-2012 and 94-2012. A change order to the West End Water Project would find project engineers Nussbaumer & Clarke, Inc. being paid an additional $19,300 for address changes the city wants to the scope of the project and the absence of "as-built records or recent survey and mapping along the project length."
The First Ward Waterline Replacement Project final cost will come in under its original estimate, according to 94-2012. The original bid cost was $1,270,180 while the final cost is now being set at $1,254,735. The resolution also pays contractor S. St. George Enterprises, Inc. $7,845 for additional needed work that was found during construction.
East Chestnut Street will get two new street lights if 98-2012 passes. The additions would add $208.43 to the city's annual cost.
Resolutions 88 and 89-2012 award bids for the city's treatment chemicals requirements for the water and wastewater treatment plants along with sludge and grit hauling for the wastewater treatment plant. All were part of a bid process.
The annual agreement between the city and the state's Unified Court System for maintenance of the court facilities is covered under 90-2012. The city would be paid $29,836 for the period from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.
Stephen and Mary Millett, doing business as Brown Bean, would operate at the Boardwalk Market for a two-year period if Resolution 91-2012 passes. The mayor would be authorized to sign a lease with the Milletts that would run from Dec. 1, 2012 through Nov. 30, 2014 at an annual rental of $3,900.
The Dunkirk Local Development Corporation will be designated as the city's festivals coordinator under terms of 93-2012. The DLDC has already formed the required advisory group called for in the resolution, which also requires a monthly report to the city clerk on events the DLDC group is involved with.
Resolution 95-2012 proclaims November as Veterans Remembrance Month in the city and "urges all citizens to acknowledge and be mindful of the sacrifices our members of the Armed Forces have made, and continue to make, to protect and to preserve our liberty."
Council will reappoint the city's commissioners of deeds under 96-2012. Returning are Mark A. Woods, Robert R. Mazurek, Mark E. Polowy, Christine McGraw and Leonard Catalano.
The city's 2012 Community Development Block Grant action plan will be amended under 97-2012. The changes are being made on the advice of the city's CDBG consultant to "more properly conform to HUD guidelines."
Communications on the agenda include one from Dolce appointing Margie Dye to the DLDC board effective Nov. 5, 2012 to Feb. 20, 2014. Dye will fill the need for a banking representative on the board.
Town of Pomfret Highway Superintendent Dan Bigelow wrote to request the city supply water service to a residence at the corner of Division and Fifth streets in Van Buren. The town buys water from the city but the city will have no cost associated with the hookup.
There are also two requests for use of designated city streets for fundraising and one for the use of Washington Park for a Christmas event.
Council is meeting today instead of its usual first Tuesday of the month due to the election Tuesday.
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