Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas during previous State of the City address in City Hall.

Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas covered a lot of ground at his annual State of the City address Friday, delving into 2019 achievements as well as 2020 plans. A big focus was on the economy and the savings and revenues the city is gaining.

“The new policies and procedures implemented when I first came into office in 2016 have begun to show positive outcomes,” Rosas stated. “This has been confirmed by the official audit presentation of the last three years. Our 2018 audit was presented and shows a combined fund balance of $6.1 million, this is an increase of over $1.3 million since I came into office.”

In addition to the increase, the city was also able to pay off over $800,000 to close out old capital projects that were over a decade old.

“We were able to purchase over $1 million in much needed equipment without having to bond for it,” Rosas added. These items included an ambulance, two front loaders, a street cleaner, vehicles in various departments and patching rollers.

In preparing for the NRG loss Dunkirk became the sole supplier of water to the North County Water District, and has increased its revenues in this fund. The water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades have continued and the $23 million project is expected to be completed in 2020.

“This projects gives us the opportunity to increase our capacity and our customer base by us becoming the sole supplier to the North County Water District,” Rosas said. “As they increase their customer base, we increase ours, so that means revenue coming in.” Rosas added that the North County Water District is ahead of schedule with the east part of their customers, so are now looking at the town of Sheridan.

Rosas expanded on savings that taxpayers can see by speaking on the LED project, set to be completed this year as well. “The LED project will save taxpayers $250,000 a year,” Rosas shared. “The city was paying annually to National Grid, over $1 million.” Other updates set to save the city money include $100,000 a year in chemical purchases at the water and wastewater treatment plant and updates to equipment will save the city an estimated $50,000 in repairs and maintenance. The city’s next step is looking to implement solar energy for further cost savings.

Economically the city is on an upswing as well starting with the opening of the cold storage facility on the former edgewood property.

“Empire State Brands is a $14.7 million project which includes the development of vertically integrated growing, processing and packaging operation for the production of hops, malted barely, wheat, rye and other grain products,” Rosas explained about a huge incentive coming into the area. “The new processing facility will have a regional economic impact with over 400 jobs created and 250 farmers impacting 4,200 acres in Western New York. This is a regional project. The state is backing this project. This is not only going to create jobs at this facility in the city, but for farmers across Western New York. Their brand is going to be marketing the city of Dunkirk.”

Rosas also spoke of the $90 million expansion at Fieldbrook Foods which is going to create 75 to 100 jobs with a $40,000-$50,000 starting salary and full benefits packages.

“2020 is all about focusing on improving downtown Dunkirk,” Rosas shared. “Helping existing businesses expand and bringing in new businesses. Incentives to locate downtown and on Central Avenue will be offered and grant assistance for facade improvements will be applied for.”

Other areas of interest Rosas focused on were the updates to public safety including a new communications center at the police station, mobile data terminals in all police cars, an armored truck for the Special Retracation Team unit, a new ambulance and various upgrades to equipment at the fire houses and the new ladder truck for the fire department that has an arrival date of spring 2020.

He also talked of the animal shelter at the dog park, the senior center improvements, the comprehensive plan, continuing support of the Walleye tournaments and fishing derbys, as well as Music on the Pier and other festivals. He also announced the tentative dates of the Great Lakes Offshore Grand Prix as July 10-12.

Rosas finished on the importance of building relationships. “Building relationships, as far as I’m concerned, is one of the most important, if not the most important job of a mayor,” Rosas stated. “When I go out to Albany. I make sure that I meet with some of the governor’s commissioners because these are the people that I’m going to need to talk to when we need help here in the city.”