Pictured is Nick Weiser who said Freed Maxick will “enhance” city accounting.

The Dunkirk Common Council approved a series of resolutions intended to deal with the city’s financial problems Tuesday.

The council approved a more than $16.8 million Revenue Anticipation Note (RAN) to fund city business and satisfy tax warrants. It also hired Hodgson Russ law firm of Buffalo to work with the city’s financial advisers, Municipal Solutions, on the note, along with any other bonds needed for Dunkirk’s fiscal recovery attempts.

Council also hired accounting firm Freed Maxick to consult on the city’s 2025 budget. Another resolution approved retaining financial services firm Three + One to analyze Dunkirk’s cash flow.

The votes on all four measures were 4-0. Councilperson Nancy Nichols, who is recovering from surgery, missed her second straight meeting.

Mayor Kate Wdowiasz addressed the council on the financial resolutions, asking members to pass them.

She said the RAN “will be used to pay our past due obligations that have not been paid under previous administrations, which also includes the $5.9 million RAN that was taken out last year, (and) the payments to the state retirement system that are past due in the amount of about $4.2 million. It will pay for the two pumper trucks we need to the tune of $1.7 million, the county tax warrant… and also the school tax warrant.”

Councilman James Stoyle asked about the retirement fund issue, “They’re not going to fine us, right?”

Wdowiasz replied, “There is no penalty that we’re accruing except for interest, but that’s negotiable with them at this point.”

Councilman-at-large Nick Weiser also made statements about the resolutions. He said Freed Maxick “will enhance our accounting services” and Three+One will offer a “comprehensive treasury and liquidity analysis.”