“We do carry our own weight, and I want the public to know that,” said Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Priscilla Penfold.

Consolidation, Zoning Book updates, the cost of water systems in the Town, and police protection costs are among the discussion items at the meeting. A tour of facilities and areas of concern will also be on the agenda.

Public input is already a theme at Dunkirk Town Board meetings. Dunkirk frequently entertains comments from the audience during its regular meetings on issues of interest to the Town. At the most recent meeting, two residents — Jay Warren and Sue Hazelton — spoke on the topic of consolidation raised by Town Board member Phil Leone at the previous meeting.

Warren is a former Code Enforcement Officer and Planning Board member in the Town. He noted that oftentimes in consolidation, residents oppose because “they don’t want to lose their identity.”

Dunkirk resident Sue Hazelton spoke at a recent Dunkirk Town Board meeting regarding consolidation of the Town with nearby municipalities.

Warren also noted shared services and collaboration are already ongoing in the Town, but called consolidation “a heavy lift.” He stated, “Both entities would have to really think about what the benefits are to go through the trouble.”

Hazelton said, “The Town seems to be doing just fine. Why would we want to bail somebody out when we’re doing so fine? What would we gain by doing this?” She then referenced the proposed changes to the Catholic Churches across the county, which many are unhappy with.

In terms of pulling its own weight, the Town Justice Court handled a total of 198 cases in the month of May, which brought in $19,273 to the Town. The Town Clerk also took in $1,642 in the month of May.

The next meeting of the Dunkirk Town Board will be Tuesday, July 16, with a public hearing for a local law to implement changes to the Town Zoning Book beginning at 5 p.m., with the regular meeting to follow.