City approves block grant fund allocations
Dunkirk’s latest Community Block Development Grant spending plan got approved by the Common Council this month.
The plan allocates $441,288 of CDBG funding for this year. Here’s where the money is going, according to the resolution passed by council:
— The largest expenditure is $88,257 to cover “one position, supplies and other fees.” Councilwomen Abigail Yerico and Nancy Nichols sought clarification on that. Vince DeJoy, planning and development director, said it pays for CDBG coordinator Nicole Clift’s salary and administrative fees but also partially funds another position, though that was unstated on the resolution.
— $85,700 is going to Dunkirk’s annual sidewalk replacement program.
— $85,000 is earmarked for demolition of two unspecified buildings.
— $60,000 is paying for a city code enforcement position.
— $40,372 is for the Chautauqua County Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation (CHRIC) emergency roof repair program.
— $20,000 goes for CHRIC’s program assisting home buyers with closing costs and down payments.
— $16,000 goes to Chautauqua County Rural Ministry to create a “Code Blue”- compliant shelter in the city, for homeless people to get out of frigid temperatures.
— $15,000 goes to the Boys & Girls Club’s Bridging the Gap youth assistance program.
— $10,000 is earmarked to renovate the stairway at the former Adams Art Gallery on Central Avenue, now the subject of a reuse initiative called Central Hall.
— Outlays of less than $10,000 are going to safety work at the Dunkirk Boardwalk; repairs and renovations at the Dunkirk Museum; and the Kids@Promise youth mentoring program.