OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Priscilla Penfold listens to public comments during a recent Town Board meeting.

Town of Dunkirk officials were pleased with the turnout of the latest Town Hall meeting for public input, held on May 8.

At a recent Town Board meeting, Town Council member Shari Miller said, “It’s really important that we keep those avenues of conversation going … to make sure that we are on target with the residents with what they need.”

Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Priscilla Penfold echoed Miller’s sentiments, stating, “Those are just really valuable to me. It’s your town. We steer the ship, but we need you there to let us know the direction to go.”

Town of Dunkirk resident Jay Warren commended the Town Board for its efforts to make good on the goals outlined in the town’s Comprehensive Plan. Town resident Pete Miller said he was happy to learn he was not alone in his desire for a sign to welcome visitors to the Town of Dunkirk. Penfold stated she will seek assistance to make Miller’s request become a reality.

Linda Leone, Town Historian, is also seeking input from the Town of Dunkirk residents in an attempt to compile oral history of the town.

In recent Town of Dunkirk business, the Highway Department has received its CHIPS money from the state. Including rollover funds from 2024, the Town of Dunkirk maintains $55,387.34 in Highway funds.

During the month of April, the Town of Dunkirk Justice Court handled 264 cases for a total of $22,816.78 to be turned over to the Town. The Town Clerk’s Office collected $3,342.44 in April, with more than $2,800 of that amount coming in the form of zoning fees. Six building permits have been issued in the past month for approximately $1,585 of revenue to the town.

The Town Board approved the purchase of a new computer from SynchroNet for $1,335 for the Town Clerk’s Office. A shared service agreement regarding the contract for Assessor Jeanne Ebersole was also approved. The Town of Dunkirk Justice Court will be closed June 5 to allow for officials to attend training at Houghton University.

The Town of Dunkirk also pledged $1,000 to the City of Dunkirk to support the annual fireworks display on July 4. The allocation was budgeted for after doing so in years past.

The Town Board did not take action regarding a request for a local law to regulate potential Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) projects. The Town Board received a presentation from Rebecca Wurster, Special Projects Coordinator with the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development, at a previous meeting. Upon advice from counsel, the Town Board is taking more time to discuss the matter.

The next meeting of the Dunkirk Town Board is Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m.