Candidates are pictured at a recent LWV forum.

City of Dunkirk Common Council candidates attended a League of Women Voters forum at City Hall recently.

First Ward candidate Natalie Luczkowiak, Second Ward council hopefuls Frank Torain and Colby Garza, the Third Ward’s Gary Frederickson, the Fourth Ward’s Michael Civiletto, and Councilman-at-large Nick Weiser attended.

Nancy Nichols, the incumbent councilperson who is the Fourth Ward’s Republican candidate, did not attend. Luczkowiak, Frederickson and Weiser are all running unopposed.

The first question asked the candidates what they would do with the city treasurer position. The current Common Council wants to abolish the position and has set an Election Day referendum on it for city voters.

“The taxpayer will get the opportunity to make the decision,” Torain said. “It was a decision that had to be made because we have to do something to make changes in the city. One of the things is making sure that we have someone who’s highly qualified to run a $20 million budget. With the way everything’s outlined, the person that’s in charge of fiscal affairs will be charged with doing a lot of the stuff the treasurer’s been doing. I’m pretty sure we can get this figured out and do it in a way that will be beneficial to Dunkirk.”

Civiletto said, “Dunkirk needs to be a modern municipality. As of right now, I believe we’re one of two municipalities in the entire state who has an elected treasurer. The treasurer needs to be someone who has the competency and the qualifications.” He suggested “charter changes in other areas as well to make us a modern municipality.”

Garza said, “Eliminating the treasurer will not change the lack of leadership. I think there is some logistical efficiency that needs to be done. Essentially we need to know where the money’s going and where it’s being spent, and not just released on Facebook… Have a public meeting where everyone can see where the money is spent before we eliminate such a position.”

Civiletto commented that all citizens can go to Common Council Finance Committee meetings and that he is not sure what else can be done for transparency.

“If we try to add or mix in someone else, I think it would get even more murky and dirty, versus seeing what’s actually happened to date,” Garza said.

“By eliminating that position, you have the opportunity to bring in someone who is professional enough to handle the finances of the city,” Torain said.

Frederickson, who showed up a little late, called the treasurer “outdated.”

The candidates were questioned if Dunkirk and Fredonia should combine police services and streets. “I just don’t see why we need separate police and fire if we’re that close together,” Fredrickson said.

Garza said he supported it if it “improves efficiency without hurting the citizens of the city.”

Torain said, “we have to sit down at the table and talk to each other, and we have to sit down and make sure it makes good sense.”

Civiletto commented, “I was reading a book about Dunkirk history a while back, it was from 1888, and it said, ‘As Dunkirk goes, Fredonia goes.’ It’s amazing we’re still talking about this over 100 years later.” He said Fredonia backed away from a previous look at sharing police, but the village’s current administration is more amenable to such talks.

A subsequent query asked, “what would you like to see happen at the NRG site?”

Luczkowiak said she wants to see NRG completely demolish it for a “clean canvas.”

Frederickson said an option discussed for nuclear power at the plant is interesting but would take years to happen.

Garza rebutted Luczkowiak, noting there is already prime lakefront property in the area that’s not selling. Torain warned that the public needs to be brought on board with any plans.

“Maybe we can take down half of it and one half can be used…” said Civiletto. He was cut off by debate moderator Marcia Merrins, who very strictly kept speakers to time limits.

Another question asked the candidates what they would do with $5 million for the city. Frederickson said he would focus on trying to bring in more businesses. Garza would “heavily put it all on the lakefront” as an economic boost.

“If we had that kind of money, first thing I would look at is, let’s get our fiscal affairs in order,” Torain said.

Civiletto said he would use the money for senior housing.

The candidates were questioned, “what is council’s proposal for saving residents tax money? What services are looking to be cut and how do you plan to implement the cuts?”

Torain said it was something he would have to further analyze.

“We’re already operating an austerity budget in the city, meaning we’ve largely cut what we can at this point,” Weiser said. “What I’m most focused on is new revenue generation.”

Civiletto said small tax increases may be necessary to keep up with inflation but the city needs to look at sharing services.

Frederickson commented, “If I’m correct, the biggest expense in the city is union contracts — that gets to be real iffy on trying to get them to give things back they are already getting. I was in a union for 33 years. We always looked to get more, we never wanted to give back. That is an issue we would have to work with.”

The entire debate can be viewed in a video on the League of Women Voters Chautauqua County’s YouTube page.