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The Dunkirk Common Council passed just two resolutions at its latest meeting Tuesday, and heard out some more worrying about city finances.
Reva Byczynski and Nancy Nichols, two regular speakers during public comment time at council meetings, needled city officials a bit over finances.
Byczynski offered well-wishes for new city Comptroller Tracy Smith-Dengler.
"I know her to be an honest, hard-working civil servant. Why she wants to get involved in this hornet's nest at City Hall, I don't know -- but I wish you all the best, Tracy," she said.
Byczynski expressed a rumor that city property taxes are going to go up 6% in 2027. She said that would mean taxes went up more than 90% in recent years.
"The homeowners are bearing the brunt of these taxes. Many of us are senior citizens on fixed income," she said.
Nichols had a specific request: officials should not grant Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreements to Battery Energy Storage Systems. City officials have stated Dunkirk is in line for about $1 million annually from a PILOT on a BESS planned in woodland off Brigham Road.
However, Nichols said, "We cannot afford to not have the going rate charged on the people who are going to be making money at those locations."
Councilman Frank Torain later pointed out that PILOT agreements are not negotiated by the city. They're actually negotiated by Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency officials.
"If we had our way, we wouldn't do a PILOT. But we don't have our way," Torain said.
Vince DeJoy, city planning and development director, defended the PILOT system.
"If we don't get PILOTs, there's no projects," he said. "It's always a 'but-for.' Anyone that believes that any type of big development is going to come in without a PILOT is dreaming, quite frankly. If you'd rather have a vacant blighted area that nothing will be developed, so be it. A PILOT will ensure that there is an economic development project."
"It's part of what we live with in New York State," said Torain.
DeJoy pointed out that PILOTs are made in other states across the country.
Byczynski had reported another rumor that the city Department of Public Works will not do brush pickup. DPW Director Randy Woodbury semi-confirmed that, stating that there is no money currently budgeted for brush pickup in the city.
One of the two resolutions that the council passed awarded a Community Development Block Grant sidewalk replacement project bid. The $111,911 bid was by S. Tabone Construction of Fredonia. The company will do sidewalk work in a stretch between Third and Seventh streets.
The other resolution moved the next Common Council meeting to Monday, Aug. 3. The council normally meets on Tuesdays, but wished to avoid a conflict with the city's National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz did not attend Tuesday's council meeting. None of the five council members attended her most recent meeting of city department heads.