DUNKIRK — Officials wondered this week what to do about a homeless person who is apparently living on the Central Avenue benches near City Hall.

“I’d like to begin with a problem we have — the homeless person that has taken up residence on our Central Avenue benches,” Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak said at a Common Council meeting to open her regular report. “The only one that can save him is himself. He is a young, healthy, Caucasian male who has every opportunity out there. There is no excuse for him and it’s unfortunate we have to deal with this. I propose we daily (get) rid of his belongings until he moves to another city.”

Luczkowiak asked Police Chief Chris Witkowski to confirm that he is dealing with the situation. “It’s kind of a delicate situation, due to the nature of it I can’t really go into detail,” he said. “We have been working with the mayor’s office, the city attorney, the council and DPW to try to address that situation. We’re trying to give him any resources we possibly can and hopefully he’ll get the resources he needs.”

Luczkowiak then asked City Attorney Elliott Raimondo if a local law might keep the man from returning. Raimondo responded, “We could do a local law — the problem is, if the individual keeps returning to the site over and over again, he’ll go before the judge and he’ll be released. Ideally we’d like him to just move on his own.”

“He’s very versatile,” commented Councilman James Stoyle. “He did exactly what the chief said he’d do in an email. We took the bench away from him and he moved on up. And he’s going to keep on moving on up until he’s on the benches out front.”

Raimondo said he has spoken with Witkowski about the matter and they are going to reach out to the man with more resources. The attorney repeated that the man will hopefully leave on his own and told Luczkowiak that throwing out his possessions “would be a last resort.”

Luczkowiak responded, “I think we’ve been through all of that. I think we are in the last resort.”

“We can’t keep removing benches,” Stoyle said. “I say we transplant him to Jamestown!”

Mayor Kate Wdowiasz interjected, “There was issues with that bench — it wasn’t just arbitrarily removed. There were some problems with it. It was removed to be repaired and replaced back in that spot.”

“We have to stop the locals from giving him clothing and food and drink and everything else, and they’re leaving it there,” Councilwoman Nancy Nichols said.

“I wish the nice residents that are leaving him clothing … would offer him a home,” Wdowiasz said.

“It’s against the law to feed the deer at Niagara Mohawk. There’s gotta be a law against feeding this guy,” Stoyle said.