Dunbar council moves to buy building to hold dentist
DUNBAR – Borough council agreed Monday to check into buying a former nursing home on Connellsville Street in order to keep a dentist in town. Councilman William Watson asked council to check into purchasing the property and renting it to Gerry B. Perez, DMD. Watson said the Perez practice has done well in town over the past five years and Dr. Perez needs to expand his operation.
“We don’t want to lose him,” said Watson. “He has over 300 patients now and he is looking to expand is practice.”
Watson said a former nursing home on Connellsville Street would be the perfect location because the building is in good shape and is already sectioned off into separate rooms.
Council agreed to the plan and appointed council members Kathlene Dynes, Frank Zadell, Watson and John Maddas to the committee to begin exploring the purchase.
Solicitor Doug Sepic said only three council members will serve on the committee and one will serve as an alternate since four council members would constitute a quorum.
Sepic also agreed to oversee the process.
“We need to get a price for the property, compose an agreement, get approval of the full council, get an appraisal and obtain financing,” said Sepic.
“If you get started now the entire process should take about 60 days.”
In other unrelated matter, council appointed Peggy Zadell to the Dunbar Borough/Township Sanitary Authority for a five-year term. Zadell replaces Tom Bierer on the board.
Councilman Redding Bunting wasn’t happy with the appointment, however, and asked Maddas to explain why council needed a change.
“Several residents told me that they want to see a change on the board. Peggy said she want to be involved and Tom has never come to me and asked for my support,” said Maddas.
Watson said Bierer has never come to a council meeting to let them know what’s going on with the authority and said, “I think we should ask the representative to come to our meetings and let us know what’s going on with the board.”
In other matters, Bunting asked that council crack down on dilapidated houses in the borough.
“We’ve put up with this much too long,” said Bunting. “We agreed a couple of months ago to crack down on these people and I think we should start doing it now.”
Bunting said the houses in disrepair are on Fayette, Second, Connellsville and Railroad streets in the borough.
In other business, council:
– Presented a check to the Dunbar Library for $250 and a $500 check to the Dunbar Volunteer Fire Company. Council also learned that the firemen will pay for out-of-state telephone calls made over the last couple of months from the fire station. Officials say some of the calls made from the station were personal calls.
– Agreed to have Dynes, Watson and Zadell serve on the Dunbar Community Fest committee. Secretary Rachelle Hughes reported that the next meeting would be held Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Dunbar Presbyterian Church.
– Learned that the garbage collection rate is going up by 50 cents. Grover Garbage Haulers reported that they experienced an increase in dumping fees.
_ Found out that bids for the railroad crossing should go out June 3. Bunting said although this is a PennDOT job he expects it to be completed sometime in August.
_ Reminded residents to put food, water and straw outside for their outdoor pets. Dynes said with the outside temperature dropping into the single and double digits animals don’t have a chance at survival without “people” care.