The Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) worked on various recommendations during its last meeting. The topics at hand ranged from public safety to revisions of an audit policy of the city.

The CAC would like to recommend an audit rotation for the city. Under this recommendation the CAC would like to see an independent audit service be put out to bid every three years with a single firm being only able to serve two consecutive terms.

"We wanted to cut that down to a six-year term and have to rebid it after three years," CAC member Nick Penque said.

Once serving two consecutive terms, that bidding agency will not be able to bid again for another three years. Another stipulation the recommendation will follow is one auditing firm cannot serve two city entities, such as the city and the Dunkirk Local Development Corporation (DLDC).

CAC Chairman Jim White said the issue was not brought up for cost reasons but as a suggestion for the city.

CAC member Pat Schanzlin-Heminger wanted accountability for the city and checks and balances.

"What can we do to give peace of mind to everybody without high cost but still keep everybody honest and on a check and balance system," she said.

White believed having the same auditor for 15 years did not follow the principle of checks and balances.

The CAC will send its recommendation to Mayor A.J. Dolce and the City Common Council for further action as seen fit by the council.

Penque brought up the location of court security in City Hall. He suggested it should be in the front of city hall instead of on the second floor. The CAC made a motion to send the issue to the transparency for government and accountability subcommittee to look into the matter further.

Another city hall issue was temperature.

"I noticed when A.J. (Dolce) first became mayor, he had to have all his doors open in (his office) because he couldn't breathe in there. It was so hot," Penque said. "If you go in the court room, it's freezing in there."

CAC member Edna Sek said the basement of the city hall in the assessor's office was too hot or too cold.

White suggested there must be something that can be done with energy conservation or temperature findings in the city hall.

The CAC passed a motion to ask Dolce and the council to look into a formal review of the temperatures and heating system of city hall.

In other business:

The CAC went on record to say it supports bicycle and foot patrols by Dunkirk City Police in the summer.

The next CAC meeting will be April 11 at 6:30 p.m. at city hall.

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