OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward LED Energy Solutions presents a $100,000 check to the city of Dunkirk at Tuesday’s Common Council Meeting. Pictured from left: Fourth Ward Councilman Mike Civiletto, Councilman-at-large Andy Woloszyn, LED Energy Solutions President Steve Hotz, Mayor Wilfred Rosas, Third Ward Councilman Shaun Heenan and First Ward Councilman Don Williams.

A plan that was two years in the making finally saw the signing of the contracts Monday.

At Tuesday’s Common Council meeting, Mayor Wilfred Rosas announced the New York State funded LED Project.

“The city of Dunkirk is going to be the model for other municipalities across the state of New York,” Rosas stated. “So they are monitoring the progress of this project.”

As an incentive, the city received a $100,000 check upon signing.

“Mayor Wilfred Rosas and LED Energy Solutions are pleased to have formed a partnership to provide energy and cost efficient lighting throughout the city of Dunkirk facilities and along their streets,” LED Energy Solutions President Steve Hotz announced. “The city of Dunkirk has taken a lead role in becoming a ‘Smart City’, that will promote our efforts towards becoming a cleaner and greener community.”

According to Hotz, there will be no money paid out of city coffers and that the thousands of dollars saved, will pay for the project without hurting the taxpayers.

Also, Hotz told the council and attending citizens alike, that the initial interest rate for this project was 2.99 percent, however, through the negotiation efforts of Mayor Rosas, the interest rate was reduced to zero.

This LED lighting project aligns with New York’s Clean Energy Communities (CEC) program, which encourages New York State municipalities to complete at least four designated clean energy actions that will save energy costs, create jobs, and improve the environment, allowing for additional grants and funding.

“This is only phase one of the energy saving platform for the city of Dunkirk,” Hotz added. “Phase two will bring solar and geo-thermal, along with HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). The accumulation of these energy saving measures will create a result of net ‘0’ energy, and put the city of Dunkirk on target for future financial and energy savings as well as meeting the energy requirements that will be in place by 2030.”

Also on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the 2018 Consolidated Funding Application Awards.

“I am very happy to announce that the city of Dunkirk has been awarded three grant projects,” Mayor Wilfred Rosas stated at Dunkirk’s Common Council Meeting.

The first grant is a two-year grant totaling $225,000 for the Great Lakes Grand Prix Boat Races, the second is $500,000 for the developers of the city’s hotel project, the Dunkirk Wyndgate and Recreation Center Project, which will feature a new 83 room, nationally branded hotel, restaurant, distillery, swimming pool and multi-recreation center.

“This was the catalyst that we needed to move this project forward,” Mayor Rosas added.

The third was $73,155 to Chautauqua County, in partnership with the city of Dunkirk, village of Silver Creek, towns of Hanover and Westfield and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. This grant will install five ADA accessible kayak launches to help increase water recreation and public access to Chautauqua Lake and Lake Erie.

“I sincerely want to thank Gov. Cuomo and New York State for recognizing the importance of these projects, and for the funding for the revitalization of the city of Dunkirk,” Rosas said. “There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes from our development department, and I can’t say enough about how proud I am of the work that they have done.”