Dunkirk appears willing to move out of the dark ages when it comes to handling the heavy load of more than $28 million in city finances. During a meeting earlier this week, Fiscal Affairs Officer Ellen Luczkowiak said she is ready to contract with GovSense to keep better track of city funds.

Luczkowiak told the Finance Committee the new program will allow the city government “come into what I call the 21st century. While it will be costly, it will save us money in the long run.”

Though the $300,000 start-up cost is an issue, it can be a step in the right direction. Previously, council members and the administration were representing constituents while wearing blindfolds. No one ever saw — or asked — for financial statements.

Imagine running a business like that.

Government, however, is wrongly built to be more forgiving. No matter how much money it burns through, some entity — whether it be New York state or the taxpayers — will be there to rescue it from the uneducated gaffes that have occurred for more than eight years.

All that being said, a financial overhaul is long overdue. Dunkirk’s archaic ways of accounting — some of it likely the 1960s method of spreadsheet and pencil — are part of a huge problem that led to the 84% tax increase that is punishing city residents.

This computer system has the ability to be more efficient and accurate, but it is far from the perfect solution. Final choices still fall to those who are elected to oversee operations, which has proven to be a scary proposition.

Multiple-term council members who include Natalie Luczkowiak, James Stoyle and Nancy Nichols have been ignorant and reckless in decisions that never considered a true financial picture due to a lack of documentation before this year.

Expecting money to just be there like council members did in the past was downright destructive. Dunkirk’s taxpayers will soon be in pain — and it is due to mismanagement and a lack of attention to detail.

Being oblivious while overseeing a $28 million entity cannot be an excuse. Shame on all those who have held city office in the past decade, especially an elected treasurer, and had no idea or were just plain aloof to the damage they were doing.