Bluffton council on Monday agreed to pay the Bluffton Sportsmen’s Club $13,174 for damages caused on Dec. 22 when sewage backed up and overflowed into the club’s depot on Spring Street.
Tom Augsburger, club president, asked council for financial help in the matter, after the village’s insurance carrier refused to pay for an insurance claim on the overflow. Augsburger said that the club did not carry sewer back up insurance at the time, “but we do now.”
The overflow, which Augsburger said, was “class 3 water,” or raw sewage.
In other council action, members discussed an ongoing water rate dispute with the Village of Ottawa, Bluffton’s water supplier. Council voted on Monday to pay the most recent water bill from Ottawa at the 2013 rate, which is $2.24 per 100 cubic foot rate. That is the rate prior to a recent Ottawa water hike. Ottawa’s recent bill to the village totaled $2.60 per 100 cubic feet.
According to Steven Chamberlain, village solicitor, the new rate charged to Bluffton has to do with “interpreting the water contract.” Bluffton does not agree with Ottawa’s interpretation. The water rate discussion between Bluffton and Ottawa officials has gone on for over four months old.
Council passed a policy that would close the town hall during snow emergencies. Roger Warren voted against the policy.
Council also agreed to Bluffton Center for Entrepreneur’s request for $5,000 funding for 2014.
