Discussion of the abandoned gas station and restaurant on State Route 103 were among discussion points at the Jan. 15 Bluffton Airport Advisory Committee meeting.
According to meeting minutes, which are preliminary, Steve Chamberlain, village solicitor, reported that the current property owners generally respond to nothing and the behavior may continue. The Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) must make contact with the owners to resolve the clean-up issue with their old filling station property. If the issue is not resolved BUSTR will refer the case to the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
Chamberlain said that three things could happen after the Attorney General's Office considers the case:
• The Village of Bluffton will be able to do an Administrative Foreclosure on the property.
• The Village of Bluffton will likely be given funds to deal with the clean-up or an interest free loan.
• The Village of Bluffton may then recoup money by selling the property.
It was noted that The Village of Bluffton may not recoup all loses by the above scenario, but if nothing is done, everything will likely get worse.
Abandoned restaurant
Chamberlain indicated the Village of Bluffton will have the property evaluated for code violations that may exist. Hopefully the owners will knock down the building, clean up the site, and sell it. The owners apparently hope to financially break even on the property.
The complete preliminary minutes of the commission are part of the Monday Bluffton council packet.
The council agenda is in an attachment at the bottom of this story.
