Note: E-mail service to Bluffton village offices is sporadic, as many residents trying to e-mail village employees discovered last week.
The internet server went down last Wednesday and no e-mail was sent or received by the village until earlier this week.
The village is working with Perry Pro-Tech, its internet provider, to resolve the problem.
Monday’s council session
Bluffton council awarded the West Elm Street water engineering project to Choice One Engineering, Sidney, for – rough estimated - $450,000 on Monday.
Action took place following a 40-minute executive session to discuss personnel changes.
The Choice One specific estimate was not announced and it was not announced if there were other bidders.
According to Judy Augsburger, mayor, the Elm Street action was intended for discussion prior to the executive session, but that discussion was omitted due to an oversight.
At the Sept. 11 council meeting council members quizzed Jack Huber, village administrator, on what action he made to obtain bids on the project.
Notes from Sept. 11 meeting:
On the Elm Street water main project, Talavinia asked, “Where are we on it? This needs to get on the 2018 schedule.”
Warren followed with: “Have you started on it?”
Huber replied: “I’ve worked on a list. Each firm contacted has done this for years.”
Sehlhorst said: “I don’t want to micro-manage, but we are paying you to make these decision. You are going to have to make the recommendations. I want to see this process move forward. Some how you’ve got to find a way for this to move forward.”
Talavinia asked Huber for an update on the project by the next council meeting.
Jesse Blackburn pay raise
Also, following the executive session council moved to increase Jesse Blackburn’s salary to $52,600, effective Oct. 1, subject to an updated job description.
Bluffton University
Kevin Nichol, vice president of fiscal affairs at Bluffton University, requested water and sewer taps along Augsburger Road. The taps are intended for use at the recently announced Moyer Nature Center at the university nature preserve.
The building is located outside the village limits and the tap-in fees and monthly water and sewer fees are double for connection outside village limits.
Nichol initially said the university did not plan to annex the property into the village, but when he was informed on Monday night that the monthly utility fee is also double he said, “That’s not the information we got.” He said that his understanding was that only the tap-in fee was double priced.
He then said that the university would need to annex the property. Council set a utility committee meeting for 4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27, in the town hall, to discuss the matter further.
West Riley Street demolition
Jesse Blackburn announced that the demolition of the structure at 145 W. Riley St., could be pushed back “into next week.” He said that the property owners wanted time to remove things from the structure. Council passed a resolution to raze the structure on Aug. 14.
THE SEPT. 25 COUNCIL PACK IS ATTACHED -
