Bluffton council intends to raze the former Fleming house at 136 Railroad Street. The house was damaged extensively during the 2007 flood. In addition, the village plans to raze the house at 150 Railroad, (second from the corner of Railroad and College).
Council moved to proceed with those projects at the Monday, April 12, council meeting. Council does not own the property at 136 Railroad, but does own the 150 Railroad St. property.
In other council flood-related action, Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, announced a bid opening on May 10 for the Spring Street Bridge Replacement project. That structure was also damaged in the 2007 flood. It has not been open to vehicular traffic since the flood. The engineer's estimate for the project is $207,000.
Council passed by emergency an ordinance changing the zoning classification of the former Morey's Coffee Shop at 114 E. College Ave. The Hancock Investment Group, LLC, filed a petition with the village planning committee requesting the rezoning from Commercial I to Residential III.
Mehaffie informed the council that Bluffton University is in the planning stages of upgrading part of its storm drainage system in conjunction with one of its building projects this summer.
He said that the village is responsible for part of the system that the university is considering upgrading.
"There has been a tentative agreement reached that the university will cover the installation costs if the village supplies the materials," he said. "Based on the proposed project, the village would be responsible for nearly $5,000 for materials, which are mainly storm sewer pipes and structures."
Mehaffie also updated council on a recent inspection of the village wastewater treatment plant. The inspection took place on March 29 by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Based upon the NPDES report, the plant is being operated in accordance with the regulations outlined in the village's NPDES permit.
Within the past month, the village has also had its annual inspection of its water and sewer installations. According to Mehaffie, both inspection reports were clean and indicate that the members of the village service and sewer departments are operating these systems within the compliance standards set by the Ohio EPA.
The following council committee and village meetings dates were announced on April 12:
- April 13 - Board of building and zoning appeals, 7 p.m.
- April 19 - Water advisory board, Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
- April 22 - Allen County Regional Planning annual meeting, Lima,5pm
- April 26 - Council as a whole (utilities discussion), 7 p.m.
- April 26 - Council meeting, 8 p.m.
