How much salt goes on Bluffton’s streets each winter? What does it cost? And, what's this about beet juice? The Icon asked Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, these questions. Here’s his responses:

The salt used this winter season is leftover from last year. Near the end of the season last year, the Village of Bluffton still had a reserve amount of salt to purchase based on our contract and we were able to fill our salt storage bins to capacity at last season’s prices of $38 per delivered ton.

The Village of Bluffton started partnering with the Allen County Engineer’s Office’s partnership with ODOT District 1’s salt purchasing contract a few years ago.

Instead of receiving pricing based on the 150-200 tons that the village reserves each year from a supplier, we were seeking to benefit from the large base bid put forth by the combined Allen County/ODOT bid. So far this year, we have not had to purchase salt at this season’s increased process of $120 per delivered ton.

In an average year, the village will utilize approximately 150-200 tons of road salt. We do not use sand or stone, either singularly or as a mix with the salt, due to the impact on the storm sewer system that would result.

The village also utilizes a beet-juice based brine solution that is applied to the salt as it is spread onto the roadways. This solution has the benefits of allowing the salt to be effective at lower temperatures and also helps the salt to stick to the roadway and not bounce into the gutters.

This solution was originally utilized as a pretreatment for anti-icing but we have had more success with the current use of the product. In a given year, the village will spend $8,000 - $10,000 on de-icing products.

In addition, the village also hires a contractor to remove accumulated snow from the downtown business district to enhance the public’s access to the downtown.

If the village receives a significant amount of snowfall from a single snow event or accumulating snow from multiple events that creates a hindrance for public access to the downtown area, the village’s contractor will be called in to remove the snow from downtown area.

This operation generally takes place in the overnight hours.
The decision to call in the contractor is based on numerous factors, including amount of snow, forecasted snow, and forecasted temperatures.

In an average year, this process cost the village approximately $5,000 - $10,000 depending on the severity and timing of snow events.