- Report on West Elm Street project
and new restrooms at Buckeye park

Bluffton council approved a bid from Hohenbrink Excavating, Findlay, to complete the West Elm Street improvement project, phase 1. Action was Monday.

Hohenbrink’s bid of $888,009 was the lowest responsible of six bidders, according to Jesse Blackburn, village administration, who was very pleased with the low bid. The bids ranged as high at $1.1 million. Bid opening was July 19.

The low bid is nearly $320,000 lower than the original project estimate. Blackburn told council that Choice One will oversee the project.

The anticipated project schedule calls for water line installation this year – to begin as soon as possible - with the completion of the project beginning in March 2019.

Blackburn said that the low bid drops the per-foot-cost to $24.75 from an estimated $38 per-foot-cost.

Of that $24.75 cost, the village’s share is approximately $10.95 and the property owner’s share is approximately $13.35.

Buckeye park restrooms
The village will advertise for bids for the Buckey park restroom project.The bid opening is 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 9.

The project consists of a 26 by 14 foot block wall restroom with sidewalks and a parking area.

The engineer's estimate is $120,800 with an alternate of $7,500, which covers an overhang to the building entrance.

The project has partial funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Nature Works Grant Program.

The building will be near the shuffleboard courts at the park. It will replace restrooms removed earlier this year, which were located near the Sportmen's Club depot.