Bluffton council accepted the low bid from Schimmoeller Construction of Kalida, to construct new restrooms at the Buckeye Park.

The Monday night action accepted the Kalida firm’s base bid of $119,997 for the project, which is under the $120,800 engineer’s estimate. Council did not accept an addition proposal of  $16,497 to add a porch to the building.

Schimmoeller has until June 15, 2019, to complete the building. Council approved the contract as an emergency in the hope that construction would begin very soon.

At the same time, council put on hold an estimated $25,000 expenditure for dike work between the Buckeye and Riley Creek. In recent floods, the dike has eroded and the creek has overflowed into the Buckeye.

In other village action, it was announced that the 75 trees anticipated from a grant through the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership will not come to Bluffton.

The Icon learned that the village application for the trees was neither completed nor submitted. “This is disappointing news,” Ben Stahl, council representative on the Tree Commission told council.

In a related tree commission announcement, Joanne Antibus has stepped down as chair of the commission. Nancy Benroth is now the chair.

Several council committee meetings were set on Monday:
• Personnel, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 4 p.m.
• Ordinance, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 5:30 p.m.
• Street and alley, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m.