Bluffton council provide raises for 27 village employees at its May 11 council meeting – conducted in a virtual format. The raises are effective Jan. 1, 2020.

It also established requirements and starting wages for members of its police department and village employees, full-time, part-time and salaried.

The salaries lists and details of employee requirements is attached in the May 11 council package at the bottom of this story. Details are on pages 19 through 27.

Council also reminded residents of village clean up week and on details for change over of refuse and recycle carts. That information follows:

Clean up week May 18-21
Village of Bluffton clean up week is Monday to Thursday, May 18-21, according to Jesse Blackburn, village administrator.

Dumpsters will be placed at the Bluffton recycle center on Spring Street during this period.

Blackburn cautioned that the following items are not accepted:
• Hazardous material (motor oil, paint, etc.)
• vehicle batteries
• Tires
• Appliances that use Freon (refrigerators, unless these are certified that Freon is legally removed and disposed of properly)

The dumpsters are for residents of the village only. Persons dumping items may be randomly asked to verify that they are residents.

Refuse and recycle carts
All Republic carts must be placed curbside during the normal pick up day of Monday, June 1, or Wednesday, June 3. Residents should leave them at their curb and they will be picked up and replaced by new Rumpke carts.

Rumpke is the new contractor for the village of Bluffton trash and recycling. The company began collection in Bluffton on May 1. It has hired a third-party contractor to exchange the green and blue Republic carts.

Residents may request smaller (65 gallon vs. 95 gallon) trash carts if they wish. To do this, residents must contact Rumpke at 800-828-8171. The new rates for trash and recycling will be reflected in the June utility bills.