By Andy Chappell-Dick

At the February 28 Regular Meeting of the Bluffton Village Council, Mayor Rich Johnson began by asking Council to approve the minutes from the last meeting and pay the Village's bills, which they did. This information, along with an agenda for the meeting, is attached to this article and is provided by the village upon request.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Mayor Johnson next asked for Committee Reports. Ben Stahl spoke first for Parks and Recreation. Much has been done over the winter preparing the new disc golf course at Village Park. Work is being done by volunteers and private donations have covered the costs for this facility which is--reportedly--already achieving internet acclaim.  In new business, Bluffton High School student Sabina Clingerman approached the Committee about the idea of a Bluffton dog park as a Girl Scout Gold Award project.  A possible location is the empty Village-owned land off Lake Street, between Board & Brush and John's Body Shop.  Sabina was told to form a committee to determine costs and feasibility.

ORDINANCE

Mitch Kingsley reported for the Ordinance Committee's early steps in creating a comprehensive plan for the Village. Council's approval was requested in order to retain the services of Lima Allen County Regional Planning Commission, which offers extensive assistance to municipalities in creating such a plan. Council unanimously approved an expenditure of $4,000, and also approved the creation of a Steering Committee to be made up of diverse Village residents appointed by the Mayor.

LEGISLATION

Only one item of legislation was on the agenda; this was the third reading of the annual appropriations bill for 2022. This was approved unanimously, and one Council member remarked after the vote that he appreciated that the budget process was not done as emergency legislation this year. 

ADMINISTRATION

Jesse Blackburn presented the Village administration report with input from Assistant Bryan Lloyd. He began by outlining a significant cost at the sewer plant: a $75,000 ultraviolet light cabinet that's part of an upgrade to the disinfecting system. The EPA requires this new equipment, which will improve compliance in the future. It shows how the Village can, with careful planning, be "staged" to qualify for considerable federal funding.  Blackburn also reported on funding for projects at the Village-owned airport. 

Lloyd noted that the water main replacement project on the Bluffton University campus was at the pressure-testing phase.  He then asked for approval to make surplus a collection of disused chainsaws and sewer pumps, which means he can list them on www.govdeals.com.

Finally, Blackburn stated that delinquent and unpaid Village Income Tax is now going through the Ohio Attorney General's office, a new approach that is producing good results in the first few months.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Before closing the meeting, Mayor Johnson asked for public comment.  South Jackson Street resident Bill Carr stood to "respectfully request that the Village correct the problem... of a large waterhole" that appears on the street in front of his house after heavy rains.  The mayor thanked Carr--and his neighbor Bob Amstutz who had addressed the puddle problem at the last meeting of Council--and said that the Village Administrator and his Assistant would make an appointment with the two homeowners to consult on the matter.