The Bluffton school board will act on the purchase of approximately 2.23 acres of property along Triplett Drive-Harmon Road at its Monday night meeting.
The property is the parking lot of the former Triplett Corp. The land extends from East College Avenue to the north edge of the Steinmetz Soccer Field. The purchase price is $50,000.
Phill Talavinia is Bluffton’s newest council member.
Following interviews with eight potential candidates, the five Bluffton council members chose Talavinia by a 3-2 vote to replace Mitch Kingsley on the council.
Action took place in a special meeting held Sept. 25.
Rich Johnson was initially nominated for the vacancy. Acting on the motion to name Johnson to the vacancy, council voted 2 in favor and 3 against. Voting for Johnson were Sean Burrell and Roger Warren. Voting no were Everett Collier, Dave Steiner and Joe Sehlhorst.
Bluffton council will act on the purchase of a new fire truck and new turn out gear later this month. The vehicle under consideration would replace the 1984 Ford that is in the department.
Council heard a presentation on Sept. 15 from a village safety services meeting held earlier. Details of the turn out gear and fire truck are in an attachment at the bottom of this story.
Council is considering the purchase of a 2015 Rosenbauer smart cab firefighter at a purchase price of $310,206. If purchased the vehicle will be delivered next fall.
Bluffton council will hold two special sessions in the next two weeks to interview potential candidates for the open council seat created when Mitch Kingsley resigned from council.
According to Judy Augsburger, Bluffton mayor, eight persons have expressed an interest in the seat. Council set special meetings for Thursday, Sept. 18, and Thursday, Sept. 25. Both sessions start at 6:30 p.m.
Both sessions will be in executive session with four interviews scheduled each evening.
On Monday, Sept. 15, the Bluffton council Street, Alleys, Light and Sidewalk Committee recommended to the full council to amend Ordinance No. 07-13 to extend the deadline for sidewalk repairs until July 15, 2015, for properties on the east side of Main Street.
Jesse Blackburn of the village, told The Icon, "The committee was pleased with the current 42% response rate from residents regarding sidewalk repairs."
On Monday Bluffton council will act on the second of three readings of a 21-page ordinance that clearly spells out the self-governing rules of that body.
It is the most comprehensive and detailed ordinance in recent memory – perhaps the first-ever - that covers in such detail the rules and job description of council members.
THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE IS IN AN ATTACHMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.
