Have you glanced at the Bluffton town hall clock tower recently? There’s some shingles missing. A repair job is on the way, but it won't be a cheap fix.
Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, informed Bluffton council members on Monday that he has received one estimate for the repair. The estimate is $17,500.
Mehaffie says that the tower roof leaks and that’s why the clock, from time to time, doesn't keep time correctly. The shingles that are loose are not part of the town hall renovation. That roof work was part of an earlier fixup.
Sean Burrell, 105 Magnolia Lane, is Bluffton’s newest council member. He was sworn in on Monday to fill the seat left vacant by Dennis Gallant, when Gallant resigned to become Bluffton’s mayor.
Council recommended the new council member to the position after council members conducted interviews last week. Burrell will serve on council until the end of the year.
Remember the sidewalk repair program of about 10 years ago? It's coming back. Bluffton council anticipates acting on the first of three readings on a new ordinance to address sidewalks not addresses in the first round.
The action is on Monday's council agenda. A complete look at the ordinance is part of an attachment at the bottom of this story.
The new ordinance has three phases:
• Existing sidewalk repair
• Construction and installation of connecting sidewalks
• Construction and installation of new sidewalks
Bluffton school board will act on a resolution stating its opposition to Ohio House Bill 59 on Monday evening.
The resolution opposes the expansion of school voucher programs in Ohio, which the bill proposes to do.
The wording of the resolution follows:
WHEREAS Governor Kasich’s biennial budget (HB 59) proposes two expansions to the Educational Choice Scholarship Program that significantly expand the number of publicly-funded vouchers for students to attend private or parochial schools; and
Bluffton council met in executive session on March 11 to discuss how to create a selection process for the council vacancy of Dennis Gallant, who became mayor after the resignation of Eric Fulcomer.
Following the meeting, Dave Steiner, who was elected council president during the open session of the meeting, provided The Icon with the follow statement, which explains the process:
Eric Fulcomer presided over his final Bluffton council meeting on Feb. 25. He retains the title of Mayor of Bluffton until 5 p.m. on Friday.
On Monday he will be become Vice President for Enrollment Management of the Rockford College of Rockford, Illinois. In that role, he will oversee undergraduate admissions, global affairs, athletics, retention, financial aid, registration and student billing.
