Water and sewer rates for Bluffton residents will increase 5 percent in August. Bluffton council approved the first of three readings of the ordinance increase at the May 10 council meeting. The meter readings taken in July and billed in August will reflect the new rates.

It appears that by November the Spring Street bridge will again be open to vehicular traffic. Council approved a bid from U.S. Bridge to replace the bridge. The new bridge will be a structural steel truss bridge.

U.S. Bridge was the lone bidder on the project. Its bid price was $210,864. That is about 3 percent above the village estimate on the project, but within line for council to accept the bid.

Eighty percent of the cost of the project is covered by an Ohio Public Works Commission grant. That makes the village's share of the project about $41,000.

Works is expected to begin in July or August, according to Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator.

Stan Clemens announced during a public hearing, which was part of the council session, that he is withdrawing his request for a zoning change on the former Morey's Coffee Shop on the corner of College and Triplett Drive.

Clemens gained approval of the village planning commission to change the property from Commercial I to Residential III in hopes of construction some type of apartment complex. In making his announcement during the hearing, Clemens said that is not going ahead with the project because of a "negative response from the bank."

Council moved to table the recommendation of the commission.

In other council action it was announced that spring clean-up week is May 21-31. Dumpsters will be placed at the Spring Street recycle area during that period.

Council learned that two houses on Railroad Street will be razed on Tuesday. Those houses were damaged in the 2007 flood.

The following meetings were announced on May 10:
May 14 - Path-bikeway committee, noon, Common Grounds
May 24 - 6:30 p.m., finance and personnel committees, to discuss the 2011 budget
May 24 - 8 p.m. council