Over 300 signatures of registered Bluffton voters were delivered to Nancy Kindle, village fiscal officer, on Monday.

The signatures are part of citizen-led initiative to referend Bluffton council’s Ordinance 9-16, passed on June 20.  The ordinance establishes a surcharge on water and sewer accounts in the village.

Those passing the petitions provided the following statement:

“If the ordinance went into affect a typical Bluffton family using 400 cubic feet of water per month will experience a 28 percent increase in their monthly water and sewer bill.

“This is an addition $16.50 increase per month for water and $2.50 increase for sewer, for a total increase of $19 per month.

“There is no need for this increase on residential users. The current water rates cover the cost of water for residential use.

“Large commercial users are critical to the economic health of the village. Their rates should be negotiated will in advance of any increase to allow for the large users to budget the cost.

“Bluffton’s rates must be competitive with larger cities and may require continued subsidy from the village’s general fund.”

A COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS ATTACHED TO THIS STORY -

Eight persons passed the petitions, spearheaded a committee of former Bluffton council members Everett Collier, Jerry Cupples, Mitchell Kingsley, David Steiner and Fred Steiner.

With the petitions in the village’s hands, the surcharge ordinance is on hold.

The petitions are available for public inspection in the town hall for 10 days. After that the petitions will go to the Allen County Board of Elections to be certified.

If the board certifies that at least 115 signatures are valid, the issue will go on the November ballot.

Voters will then decide whether to vote to allow the ordinance to stand as is or for it to be stopped.

Approximately 115 certified signatures are required for the referendum to be on the November ballot. That number is base upon 10 percent of the Bluffton voters casting ballots in Ohio’s most recent governor’s election.