A special meeting with village officials and property owners of the North Dixie Highway annexation project is set for next week. According to Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, the meeting is at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 22, in the third floor of the town hall.

He told Bluffton council members on Monday night that all property owners will receive notification of the meeting by certified mail.

Representatives from Allen County and Richland Township have been invited to the meeting.

Mehaffie gave the official word to council concerning the Spring Street bridge problem. The truss and stringers for the bridge were installed but then rejected by the village engineer on the project, Brion Rhodes.

"The rejection was not due to structural issues," said Mehaffie. "It was due to the fabrication not being to the designed specifications. The fabrications had the potential to cause future premature maintenance and deterioration problems. It is anticipated that the truss will be reinstalled in about two weeks, once the modifications are completed."

In other village items, council received an update on the Pathway Board work. The board is developing a bicycle-walking path plan for the village. The board recommended the village enters into an agreement with Rhodes and Co., LLC. The agreement would cover professional services necessary for the implementation for the first phase of the Pathway Master Plan. The proposal is not to exceed $8,000.

Council learned that the village is conducting samplings in its sanitary sewer collection system. The sampling is in an effort to determine copper levels in the system. This project is in relation to the village's NPDES Permit requirements and those of local industrial permit holders.

Mehaffie told council that the sampling is conducted by Alloways Labs. It involves collection and testing of seven day, 24-hour composite samples.