Kevin Nickel says he’s the village bill payer. But, as the new village fiscal officer, he covers many more bases that just balancing the town check book.

He was hired by the village on July 31 following a search to replace Laura Ewing, who resigned this spring after holding the position since September 2017. His salary is $60,000 annually.

A nine-year Bluffton resident, Nickel was previously vice president of fiscal affairs at Bluffton University. He and his wife, Kendra, are parents of two children. Kendra, a Bluffton High School and Bluffton University graduate, works in human resources for Encompass Care Medical Group, Lima.

Nickel moved into the village fiscal officer position already knowing many of the village employees, having worked with them on construction projects involving the university.

“I have a nice mix of knowledge of the village and the village employees,” he said, during an interview last week with the Icon.

His interest in village affairs is obvious, as he is now part of a team that by his own admission is here to “do what we can to keep the village attractive for visitors and residents.”

In addition to covering village fiscal matters, which also include payroll and human resources, he serves as clerk of the Bluffton council meetings.

Several village-related items are on Nickel’s fall and winter calendar. Those include working with the council finance committee on 2020’s budget and appropriations.

Bluffton’s 2019 appropriations were close to $11 million with several large projects, with West Elm Street and Jefferson Street work as the big ticket items.

Nickel’s activities outside his village position include he and Kendra attending  tennis matches, track meets and show choir performances of their daughter, Ellie, a BHS sophomore, and watching soccer matches and band performances involving their son, Ethan, a Bluffton eighth grader.

The Mountain Lake, Minnesota, native holds an accounting degree from Luther College, Decorah Iowa.