Bluffton council had several questions for Jack Huber, village administrator, on Monday night.
The questions concerned the administrator’s handling, or mishandling, of three village projects:
• Absence of financial details in the council packet detailing the next village payroll
• Village Internet server
• West Elm Street waterline project
The conversation became a Village Administrator 101 lecture as Roger Warren, Joe Sehlhorst and Phil Talavinia quizzed the administrator on his handling of the three items.
In the absence of a village fiscal officer – the new officer starts on Sept. 25 – Warren said that he understood that the new officer would work hourly until she is on staff full-time. That way she could get the payroll taken care of. His assumption being that no action was taken on the administrator’s part to get the payroll underway.
In the administrator’s report to council Huber mentioned that Perry Pro Tech would take care of current Internet server deficiencies and serve the village’s future needs at an apparent cost of $31,000. Recently the village server crashed.
Warren asked: “Who authorized to move ahead with the $31,000 (for Pro Tech)? It’s someone’s job to get competitive bids.”
Sehlhorst told the administrator that “you can’t move forward – we’re skipping an important step.” That step to hire Pro Tech requires council’s approval.
Huber responded by telling council that he will get “more numbers for you.”
On the Elm Street water main project, Talavinia asked, “Where are we on it? This needs to get on the 2018 schedule.”
Warren followed with: “Have you started on it?”
Huber replied: “I’ve worked on a list. Each firm contacted has done this for years.”
Sehlhorst said: “I don’t want to micro-manage, but we are paying you to make these decision. You are going to have to make the recommendations. I want to see this process move forward. Some how you’ve got to find a way for this to move forward.”
Talavania asked Huber for an update on the project by the next council meeting.
When the open session ended, the council conversation continued into executive session. That session was called to discuss personnel and contracts.
Other meeting notes
In the absence of Mayor Judy Augsburger, Rich Johnson, council president, presided at Monday’s meeting.
Council voted to table the third reading of the ordinance licensing and regulating mobile food providers.
Council passed by a 3-2 vote the third reading of an ordinance establishing pay ranges for the police department. Voting no were Sehlhorst and Talavinia.
In the minutes from the Sept. 6, special council meeting involving the hiring of Laura Ewing as fiscal officer, her annual pay rate was listed at $52,000.
