2023 Village of Bluffton highlights

The following notes highlighting Village of Bluffton actions and planning were presented by council member Joe Sehlhorst at the final meeting of Bluffton's elected officials in December 2023.

December 2022

• Bluffton celebrates 30th consecutive year as Tree City USA.
• Stop Sign spinners installed. Cost effective way to improve safety. Police identified locations.
• Village to order new leaf vac machine. Old machine is unreliable and broken.

January 2023

• Senior Citizens Project. Showing Bluffton’s needs as an age friendly community.
• Village renews farmland leases. Leases run through 2025 harvest. Airport Farm, Dave Warren $292 acre. Stager Well Field, Zach Scoles $216 acre.
• Board of Zoning and Building Appeals pass four variances for 104 E. Elm St property. Allows for church property to become six apartments and 2 Airbnb units in the heart of downtown Bluffton.
• Complete Streets Policy has first reading.

February

• The Streets committee and administration to make efforts to find warranted solutions at the Main/College crosswalk. Counts to occur in the Spring. Plus, the police chief is in contact with the state.
• Lawn & Jackson water main replacement project done. Project bid $325 k. Partially funded by rescue plan funds. The other monies by OPWC 0% interest loan.
• The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation approves a $40 k Safety Intervention Grant to purchase 20 cu. yard Dinkmar leaf collection machine. Total cost $93k.

March

• Chestnut Lane housing development begins. JD Snyder installing the first components of this subdivision. Sanitary sewer collection lines complete.
• Natural Gas Aggregation opportunity on May 3rd ballot.
• US Bicycle Route agreement for sign installation and maintenance. Should see installation by September. Let us hope. Route goes along Main St. 
• The council grants EMS request that establishes terms for a paid, on-call EMS program. EMS personnel on-call shifts are Sunday through Thursday 10 p.m.-6 a.m., Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 10 p.m. Three EMS personnel should be on duty for those shifts. Estimated to cost around $77 k in the budget. On-call personnel hourly wage of $5 per hour, plus the current hourly wage if they respond to a call. 
• SRK celebrates its 30-year anniversary. Donates 6 acres to the Village for future soccer fields.
• Chad Cupples awarded Police Citizen of Year.
• Res. 13-2023 contract with ODOT for the SR103 multi-use pathway. Project included installation of pathway, including pavement, pavement marking, storm water drainage upgrades, sidewalk extensions, and lighting upgrades. The Local Public Agency estimated to cost $283,334.00.

April

• Safety services meeting with county officials about the solar eclipse event in April 2024. 4½ minutes of darkness.
• Thank you, Logan Matthewson, Troop 256 w/ American Legion presents his Eagle Scout project of an American flag drop-off box. Grob Industries helped with constructing the metal container.
• Senior Citizens Center to install an ADA approved handicap electric lift and landing at rear of property. To recommend to council a revocable license to install encroaching 2 ft into the downtown parking lot. Does still leave 10’ clearance in the drive that runs parallel with the buildings. 
• Fishing Derby celebrates the 79th annual trout derby.
• Tree Commission busy with memorial planting, SRK future soccer field tree planting strategy, Arbor Day, Tree removal/replacement at Riley Creek Village, and have monies from AEP Cobb Lake and Arboretum compensation package from power line installation project that is close to completion.

May

• The Parks Committee discussed how there is a group led by Matt Ellerbrock requesting guidance to create a dog park. The hope is the dog park is organized similarly as the disk golf course was with residents spearheading sponsorships, funding, and design.
• Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce announced that the Farmers Market has twenty full-time vendors registered!! Typically, it is fifteen.
• Village to celebrate the 55th Bluffton Festival of Wheels.
• Airport taxiway project to cost $961k. Village responsible for 5% ($48k). The estimate is much higher than the original $658K due to inadequate subgrade and added drainage needed.

June

• Special thanks to Denny Morrison for volunteering to contact past mayors who were missing from the mayor's display wall at the Town Hall. 
• Regional Planning speaks to Council about street project planning for Allen County. RTA ridership continues to rise for the Bluffton route. Bluffton population projected to grow, while Allen County population expects double digit decline. However, heavy truck traffic is expected to increase.

July

• Passed Res. 26-2023 Adopting the “Bluffton Beyond Tomorrow” comprehensive plan. Starting February 2022, we undertook a comprehensive planning process and since have taken part independently and collaboratively with the Allen County Regional Planning Commission. 
• John Dillinger Speakeasy event on Aug 12, 2023. There will be a historical narration on Church St. by Fred Steiner. Vine St. will have food, drinks, and entertainment. Jesse Henry performs.
• Ordinance committee continues discussing accessory dwelling units. The goal is to supply density, affordable living, and economic opportunity for resident owners.

August

• Bluffton Downtown Parking Lot. Future reshuffling of parking spaces for the new Do It Best Hardware store and downtown living enhancements.
• AEDG Dave Stratton and Diamond Manufacturing announce 30 k sq. ft. warehouse expansion along SR 103. Add three jobs. Received a 60% 10-yr tax abatement. The truck entry will be off County Line Rd.
• Bluffton University community service. Student athletes spread mulch on the Disc Golf Course trails at the Village Park. They also spray-painted “Don’t Pollute, Drains to Creek w/ Beaver logo” on the storm drains around campus. 
• The pool is open an extra two days. Thanks to Jennie Wilson and the lifeguards for going the extra mile to keep our residents safe from the extreme heat.
• Brian from Regional Transit Authority presented eighteen potential fixed route stops for Bluffton.

September

• Fallen Officers Memorial dedication Sat, Sept 23rd. Ceremony will unveil the monument.
• Welcome refugee family from Tanzania. Spouses with three children; ages 4, 2, 7-month-old baby.
• Future Dog Park plan in the works led by Matt Ellerbrock. Size 100’x160’ or 1.86 Acres at Cobb Lake. Estimated cost $40k. There will be a section for small dogs and another section for large dogs.
• Welcome Russian refugee family to Bluffton. Spouses have two young children and a baby. Nadia’s words to council “Thanks. Now we have hope.” This is Bluffton’s second refugee family this year.
• Aqua Line Leak Detection Services from Findlay surveyed thirty-one miles of water main line for leaks. The final report will include leak types, estimated sizes of leaks, GPS locations of each leak and recommendations for controlling future water loss.

October

• SR 103 resurfacing on schedule. Project starts from I-75 Exit 142 heading through town and ending on Bentley Rd to the I-75 Exit 140.
• SR 103 Pedestrian Pathway – ODOT will start paving soon.
• Allen County Electrical Aggregation program. The recent contract with Energy Harbor expires in Dec. 2023. New energy supplier, Dynegy, at a rate of $0.06574 per kW/h. Contract will last until Dec. 2025. In comparison, the AEP rate is .1091.

November

• Fire Chief Kinn and Prof. Mike Edminston present April 8 Eclipse Plan at Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce meeting.
• SR 103 pathway project completed. Light poles and wiring will be installed after winter.
• Village employee Health Insurance plan increases 6.7%

December

Upcoming Projects for 2024

• Pocono Drive water and sewer utility improvements.
• Bluffton’s first roundabout planned for 2025 at SR 103/ Navajo Drive intersection. $2.3 million economic development project for industrial expansion and traffic mitigation.
• Geiger and Garau St. water main projects completed.