Bluffton council moved forward on Monday in its action to annex a portion of the North Dixie Highway on the south end of the village.

Council okayed two emergency resolutions. The first extends sewer lines south of Main Street. The estimated cost of that project is $447,000. Council also okayed action to upgrade the existing waterline to the area. The upgrade will provide for an eight-inch pipeline to be installed. The estimated cost of that project is $419,000.

The project is part of a petition for annexation into the village. Nine property owners on the east side of the Dixie signed it. The addresses of those property owners extends from 9988 N. Dixie (the first property adjacent to the corporation line) south to 9700 N. Dixie.

An idea for a pedestrian and bike pathway steering committee was approved on Monday. The purpose of the Pathway Steering Committee (PSC), according to Mitch Kingsley is to:
o based on the master plan adopted by the Bluffton council, identify stages of the Pathway and prioritize next steps
o gather information for funding sources, grant requirements, planning steps and pre-building processes
o promote the Pathway in the region, build interest and momentum
o bring to Bluffton council a "motion-proposal" for steps to be taken.

The committee will include seven members yet to be appointed. The committee will report to the Bluffton council. Several community organizations will be represented in the project. They include:
o Riverbend Homeowners Association*
o Bluffton University*
o BFR*
o Lions Club*
o Bluffton council*
o Bluffton schools*
o Maple Crest/Mennonite Memorial Home*
o DTR Industries
o Bluffton area banks
o Bluffton Hospital
o Bluffton Area Ministerial Association
o Bluffton Senior Citizens
o Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce
o Area biking groups
o Bluffton Sportmen's Club
o and retail and industry in the village.
*Groups with priority vested-interested to be represented on the PSC.

Spring Street bridge
Council approved an agreement with Rhodes and Company, LLC, for necessary professional services concerning the study of existing conditions of the Spring Street bridge. Rhodes and Co. will also develop plans for the replacement of the existing superstructure. The project will cost the village $24,500. The village received an Ohio Public Works Commission grant to replace the bridge earlier this summer. The estimated replacement cost is $192,000. The bridge has been closed since the August 2007 flood. It is anticipated that bids for the project will go out in February 2010. An April start date is anticipated and an August completion date is also anticipated.

Streetscape
Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator, informed council that the light posts for Main Street arrived on Monday. The actual lights for the posts have not yet arrived.

Snider Road
Council learned that Bluffton Paving Company's estimate for the Snider Road project is $81,000. Included is the addition of a turning lane onto Main Street and re-surfacing of Snider Road. The turning lane cost estimate is $28,000. Resurfacing estimate is $53,000.

Mayor Rodabaugh updated the council on DTR Monday. He said that DTR expects its payroll tax to remain the same in 2010 as it is currently. In January, the highest levels of furloughs occurred at DTR.

"They (DTR) hope things will start to ramp up now," said Rodabaugh. "They hope to be back to 2007 employment levels sometime in the next five years." He added that in 2007 DTR experienced its highest-ever payroll.

"I don't think the village will see any growth in its income tax in the next three years," he added.

Council calendar
Oct. 15 - street committee, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 26 - personnel committee, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 26 - Council meeting, 8 p.m.