By DAVE SCHULTZ
It wasn’t on the agenda, and the city’s mayor and street commissioner didn’t receive any information about it until 3 p.m., but the Bluffton Common Council decided the opportunity for a sidewalk on the east side of Main Street/Ind. 1 from Spring Street to Harrison Street/Ind. 116 was too good to pass up.
Time was of the essence, Street Commissioner Tim Simpson said, because the council will not meet again until Dec. 6. If the city was going to participate in the state’s offer, Simpson said, it had to act before the deadline of Dec. 2.
The Indiana Department of Transportation sent the details to Simpson and Mayor John Whicker Tuesday afternoon. The Ind. 1 sidewalk plan, if approved, will seek $562,635 in federal funds and INDOT will add $140,658. The city’s contribution is $0. The city would have been required to acquire right of way for the project, but the city already has that in hand. “However, our records indicate that no additional right of way will be necessary for this added sidewalk,” the INDOT letter said, and Simpson agreed with that statement.
Although the council’s participation in the project was quickly approved, the actual construction will be six years in the future. The timetable INDOT presented calls for preliminary engineering in 2024 and construction work to take place in 2028.
All five council members were present for the meeting. It was the final council meeting for Rodger Thornton, whose resignation from his council seat is effective Nov. 30.
The decision on the sidewalk came at the end of a wide-ranging council meeting. Among other things considered by the council Tuesday night were:
• Rezoning of property at 505 S. Main St. The landmark city structure will, after renovation, become a community meeting place. The council ratified the recommendation from the Area Plan Commission that the site be rezoned from R-1 (residential) to B-1 (business).
• Rezoning of adjoining properties at 111114 Lancaster St. and 232 Bond St. from R-1 to R-3 to allow for higher-density housing. The land currently has no structures on it except for a garage.
• Transferring $4.000 within the Parks Department budget to take advantage of fall discount prices in pool chemicals.
• Approval of a construction variance at Greenfield Farms’ Harvest Acres, eliminating some underdrains in the development.
• Approval of funds to purchase the property at 228 E. Market St. The appraisal price is $70,500, but the amount approved Tuesday was $75,000. Clerk-Treasurer Tami Runyon put in the extra money in case there were incidentals involved with the sale.
• Introduced ordinances regarding water and sewer rates. The measures will be subject to a public hearing and a vote on first reading at the council’s next meeting on Dec. 6.
daves@news-banner.com
