By DAVE SCHULTZ
During a fast-moving of the Bluffton Board of Public Works and Safety Tuesday, the board approved — albeit belatedly — the purchase of three Dodge Durangos for the Bluffton Police Department.
Police Chief Kyle Randall and Mayor John Whicker were set to buy three police-ready Dodge Durango SUVs, their allotment for 2023, from a northwest Indiana dealer. That’s when a window of opportunity opened to buy them from Brent Hiday of Hiday Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Bluffton. Not only that, the vehicles would cost less if purchased from the local dealer.
The vehicles are soon to be delivered. There was just one loose end to be tied up — formal approval for their purchase was not given by the Board of Works.
So Randall, with support from Whicker, came before the Board of Works — “hat in hand,” he said — to get the board’s approval for the purchase.
Whicker and the other two Board of Works members — Scott Mentzer and Josh Hunt — approved the expenditure.
The price from Hiday will be $117,000, less than the price from the other dealer but still more than the $110,000 line item for police vehicles in the city budget.
In other business, the board:
• Heard a report from Utilities Supervisor Jon Oman about a meeting with residents of Willowbrook Trail concerning groundwater problems. Any board action was continued for at least another week.
• Randall asked for $1-an-hour raises for two senior dispatchers, Christina Bennett and Andrea Garrett. Their performance “exceeds our expectations,” he said. The raises were approved.
• Fire Chief Don Craig brought the resignation of a part-time firefighter, Faith Leist, to the board. Leist’s availability was an issue, Craig said.
• A handicapped parking spot was approved for 423 E. Silver St.
• The board also discussed signage in the Parlor Bluffs subdivision, pay increases for employees with commercial driver’s licenses, and approved a $35,000 contract for mapping services.
daves@news-banner.com
