By DAVE SCHULTZ
Members of the Bluffton Board of Public Works and Safety Tuesday approved the expenditure of more than $99,000 in matching funds to improve downtown Bluffton.
The money will be used on six structures as part of the city’s Community Reinvestment Program. The program is administered by the Bluffton NOW! (New, Old, Wonderful) downtown revitalization organization. The money is provided by the city — hence, the Board of Works’ approval was required Tuesday.
The six structures chosen for the program this year, along with the amount of the CRP’s match, are:
• Midland LLC, at 211 W. Market St. — $25,000 for new front windows, doors, and roof.
• Market Street Development LLC, at 114 S. Johnson St. — $10,157.93 for new front windows and doors.
• Jerald C. Flack, for 101 N. Main St. — $7,997.13 for new upstairs windows.
• Halmark Venture LLC, for 209 W. Market St. — $6,125 for exterior facade improvements.
• Christopher J. and Georgeanna K. Corle, for 125 N. Main St. — $24,916.89 for a new roof and upstairs remodel.
• Foundations of Truth Inc., 113 W. Market St. — $25,000 for new front window.
The recommendations were brought to the Board of Works by Mike Lautzenheiser in his capacity as president of Bluffton NOW. He noted that the Foundations of Truth work is now underway and that the building at 101 N. Main St. is temporarily on hold while a second bid is obtained. CRP rules require that a property owner obtain two bids for the requested work.
The three Board of Works members — Mayor John Whicker, Scott Mentzer, and Josh Hunt — all voted to approve the recommendations. “They look solid,” Mentzer said.
In other business:
• The board approved a handicapped parking request for 520 E. Arnold St.
• The board approved a leak adjustment for the building at 123 S. Marion St. Owner James Thompson said that when the water was turned on at the century-old house, there were several leaks that needed repair.
• Street Commissioner Tim Simpson received the board’s approval to hire a new employee for the Street Department, Austin Clutter. His salary will be $15 per hour and his start date will be May 24.
• The board approved the hiring of Kleinpeter Consulting Group LLC to oversee labor standards for the city’s wastewater improvement project. Kleinpeter, based in Greenwood, will perform the work for $41,000 for the wastewater treatment plant and $8.500 for the lining of the city’s sewer lines to keep sanitary sewage and stormwater separate.
• A request to reroute an easement behind some homes on Wells County Road 450E was approved. The easement will carry sanitary sewage from Craigville to the city’s water treatment plant for the Wells County Regional Sewer District.
daves@news-banner.com
