By DAVE SCHULTZ
The Bluffton Board of Works hit the pause button Tuesday afternoon on purchasing a new server for the city’s computers.
When the city sought bids on the server, it received only one bid — and that was from the company that has been overseeing the city’s information technology, Reliance IO Technology Group. That bid was $198,000, and Mayor John Whicker said last week that the matter would be paused until some questions were answered.
Whicker indicated Tuesday that one of the questions had been answered after he had a discussion with Clerk-Treasurer Tami Runyon and Michelle Simon, a deputy in Runyon’s office. The three of them agreed that the American Rescue Plan Act funds that the city has in reserve would be the best source to tap to buy the server.
Also Tuesday, Whicker said that Karen Morris, the city’s new director of information systems, gave her approval to accepting the bid. That was another of the issues that was brought up when the matter was addressed last week.
During this week’s meeting, however, the Board of Works members — Whicker, Scott Mentzer, and Josh Hunt — were prepared to go forward with a tentative first step: A recommended to the Bluffton Common Council, the city’s fiscal body, to go ahead with the purchase. Mentzer said that was where a broader discussion could take place.
Hunt, however, was a little more cautious. “I’d like to see another quote,” he said.
Eventually, the matter was tabled. Hunt said it would be good to have another company review the bid and see if it would be validated.
“That’s a lot of money for one bid,” Hunt said. “I buy servers, but I don’t buy that much.”
Also Tuesday, the board approved a contract with K&K Farms to remove lime sludge from the city’s former water treatment plant on Compromise Lane. The lime pits have drawn scrutiny from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
“We currently have a lot of lime in the lagoons and the drying beds,” City Engineer Kelly White said, and that IDEM is requesting a cleanup at the site. A farming application, she said, “is the best scenario for that lime.”
“I’m just delighted we’ve found a place for the lime,” Mentzer said.
Kevin McNabb, representing K&K Farms, was present to sign the agreement with the city. No financial terms were included in the agreement, except for required liability insurance coverage. The initial term of the agreement is for two years, effective Tuesday.
daves@news-banner.com
