By DAVE SCHULTZ
The city may be set to purchase a new server from the company that is now providing it with information technology services.
Reliance IO Technology Group was the only bidder to provide a server to the city, at a price of more than $198,000. The bid, which was opened during Tuesday’s meeting of the Bluffton Board of Public Works and Safety, was taken under advisement for review.
Kaleb Dienelt of Reliance IO said the server will be central to all city functions.
Reliance IO was chosen to provide IT leadership for the city in 2021 and Dienelt has been central to the company’s presence in the city since then. The company has an office just off of the Council Chambers in the second floor of City Hall.
The two members of the Board of Works present Tuesday, Mayor John Whicker and Josh Hunt (Scott Mentzer was absent), also approved the purchase of three other big-ticket items — three 2024 Dodge Durangos with V-6 engines. The vehicles will be purchased from Bluffton dealer Hiday Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram at a cost of $40,371 per vehicle.
The bid was apparently not the low bid but it was within $200 of a dealership in northwest Indiana. The cost in time and money of driving three vehicles three hours from the other dealership also factored in the board’s decision — and in the recommendation of Bluffton Police Chief Kyle Randall to purchase the Durangos from Hiday.
“I prefer to buy local,” Hunt said.
The vehicles’ build date will be in November and the department expects to receive them in January or February of next year. There is one car purchased last year that is still being detailed for the department.
In other business Tuesday:
• The board approved a request from Tony Fey, superintendent of the city’s wastewater plant, to keep Greg Castilow on his staff for as long as necessary. Castilow is a former superintendent of the plant. Fey said Plant 1 was taken offline permanently Monday as construction on its replacement began.
• Fire Chief Don Craig submitted the names of three firefighters — Ryan Stahly, Jim Platt, and Taylor Elzey — as shift lieutenants. Dane Zoda has been promoted to be the department’s training officer, succeeding Platt in that position, while Platt will take on Zoda’s former responsibilities as the department’s quartermaster.
• The Bluffton Fire Department’s aerial truck could be delivered by the end of the week, Craig told the board. The truck — referred to by the department as Tower 1 — was sidelined for repair to its hydraulics and replacement of its towers.
daves@news-banner.com
