By JONATHAN SNYDER
In his State of the City address at the Wells Chamber of Commerce quarterly luncheon, Mayor John Whicker stated that the city is not standing still. Whicker cited new utility improvement projects and regulations, Parks Department’s accomplishments, and the new fire territory.
Whicker started by highlighting the city’s growing pains. Since the city has surpassed 10,000 residents, the Common Council needed to add two more members and a new district. Sarah Reed was elected District Five representative, and Blake Fiechter was elected to the At Large position.
Bluffton also received a notice from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management that it must adopt stormwater control regulations. Whicker stated that the rules are a “significant burden” and that property owners should expect a stormwater charge on utility bills in the future. Stormwater pipes are also being lined to reduce the amount of water traveling to the wastewater plant.
Additionally, a federal Environmental Protection Agency mandate states that Bluffton needs to identify any lead water pipes by October of this year. Whicker mentioned that the process had been underway for a couple of months with Dave Hendricks, an influential figure in the proceedings. Whicker also stated that mandates for replacing these pipes will come later.
Furthermore, Community Crossings’ street repaving program changed from a 20-80% city to INDOT match to a 50-50 split.
While the burdens are significant, Whicker is not blind to the good done throughout the city last year. He praised the improvements to the wastewater plant and wastewater collection projects on Dustman Road and Timberidge. James S. Jackson Company of Bluffton was awarded the wastewater plant job for $31,860,000. The wastewater collection projects cost $12,000,000.
“It is great to have a local connection with this (wastewater plant) project,” Whicker said.
Whicker also mentioned that work has begun on a new electric substation next to the Animal Shelter on Cherry Street, giving Bluffton additional capacity and redundancy. The estimated cost for the project currently totals around $13,000,000, but Whicker mentioned that the amount could change hereafter.
In the public safety sector, Whicker mentioned the newly created fire territory involving Bluffton, Harrison and Lancaster townships. While Whicker did not shirk from the cost of personnel and equipment, citing that a 100-foot Pierce Aerial truck now costs $2,500,000, the structure fires at Capri Apartments and the Gal-Ham building show the need for a properly equipped team. Whicker praised the Fire Department for handling the blazes, stating there was no loss of life in both instances.
Whicker also lauded an interlocal agreement that routes county and city 911 calls to a single communication center operated by the city, allowing for consistent responses for Bluffton citizens.
There are two new housing sub-divisions under construction, with Whicker hoping that the Parlor Bluffs and Harvest Acres developments will help address the housing shortage in the city. Two new positions were created for the city, with the vacant City Engineer position able to track current and future projects and Director of Information Technology Karen Morris able to coordinate technological needs and give counsel on security in an age of cyber attacks. Whicker noted the importance of keeping technology current and that the city is working with a new city website for ease of business between the city and developers.
Whicker also praised the actions of the Parks Department for developing Lancaster Park. He mentioned Brandy Fiechter’s leadership in helping secure grants for the project and making that park a hallmark of the Northern Wells area.
Whicker further mentioned some challenges currently plaguing the city. Whicker noted that recruiting and retaining good employees for all departments has been challenging, along with keeping the city on a solid fiscal foundation. Whicker also mentioned that city cleanliness is a personal pet peeve and encouraged the city to keep trash and junk picked up.
Whicker hopes to make Bluffton an excellent place to live, work and raise a family while partnering with the county on projects that save taxpayers money. In closing, Whicker mentioned that the city “does not plan on standing still anytime soon.”
jonathan@news-banner.com
