By DAVE SCHULTZ
A transfer within the Bluffton Police Department’s budget, approved Tuesday night by the city’s Common Council, will allow the department to purchase additional body cameras for its officers.
The transfer was for $25,000 and reverses a transfer requested by Police Chief Kyle Randall last July. At that time, the money was taken out of the department’s Equipment line item and placed in the Garage and Motors line item to cover increasing fuel costs.
“An additional appropriation was sought and received for those funds, but the Equipment line item has yet to be reimbursed,” Randall told the council Tuesday night. “By placing these funds back in the Equipment line (item), the department will utilize these funds to complete our body-worn cameras purchase.”
Randall said a grant will over two-thirds of the cost of the body cameras, a cost he estimated to be $65,000.
Randall said the purchase of the body cameras was important. “The goal is to do what the community expects of us.” Speaking for his officers, he said, “We’re excited for this.”
The transfer to put the money back into the Equipment line item was approved by all five council members — Josh Hunt, Chandler Gerber, Rick Elwell, Scott Mentzer, and Janella Stronczek.
In other business Tuesday:
• The council approved the hiring of the Indianapolis law firm of Thrasher, Buschmann, and Voekel to work on legal matters pertaining to the establishment of a new fire territory for the city and Harrison and Lancaster townships. Mentzer, the council’s president, said the law firm is experienced in such matters. What will need to be done is the current agreement disbanded, a new agreement formed, and a board appointed to oversee it.
Council members approved the hiring on a 5-0 vote. The rate for the law firm is $190 per hour.
• The board signed a treatment agreement for the unincorporated community of Kingsland when the Regional Sewer District begins service there.
• Mentzer was appointed to represent the city on the board of the Wells County Solid Waste District.
daves@news-banner.com
