By JONATHAN SNYDER
Mayor John Whicker encountered a slew of tasks for Bluffton in 2023, many of which will take years to resolve. While progress has been made, such as updates for the wastewater treatment plant, there is still a long way to go for utilities.
But new problems are also developing, and the city is now looking for ways to mitigate the housing crisis in 2024. There are two major housing developments in the works — Parlor Bluffs north of the town and Harvest Acres down south. Phase one of both projects has been completed.
“We need to try to do what we can to make that market a viable market for future growth,” said Whicker. “And we have people who want to move here, who do not want to live in a large city like Fort Wayne, but the small town atmosphere is an attraction for them.”
A housing study for Bluffton is nearly complete, which should give some projections for 2024, but Wells County Area Plan Commission Executive Director Mike Lautzenheiser says that people don’t need a study to realize that it is very hard for somebody to build a home and sell it for a profit.
“What you could have bought for $150,000 a decade ago now costs $250,000,” said Lautzenheiser. “But the affordability factor is still at $150,000 … So that’s what the problem is — we’re not at the same pace. Pricing went way up, affordability (did) not.”
“We don’t determine prices of raw materials … for houses, plywood, floors, and all that we don’t control,” said Whicker. “Some of this stuff is beyond our control, but we can do the best we can to make sure they happen.”
While the city looks for ways to mitigate the housing situation in the long-term, the next couple of years will see a new electrical substation added to Bluffton’s electric grid. Whicker has described this new substation as the “ultimate goal” of 2024, which will give a higher capacity and a powerful backup for the city’s electric grid in case of failure.
“The engineering part of that’s already in the works,” explained Whicker.
Utility Director Jon Oman stated that the new substation will give the city 50 megawatts of capacity, and another 50 megawatts for backup purposes. The city as a whole ranges from about 57 megawatts of max capacity in the winter and summer, to near 30 megawatts in the fall and spring. Even though there is no threat of blackouts for the city, the added capacity will support new business ventures, while ensuring a lifeline of revenue for the city. The new substation is expected to be completed in December 2025.
“The city of Bluffton started getting inquiries about capacity from developers and those interested in bringing industry to town out on the west side,” said Oman. “The (electric grid) system had grown and we had no spare capacity. So to answer those calls and to ensure the possibility of growth to the community as far as industry, we acted upon those requests.”
Another piece of utilities that needs to be solved in the years to come is the stormwater treatment mandate from the state. Since Bluffton’s population passed the 10,000 threshold, Indiana mandates the city provide a plan and a fee for controlling stormwater. While the implementation specifics are unknown, Whicker has looked toward other cities for inspiration.
“I know the city of Decatur and the town of Berne both have stormwater fees on their utility bills … they have come up with a standard lot size, and if you have a certain standard lot size, then it’s a small monthly fee for handling water runoff,” said Whicker. “Then you’ve got your big box stores who have huge pieces of impervious asphalt parking lots and all that water runs off … so their fees are obviously going to be higher.”
Whicker also noted that the city is still looking to rid themselves of any lead pipes still in the water distribution system. Whicker said the city is required to identify all lead pipes by October 2024, but has more time for replacement.
The packed fire department is also on the city’s mind, as the city is still debating on the next steps to make space for the department’s equipment. An independent study in March 2023 showcased some potential ideas for department upgrades and solutions, including the possibility of a new station being built, but the timetable for those processes is still unknown.
“We’d like to try to get some idea whether we need one or two stations,” said Whicker. “We are really cramped.”
Overall, the city is looking to continue upgrading their utilities and operate them in a way that keeps customer rates down, according to Whicker. The city’s growth has seen some interest from different developers and business. Whicker is hoping that the momentum continues into the years to come.
jonathan@news-banner.com
