February 19, 2008

Bluffton City

Bluffton elects a mayor and five-member city council, in addition to the city clerk-treasurer and City Court judge. The mayor heads the executive branch, and the city council is the legislative branch and makes all appropriations. However, the mayor appoints two persons to serve with him on the Bluffton Board of Public Works & Safety, which manages the city utilities, authorizes and contracts for purchases and approves payment of bills. The clerk-treasurer is the city’s financial officer, issues checks and serves as secretary for the city council and board of works. The City Court judge operates the court, which has jurisdiction on city ordinances and on traffic cases. The mayor and clerk-treasurer are fulltime positions.
CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
Ted Ellis (D), Mayor, City Hall, 128 East Market St., Bluffton, 824-1520. Home address: 427 West Wiley Ave., Bluffton, phone 824-3839. E-mail: mayor@ci.bluffton.in.us or mayorsoffice@ci.bluffton.in.us (Brenda Jackson)
Tamara Runyon (R) Clerk-Treasurer, City Hall, 128 East Market St., Bluffton, 824-0612. Home address: 127 East Wiley Avenue, Bluffton, 824-0053. E-mail: cityclerk@ci.bluffton.in.us
City Court Judge, Police-Fire Building, 200 East Market St., Bluffton, 824-3392. This position is currently open. E-mail: court@ci.bluffton.in.us
Bette Erxleben (D) 1st District City Council. Home address: 1712 Sutton Circle, Bluffton, 824-1499. E-mail: council1@ci.bluffton.in.us
Carl W. Perry (R) 2nd District City Council. Home address: 42 Hi-Lo Drive, Bluffton, 824-2822. E-mail: council2@ci.bluffton.in.us
Michael Morrissey (D) District 3 City Council. Home address: 426 West Spring St., Bluffton, 824-4067. E-mail: council3@ci.bluffton.in.us
James Phillabaum (D) District 4 City Council and City Council President. Home address: 1125 Summit Ave., Bluffton, Indiana, 824-4244. E-mail: council4@ci.bluffton.in.us
Melanie Durr (D) At-Large City Council, 421 East Central Ave., Bluffton, 824-4047. E-mail: council5@ci.bluffton.in.us
All eight Bluffton elected officials are elected for four-year terms at the same time. The last election was in 2007 for terms which expire at the end of 2011. The next election is in 2011. Each district council member must reside in that district and is elected by only the voters in that district. The at-large council member and the mayor, clerk-treasurer and City Court judge are elected citywide.
Bluffton City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. every other Tuesday in council chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 128 East Market St. The Bluffton Board of Public Works & Safety, composed of Mayor Ted Ellis and City Councilmen James Phillabaum and Melanie Durr, meets at 1 p.m. each Tuesday in the board room at City Hall, 128 East Market St.
The Mayor’s Assistant and Secretary is Brenda Jackson.
The City Attorney is Andrew Carnall.
BLUFFTON UTILITIES
The city of Bluffton operates three utilities -- electric, water and sewage. Working hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.They also bill for trash and recycling pick up. Regular office hours at the Utility Office are 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Emergencies during after hours and weekends should be reported to the Bluffton Police Department by calling 824-3320.
R.D. “Skip” Esmond is the Business Manager of Bluffton Utilities in City Hall, 128 East Market Street, phone 824-2500. E-mail:
utilities@ci.bluffton.in.us
For residential new service deposit of $150 is required. If you have a reference from previous utility service or a good credit report, the deposit is only $25. The deposit is refundable when leaving Bluffton Utilities.
Electric Utility -- temporary connection $50
Water --- Taps 5/8” to 3/4” $500. Others are according to material and costs.
Sewage -- Permit fee $5. Connection fees: Residential $400, Business $600 and Housing Developments, Trailer Parks, Apartments Houses etc. $600 plus $75 per unit.
Edward Davis, phone 824-6067, is the Electric and Water Superintendent. E-mail: electric@ci.bluffton.in.us
Robert Mohler, phone 824-6057, is the Sewage (Bluffton Wastewater Treatment) Superintendent. E-mail: wastewater@ci.bluffton.in.us
CITY DEPARTMENTS
The Street Department is at 630 East Spring St., phone 824-0714. Working hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Emergencies during after hours and weekends should be reported to the Bluffton Police Department by calling 824-3320. E-mail:
street@ci.bluffton.in.us
Bill Ball is the Street Commissioner.
Brush and Limbs Pickup: These are collected by the Street Department the first 10 days of each month as conditions allow. Brush -limbs should be place out on the first day of each month. Items are collected as weather and volume permits.
Leaves will be collected in 2008 according to your Trash Pickup days.
Monday Trash Day: Curbside leaf pickup the weeks of Oct. 13, Nov. 3 and Nov. 24.
Tuesday Trash Day: Curbside leaf pickup the weeks of Oct. 20, Nov. 10 and Dec. 1.
Wednesday Trash Day: Curbside leaf pickup the weeks of Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 8.
Trash (Garbage) and Recycling services are weekly services by National Serv-All, phone (toll-free) 1-800-876-9001. The garbage and recycling fee is $7.50 per month per residence, with that amount covering both garbage and recycling.
The Wells County (Drop-Off) Recycling Center, Wells County maintains a dropoff recycling center at 702 West Wabash. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. You can contact the Recycling Center at (260) 824-4828.
Trash and Recyclables Collection:
Monday: Homes north of the river.
Tuesday: Homes south of the river, west of Wayne Street and north of Wiley Avenue.
Wednesday: Homes south of Wiley Avenue and west of Wayne Street. Also, homes east of Wayne Street.
Holidays: If a pickup day falls on or follows a holiday, your trash and recyclables are to be collected on the following day.
Unlimited bagged trash pick up schedule is April 28, 29 and 30, September 29, 30 and October 1 and December 29, 30 and 31.
Bluffton’s NATURAL GAS SERVICE is by the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), 24-hour customer service, dial toll-free 1-800-464-7726 on regular business. For gas leak emergencies ONLY, dial 1-800-634-3524.
Bluffton has PHONE SERVICE from AdamsWells Telecom, 565-3131, and and AT&T, 800-288-2020.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Robert Plummer, Director. 204 East Market St., phone 824-6084. Jody Caylor and Danielle Reed, Secretaries. Plummer’s E-mail: pubsafedirector@ci.bluffton.in.us
POLICE DEPARTMENT: Police-Fire Building, 204 East Market, NON-EMERGENCY phone 824-3320. The members of the Police Department are Tammy Schaffer, Chief, chief’s e-mail: pdchief@ci.bluffton.in.us; Nathan Huss, Chief Deputy; Sergeant Mike Miller, Sergeant James Mettler, Sergeant Christopher Broderick, Detective Sergeant Steve Cale, School Resource Officer Bruce Holland, Officer Dennis Fiscus, Officer Robert Morgan, Officer Scott Nash, Detective Kyle Randall, Officer Andrew Ellis, Officer Chip Swindell, Officer Greg Steele, Officer Brent Archbold, Officer Jason Baker , Officer Geoffrey Gilbert, Officer Cliff Thomas, Officer Josh Smith and Officer Curt Hunt.
PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS: Max Dawson, Pat Wall, Ron Bowman, Ryan Eisenhut, Bev Lobsiger, Dennis Lowe, Christine Fenstermaker, Andrea Garrett and Cynthia Greenway. Parking enforcement is by Joyce Hoover. Secretary/Clerk is Jody Caylor. E-mail: pubsafedirector@ci.bluffton.in.us
FIRE DEPARTMENT: Police-Fire Building, 200 East Market, NON-EMERGENCY phone 824-6050. The members of the Fire Department are Robert Plummer, Chief; Kenneth L. Baker (Captain /Fire Inspector), Tactical Captains: Kent Emshwiller, Bruce A. Lovell, Matthew L. Markley and Dave Brinneman. Fulltime Engineers: Chris Wolf, Tom E. Paxson, Kurt O. Beer, and Tim Franklin. Firefighters: Ben Powers, Kelly Thompson, Brandon Mechling, James Stiles, Kevin Osborn, Eric Kiefer, Mike Uptgraft, Gary Markley, Jay Adams, Jeff Hewitt, Jim Curran, Eric Funk, Tim McNamara, Jeremy Reed, Brandon Shadle, Justin King, Mike Moriarity, William France, Don Craig, Dennis Gerwig, Bradley Evans, Brad Sawyer, Matt Moore, Chris Broderick, Jesse Marley, Brent Schlichter and Brent Archbold. Chief Plummer’s E-Mail: fdchief@ci.bluffton.in.us
BLUFFTON PARKS & RECREATION
The Bluffton Parks and Recreation Dept. office is in city hall, 128 E. Market St., phone 824-6069.
The Bluffton Parks & Recreation Board members are Susan Campbell, Rick McEvoy, John Gerber and Chuck King. The board meets the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 128 East Market Street. The board is in charge of operating and maintaining the Bluffton city parks and the Wells Community Swimming Pool.
Bluffton parks are:
Rotary Park -- River Road and Orchard Drive.
Kehoe Park -- 400 South Main Street.
Veterans Park -- Corner of Main and Arnold Streets.
Washington Park -- 310 East Ohio St.
Jefferson Park -- 315 East Horton St.
Lions Park -- 228 Midway.
Roush Park -- 925 West Silver St.
Triangle Park -- Wayne and Washington Streets.
Wells Community Swimming Pool -- 203 West Spring Street.
Wabash River Park -- 225 East Wabash Street.
Angel of Hope – Corner of Bennett and Wabash Streets
Pickett's Run – East Washington St.
Lancaster Park – North Main St.

The Bluffton Parks-Wells Community Pool Superintendent is Pam Vanderkolk. 824-6069 or E-mail: parks@ci.bluffton.in.us
ANIMAL SHELTER
The Bluffton-Wells County Animal Shelter, 1613 West Cherry St., Bluffton, Indiana 46714 (phone 260-824-6063) is a joint facility of the Bluffton and Wells County governments. They share the costs. Tina Morris, Manager/animal control officer. Jessie Marley, animal control officer; Wayne Rohde, animal control officer.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Animal control, adoption and reclaiming. Also neutering and micro chipping.