The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-01-01
NEED $4,000 TO
COMPLETE LIGHT
PLANT EXPANSION
Aggregate Cost of Improve
ments to be S230,000, Say
Consulting Engineers
Board of Public Affairs Funds
Aggregate Only 5000
for the Program

Bluffton's new board of public af-
fairs must find means of borrowing
an additional $4,000 to complete the
expansion program launched Ia
months ago at the municipal electric
light plant, members of the board
and the town council were told at a
joint meeting, Tuesday.
Estimate of additional cost of
Improvements, for which no funds
are available, was made at the ses-
sion by r. H. Marker, of the Toledo
firm of Marker, Emory and Marker,
engineering advisors to the board.
Purchase of an additional turbine
to increase the plants electrical
generating capacity and the need of
an enlarged building to accommodate
the new boiler contracted for last
summer were cited by Marker as the
principal factors resulting in the
need for more money.
Also, contributing to the shortage
of funds for the expansion program
is the steadily rising cost of building
materials and labor, both Of which
continue on an upward trend.
S125,000 Loan In 1916
When the board of public affairs
borrowed $125,00O in revenue bonds
in October, 1916, it had an expansion
fund aggregating approximately
$155,000 including a balance of
$4,000 in the boards treasury.
Cost of the new boiler with attach
ed forced draft stack, contracted for
last summer, will be approximately
$4,000 to 100000, with an exact
estimate impossible, because of
escalator clauses in the contract, and
the fact that the cost of installation
is not estimated in the contract.
Since original plans were made for
the expansion, it later was found
necessary TO add another turbine at
the plant, total ocst of which will be
approximately $4,000, including in
staIlation, Marker estimated.
Also the board now must build an
addition to the plant to house the
new boiler, for all attempts to find
a place for it in the present building
have been unsuccessful. Estimated
cost of the building addition IS
$4,000.
Total Cost $230,000
In addition, the board also has
contracted for stokers, ash handling
equipment, water softeners and other
equipment needed with the new boil
er, to further increase a total outlay
of expenditures in the expansion
program.
Phenomenal growth of the local
demand for electrical service provid-
ed by the plant is responsible for
the aggregate estimated cost of
9 $230,000 for improvements, Marker
said, and altho the funds needed at
this time bulk large in dollar volume,
it actually has favorable aspect for
the plant has a vastly increased in
come from the greater volume of
current sold.
Construction of the addition to the
plant first came into the limelight
in the summer of 194e when the
municipal council refused to approve
plans, on the assumption there was
sufficient space in the present build
ing for the new boiler.
No Room For Boiler
Marker said his engineering firm
has exhausted every possible avenue
in attempting to comply, but that it
is physically impossible to house the
boiler in the present structure.
The only alternative to building
would be to remove the two old
boilers, now used as standby, and
place the new one in that spot. To
follow such a course would entail
contracting for standby current from
a private utility, and cost of such q
procedure on the basis of proposal
made last summer by the Central
Ohio Light and Power Co. would
cost far more than constructing the
building addition, the engineer said
Early in December, the municipal
council tabled another board o1
public affairs proposal to advertise
for bids for the addition to the build
ing, because of the problem o,
financing, and out of that actor
came this weeks joint meeting o.
the council and the old and new
board of public affairs.
The matter will come up agair
next Monday night at the re
organization meeting of the council
4ogether with a discussion of mean