The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-10-22

Observers were of the opini
to head until after the election
especially since no one could will
any degree of accuracy fathom tn.
opinion of the majority of the town:
citizens.
Adding confusion to the issue, the
Business Mems association at a meet
ing Wednesday evening of last weel
voted 21 to IL to adopt the recon-
mendations of its Citizens Committee
urging the outright sale of the pow.
er system, and then failed to act or
motion that would have sent 9
petition to the town council request
ing that body to favor the sell-out.
Approval of recommendations te
sell the system followed report by
w. R. Triplett for the Citizens Com.
mittee concluding that the cash-in.
hand offer of the Ohio Power Co. to
buy the entire system was to be
favored over the predicted profits OF
the Board of Public Affairs plans OF
purchasing power wholesale.
Committee Divided
At the same time DR.. B. w. Travis,
a member of the Citizens Committee
expressed his own minority view as
leaning toward the wholesale pur-
chase plan.
Carl Lehman, president of the
BPA, and Forrest Steinman, who will
retire from the board at the end of
this year, also presented rebuttals to
the Citizens Committee arguments,
standing steadfast on their original
contentious.
Making a concise and able presen-
tation of the case for outright sale,
Mr.. Triplett concluded:
"The predicted profits by the
wholesale plan are subject to consid-
cradle qualification due to required
improvements, contingencies and
business risks.
"The cash in hand as offered by
Ohio Power to buy the entire system
can save the community 100000 in
terest, eliminate entire $250,000 as
sessment, apply $4,000 to present
sewer financing. The predicted pro-
fits after nine years in the wholesale
plan with distribution system COM
parable to Ohio Power and no allow
ance for contingencies or risks, at
best cannot get the electric plant
completely out of debt and retire the
entire $250,000 assessment.
"The committee therefore believes
it to the best interests of Bluffton
to sell out the entire system"
Compares Proposals
Comparing the two proposals,
Mr.. Triplett pointed out that after
selling the plant for S466,500 and
paying off the outstanding plant debt
of s141, 900, there would be balance
of 1926, 800. If this were placed in
a bank, in 9 years it would total
S413,0OO with interest. If the $780,
500 were used to pay off sewer debts,
S14O.0OO in interest could be saved
and it would be equivalent, then, to
S465,O0
On the other hand, he said, after
nine years of the wholesale plan the
calculated earnings would be $780,
900, but improvements needed and
equal to those which would be provid-
ed by Ohio Power would require
$4,000 together with interest, leav-
ing total net earnings after nine
years of operation amounting to
S2S5 900. At the same time there
would still be debt of $4,000 on
plant debt.
He then proceeded to show how the
calculated earnings of $505,000 could
be easily offset by the normal risks
of business.
Case For Purchased Power
Mr.. Lehman boiled the BPA argu-
ment for wholesale purchased power
to a simple presentation. Said he,
the same power which we can buy at
wholesale rates from Ohio Power for
$4,000 will cost citizens of Bluffton
S138, 900 if distributed and billed at
retail by Ohio Power. This represents
an $4,000 difference between the
wholesale and the retail price of
electricity for one years use in Bluff
ton. 1t has never cost the municipal
ity more than $4,000 to distribute its
current, therefore there is no ques-
tion about the possible profits under
the wholesale plan of purchased pow
er.
Mr.. Steinman, after paying re-
spects to past members of the Board
of Public Affairs, without whom the
village would not have been able to
have produced such an asset as its
power SYSTEM" employees of the
system and municipal council, made
a point of street lighting costs which
would have to be considered if the
plant is sold out.
Cites Street Lighting Costs
''Your street lighting will cost the