CRESTON – Creston Village Board members were presented with an audit presentation Tuesday night by Alderman at Large John Stauter during the board’s monthly board meeting.
Stauter explained that overall the audit was very good, and the board then passed a motion to accept it.
“I thought it was a very good audit, it is always good, you do a very good job,” added Stauter
The final issue discussed during the meeting was a possible increase in the city’s water and sewer rates. When the city set the rates this year, they did not put an annual increase, but with rising costs the city says this is essential.
“With the prices of pipes and labor going up, I would like to see an annual increase and think the board needs to approve it,” explained village president Wayne Williams.

The village board is recommending starting at the previous rate of four-tenths of a cent per gallon of water used and increasing three percent on the first of every year. The village attorney will write up a draft and pass it out to board members to review before discussing the topic at next month’s meeting.
Some of the funds gained from this increase could be used for the village to have the current water tower inspected and possibly repainted. It is recommended that a water tower be inspected every three to five years, making the Creston water tower overdue.
Kevin Bunge, the village engineer will get three different quotes from companies for the price of inspection and present that to the board to discuss during next month’s meeting.
Other items
Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, board members read a thank you letter from the Creston-Dement Public Library for helping put up the Christmas lights in the town gazebo as well as participating in this year’s annual Christmas in Creston event.
Village building inspector Casper Manheim spoke about a vehicle located on West North Street with flat tires that is going to need to be removed so that it does not affect snow removal.
A pressing issue that was discussed was a spot in the city’s sewer system that is leaking. Recently, a camera was sent down into the sewer and televised to get a look at the different areas that could possibly be leaking. One spot stuck out on Fremont Street just north of the railroad tracks.
“What we are estimating is about 10 gallons a minute of leakage, so what we recommend is whether the village does it, hires someone to do it or however, to get down to that spot and fix it,” explained Kevin Bunge, village engineer.
Work on the leak isn’t expected until be done until spring.