Sealcoating funding approved

CRESTON — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Creston Village Board unanimously approved a bid from Queens Trucking & Construction for $156,694 for work on its upcoming water main project. $89,000-90,000 of the work will be paid for by federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. 

The village received eight bids for the work and the Queens bid was the lowest. $233,000 was the highest bid received. The Queens bid approved by the village Tuesday includes upsizing to an eight-inch main at an additional cost of around $18,000. Queens has worked with the village on multiple recent utility projects. 

"The project runs three blocks, including from Cederholm and Main two blocks east and then one block up Prairie to Grant Street," Village Engineer Kevin Bunge said. "It's 1,027 feet of water main. There's a new hydrant and five new valves and boxes. We're replacing nine services. There will be restoration to repave and put grass back in order."

The base six-inch main bid was for $138,016 and Bunge said he preferred the upsized eight-inch option to move "significantly more" water.

Sealcoating

The board unanimously approved the use of up to $92,000 in motor fuel tax funds for sealcoating the north side of Creston this year.  Village Trustee Curt Ward said the information has been submitted to the county and the eventual price for the work could come in lower than $92,000.

Water operator

The village officially received notice that Village Water Operator Mike Megurdichian plans to retire this year and work will begin on replacing him. Megurdichian has worked with the village since the early 1990s. Trustee Greg Hopkins led the meeting Tuesday due to Village President Tom Byro being absent.

"I know Tom has been talking with Mike about other people and exploring other options for a water operator," Hopkins said. "He can talk more about that next month."

Quiet zone

Bunge said he hopes to have a meeting set up to move the village's quiet zone project forward within a month. The project is aimed at alleviating train horns in Creston and the work would require improving railroad crossings for safety and meetings and inspections with various officials.

Properties

Village Attorney Russ Crull said the first court date in litigation regarding abandoned properties in Creston is next week. The village is hoping to clean up multiple properties and has resorted to litigation.

"We were able to serve owners on about half of them, which is higher than normal," Crull said. "So we'll see who appears on that date. If they don't appear, we'll move forward with default against those that were served. Those that we weren't able to serve, we'll either ask to serve them via publication or ask for someone to try to serve them somewhere else."

Garbage

Village Trustee Mike Kerns raised a concern about garbage pickup within Creston and questioned the times that pickup occurs.

"It could be 5 a.m. or 8 a.m. sometimes, they're all over the place," Kerns said. "I thought in our contract we signed with them it was between certain hours. I'd like to check that contract. They shouldn't be driving those trucks through the neighborhood at 5 a.m."

Village officials resolved to look into their garbage contract's terms.