CRESTON — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Creston Village Board unanimously approved the awarding of a $290,734.80 bid to Martin & Company Excavating for an upcoming storm sewer project.
The project will consist of 36-inch storm sewer pipe being put in to replace broken drain tile and improve drainage in Creston. The storm sewer work will consist of adding pipe on both sides of the railroad tracks, but the current phase of it will not go under the tracks. The work was suggested due to issues with stormwater overflow.
Martin & Company was the lowest of six bids and was within eight percent of the project's estimated price. Village Engineer Kevin Bunge said he would complete the paperwork Wednesday and that the contractor was "ready to go" to start work. The project will likely take around six weeks. The preliminary storm sewer project work involved securing easements from property owners in the area of it. Bunge said about 800 feet of storm sewer pipe will be put in.
Water
Bunge said during the meeting that the planned cleaning and inspection of Creston's water tower will start on Saturday, June 7 unless heavy rain is seen and doesn't allow for work trucks to get back to the area.
Back in December, the board unanimously approved a proposal from KLM Engineering for $16,836 to complete the work by July 1 in an effort to help alleviate rust issues that village residents have been seeing.
Bunge also said Tuesday he is working on plans for a water main project to attempt to alleviate rust issues in the village that would include upsizing four-inch mains, shutoff valve work and hydrant work including removing dead-end lines.
The work would likely be the first phase of a multi-phase project. Bunge has theorized in the past that rust issues are likely due to four-inch mains with not enough capacity.
Byro
To close the meeting, Village President Tom Byro brought up two projects he would like the village to start work on in the future. The first was potentially updating the sign outside of Village Hall to an electric sign, likely similar to but smaller than what the Creston School now has. The sign would include planned village events and messages such as hydrant flushing days.
Byro also discussed a currently-vacant and in disrepair home near the village's maintenance shed and expressed a desire to see Creston attempt to purchase and demolish it to build a larger maintenance building to house its trucks and equipment. Village officials resolved to look into approaching the home's owner.
Subdivision
The board heard updates on the progress of the Creston Commons Subdivision, which has been the site of home building and infrastructure improvements over the past year. Trustee Reid Elliot said he's been impressed with the progress on new homes and how clean the area has been. Byro said water lines have been run to the area of Roberts Street for future homes. Byro also said that work will soon begin on street signage in the area, including the stop and yield signs and the signs that say street names, which will involve correcting issues and adhering to federal guidelines.
Village Building Inspector Aaron Moore said he's done a series of rough-in inspections as framing has been completed on new homes, and three homes further along in the process were recently given temporary final inspections to allow occupation. Sidewalks were completed this past month on Regulators Street.
Appropriations
The board unanimously approved its fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations ordinance during the meeting. Village Treasurer Penny Payton said the appropriations ordinance did not see an increase from last year and Tuesday’s approval only applied to increases in the following line items: Village Hall internet, telephone and fax; farm taxes; elected official salaries funding; engineering; and sewer flow.
"We did a really good job," Payton said. "We didn't have to spend any more money. We just had to move money around."
Hibshman
The meeting saw new trustee Justin Hibshman sworn in following his victory in the April 1 election. Hibshman takes the seat of Steve Katzman, who did not run for re-election. Hibshman will hold a four-year term.
