CRESTON — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Creston Village Board of Trustees heard a report from Village Building Inspector Aaron Moore on the ongoing new Creston-Dement Public Library project. Moore said flooring is currently being installed and HVAC has been installed and electrical work is underway. The work could be completed in April.

"It's starting to look really good in there," Moore said. "It's coming together."

The project broke ground March 15 at the corner of Main and Cederholm Streets. A referendum passed in June 2022 that allowed the Creston-Dement Public Library District to issue $2.2 million in bonds to build a new library building on the land that was donated years ago for just that purpose. The main reason for the desire for a new building is the library outgrowing its current space at 107 S. Main St.

Water system

Village Trustees and Village Engineer Kevin Bunge discussed issues that have been seen recently involving rust in Creston's water system.

Bunge created a map showing areas seeing the worst rust issues in Creston, and he said he believes those areas coincide with bellies, low spots and old four-inch water mains in the village's water system.

"Four-inch main, a belly in the main and the fact that that's where the rust problems are, that has to be looked at as the culprit," Bunge said. "Old mains with bellies in them creating junk. And every now and then, it just flushes out."

The village plans to move forward with location of water service lines going into homes and hydrant flushing to better diagnose and fix the issue in the future. Bunge said some of the old four-inch water main lines could be replaced, and replacing all of the problem areas of four-inch main would cost $200,000-250,000.

"Let's try to get this issue straightened around," Byro said. "We've been dealing with this forever."

In December, the board unanimously approved a proposal from KLM Engineering for $16,836 for the cleaning and inspection of Creston’s water tower. The work will be completed by July 1, 2025. Officials said Tuesday they have not heard a schedule from KLM Engineering yet.

Storm sewer

Bunge said during the meeting that he's started to receive signed easement agreements back from property owners regarding a planned storm sewer project in Creston.

The project is currently in the easement negotiation stage. The next steps will be getting all of the easement agreements signed, finalizing plans and going out for bids. Bunge said there are currently five easements in question.

"I would say by next month we'll have all the easements in hand that we need which means we can finish the plans and get out for bid," Bunge said.

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.

The work will likely begin in the spring or summer of 2025. Bunge has estimated in the past that the project could roughly cost $180,000-200,000.

Subdivision

Moore provided another update to trustees on the building of new homes that has been taking place in the Creston Commons subdivision.

Moore said one home is currently seeing inside finish work, two more are still being framed, and two others still need to start framing. One completed new home was previously granted an occupancy permit. The new homes have all been sized around 1,600 square feet.

"That's progress," Byro said. "That's what I like to see."

Hayden Real Estate closed on the ownership of the subdivision at the end of December 2023. The village has hoped in recent years to see clean up, new homes and a new agreement with the subdivision's ownership. Construction work on the homes is still taking place amid the winter weather.

ADA

Bunge detailed minor work that needs to be done at Creston Village Hall in the near future to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act. The work will require the replacement of some sidewalk and the moving of a parking spot. Village Hall is not currently ADA compliant and is required to be. Bunge said there are no other ADA issues at the building, including in its interior.