ROCHELLE ⏤ Sewer rates have increased in Creston and will for the next five years after a recent decision by the Rochelle City Council to fund recent and future improvements to its water reclamation plant that amount $14 million. 

Creston and Hillcrest both utilize Rochelle’s water treatment plant and are under contract with Rochelle Municipal Utilities and are bound to pay recent rate increases that also impact Rochelle residents. 

RMU Utilities Superintendent Adam Lanning attended Tuesday’s Creston Village Board meeting to explain the increases. He said after the work done in the next couple of years to the sewer plant, it should be in “very good” shape for the next 20-30 years. Creston’s last sewer rate increase was five years ago. 

“We feel it's prudent for everybody to pay their fair share in our infrastructure and not put that burden on future generations,” Lanning said. “The cost impact to Creston for 2022 will be a 5.5 percent increase, 2023 a 5.3 percent increase, 2024 five percent and 2025 2.2 percent. The next few years we're looking at some pretty hefty investments. After that, we anticipate a steady decline and expect just to see simple cost of living increases.”

Lanning said the rate increases “happened quickly” and took effect Aug. 1. RMU and the city recently did a rate study and found the new rates had to be implemented by then or else they’d have to wait a year. The rate study was done thoroughly, Lanning said. 

Creston is only billed by RMU for improvements to the sewer plant it uses. It does not pay for things like sewer lining within Rochelle. 

“It's cheaper than having our own plant,” Creston Village Trustee Curt Ward said. 

Creston Village President Tom Byro said Creston is billed by RMU as one entity and then divides that cost up among residents. Byro said the village plans to do some adjusting on its sewer bills after the increases by Rochelle and RMU.

Water meter equipment

The village board approved a $9,795 expenditure for water meter reading equipment by a vote of 4-0. Trustees Wayne Williams, Mark Hibshman and Steve Katzman were absent from the meeting.

The equipment includes a new handheld device to read water meters and an annual $1,950 a year service contract between the village and the company that provides the handheld and a radio frequency.

Booster Days

The board unanimously approved a $2,500 donation to the Creston Booster Club for its fireworks celebration at Creston Booster Days, which is planned to take place Aug. 27-29.

Liquor license

The board briefly discussed and tabled the idea of allowing a liquor license for Headon’s Fine Meats. Hibshman, who owns Headon’s, was absent from the meeting and Village Attorney Dave Tess said he’s in need of more information about what Hibshman is looking for.

ARPA

Byro said the village is eligible for $87,955,90 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, which is a COVID-19 relief program. 

“I think it's a good deal and a no brainer,” Byro said. “We need to find out what those monies can be used for. Fire hydrants, for example, we need a few. We'll see what happens. I'm all for going ahead with it.”