The Creston Village Board of Trustees on June 2 discussed plans for festivities on Friday, July 17, to honor America’s 250th birthday.
The board will be closing a portion of Main Street that evening in front of Headon’s Fine Meats. Trustee Justin Hibshman said he’s spoken to numerous local businesses about participating in the event, which will include food, drinks, craft vendors, and a band.
The band, The River Rats, will play from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and food will start to be served before the band starts. The village will be paying for the $1,000 cost of the band.
Water main
Matt Hansen of village engineering firm Willett, Hofmann & Associates said a planned village water main project in the area of South Street and West Street is set to start late in the week of June 8 or the week of June 15.
The project was in a holding pattern due to ongoing work on Creston’s water tower, which has been completed.
The contractor, Martin & Company Excavating, will have 20 working days to complete the project once it starts. The bid was awarded to Martin for $218,850. The permit for the project cost $1,100. Engineering will cost $15,000, for a total project cost of $244,850.
The project is being done in an attempt to alleviate rust issues in Creston and will include upsizing 4-inch mains, shut-off valve work and hydrant work, including removing dead-end lines.
Sidewalks
Hansen said survey work for two village sidewalk projects has been completed and work is underway on plans, bid documents and specifications.
In April, the board unanimously approved intent to do the sidewalk replacement projects this year for an estimated total of $156,500. The sidewalk projects will take place in the areas of East South Street from South Grove Street to Woodlawn Road ($51,100 estimated total cost) and East Depot Street from South Prairie Street to Woodlawn Road ($105,400 estimated total cost). The village will also replace some sidewalks around Creston Elementary School where water issues have been seen.
Hansen said he hopes to go out for bids in June and award the project to a contractor at the board’s July meeting.
Property demolition
Trustee Curt Ward said the village is moving toward demolition of property it recently purchased at 128 E. North St. The property is located next to the village’s maintenance shed.
The property is currently the site of a vacant and in-disrepair home. The village desires to demolish the home, join the properties, and build a larger maintenance building to house Creston’s trucks and equipment.
Demolition is anticipated to cost $15,000 to $20,000. Ward said an asbestos assessment was recently done on the home and none was found. The board unanimously approved a resolution not to exceed $3,000 for the removal of the home’s gas line.
The Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District has been utilizing the home for training before demolition takes place.
Lead service
Hansen said the village will soon receive notice of whether it has received a state grant for a state-mandated lead and galvanized water service line inventory.
The village needs to determine the material of all water service lines that run into homes and buildings in Creston and submit them to the state. If the lines are made up of lead or galvanized pipe, they will need to be replaced by the village. Inventories and final needed replacement plans have to be completed by April 15, 2027. The grant could help pay for the inspection of remaining unknown water lines.