Water project extends to Mills

With the north half of Cherry Street now finished, other areas of Creston Waterworks’ construction project are seeing more attention.

The next round of pay applications was approved during Monday’s Creston Waterworks meeting. Construction continues on the utility’s water main improvement project.

Construction has extended both west and east of Cherry Street, diving further into Uptown and beginning construction on Mills Street.

Three pay applications were approved. United Utilities were paid $158,079.80 for construction in the Uptown part of Creston. On Cherry Street, $85,058.56 will be paid to C&J Conservation. Finally, in the first pay application to Crain Construction for work moving east on Mills Street in Division 3, $94,857.50 will be paid.

Division 1 of the project has progressed to Pine Street, moving west steadily. Division 2, which is moving south on Cherry Street, has reached Carpenter Street. Division 4 is estimated to begin work starting in April of next year.

In other Creston Waterworks news...

Vacation day accrual for waterworks employees was overhauled. Based on time employed, employees will accrue vacation days yearly.

- Six months to one year: three vacation days

- One year to three years: two weeks

- Four to eight years: three weeks

- Nine to 13 years: four weeks

- Fourteen to 19 years: five weeks

- Twenty-plus years: six weeks.

An identity theft program was approved which acknowledges the steps the utility takes to prevent identity theft. General Manager Steve Guthrie acknowledged that the utility spends heavily on cybersecurity and takes preventative steps such as requiring in-person payments.

Creston Waterworks will continue to manage the area around Summit Lake, approving the Summit Lake management agreement which extends their control through 2050.