Speedway outlines infrastructure upgrades, wastewater costs and financial pressures for 2025
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Summary
Town Council President Nick Sturgeon, Clerk-Treasurer Philip Faust and department heads reviewed 2024 accomplishments and said the town faces infrastructure investments — notably a required combined sewer overflow upgrade estimated at $15–$20 million — potential property tax reform at the state house and rising insurance and utility costs.
Town of Speedway officials used the state-of-the-town address to summarize 2024 operations and preview 2025 work, highlighting infrastructure projects under way, public-safety upgrades, a lead-service-line investigation grant and a combined sewer overflow (CSO) upgrade the clerk-treasurer said could cost $15 million to $20 million.
Why it matters: The CSO upgrade, wastewater and water system projects, and potential state-level property tax reforms could change utility rates, service levels and municipal budgets for residents and businesses.
Council President Nick Sturgeon said the town selected RQAW for CSO expansion planning at the wastewater plant and secured a $100,000 grant for lead service line investigations. He described selection of a team for a methane gas generator guaranteed-energy-savings project for the wastewater treatment plant and said design work has begun on repaving 20 Fifth Street.
Police and fire chiefs and Council Vice President Jason Delisle noted public-safety investments: upgraded ballistic vests, fleet replacement, three new automatic license-plate cameras and two new code-enforcement officers for police; a new fire engine and ISO training compliance for the fire department. Delisle said police responded to more than 27,000 calls in 2024 and made nearly 900 arrests; the fire department responded to about 3,400 incidents.
Clerk-Treasurer Philip Faust gave a financial overview and framed potential state property-tax reform as a near-term uncertainty. Faust said the town maintains healthy reserves and moved about $2 million among banks after the Silicon Valley Bank failure as a precaution. He said 2024’s move to a self-insurance health plan yielded more than $800,000 in the self-insurance fund and that he expects the town saved between $500,000 and $750,000 in 2024 by self-insuring. Faust warned that property-casualty insurance premiums rose significantly for 2025 and that sewer upgrades required by the Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) will be costly and may require raising sewer rates if the town must borrow for the $15–$20 million CSO work.
Sturgeon and staff also discussed traffic issues around the Founders Square/Crew Car Wash area; the town said it has asked the developer to consider flow improvements, will hire an engineering firm to perform an additional traffic analysis and is pursuing a new road tied to the planned Montessori School to reduce congestion. The council also plans a code-enforcement advisory committee and additional parks and recreation security cameras and playground improvements as budget allows.
Ending: Officials emphasized the need to review every expenditure, guard reserves and prepare for possible state-level property-tax changes while continuing infrastructure and public-safety upgrades in 2025.
