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Vanlue mayor outlines 2025 priorities: water-system work, zoning overhaul and road paving
Summary
Mayor Robert Wells told council the village will focus in 2025 on water-system upgrades (including softener and tower work), a zoning ordinance overhaul, road paving and continued use of online billing; EPA timelines and grant work were highlighted.
Mayor Robert Wells opened the Jan. 27 meeting of the Village of Vanlue council with a State of the Village address, saying the village will prioritize water-system work, a comprehensive review of zoning rules and road paving in 2025.
Wells said the village has already raised water rates and is planning several infrastructure projects this year, including work on water softeners and the water tower. He noted the village is coordinating those efforts with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the EPA was notified of softener testing and the tower plan and moved the completion date for that work to no later than March 31, 2025.
Village Administrator Leo Hendricks provided operational details: a billing-software upgrade has been installed; the village received a PEP Insurance Safety Grant and purchased $925 of road-construction and safety signage; and a five-year farming lease for the well field was awarded following bids opened Dec. 23. Hendricks also reported Paystar online-payment activity: in December, 40 customers (22.2% of utility customers) used Paystar for $3,789 in collections, part of 1,252 transactions and $132,078 collected to date.
Hendricks said the village will form a Source Water Area Protection Plan committee of community and business representatives to meet reimbursement deadlines; the mayor emphasized the need to prioritize the plan because some reimbursements require implementation by June.
The meeting record notes a quote of $11,033 to treat all three sewer lagoons (treatment usually every three to four years) and that this cost has been included in the 2025 budget. Hendricks also reported 12 delinquencies in January, with no disconnections.
The mayor and administrators said they will continue to coordinate with outside firms — including USG Water for a vent installation and a media firm reviewing softener-cleaning or media-replacement options — and will report back to council as recommendations and schedules are finalized.
The council received these reports as routine business; no formal policy changes were adopted during the presentations.
