Ceresco trustees approve $35,124.85 VRBA claim and review 2025–26 budget priorities

Ceresco’s Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously to pay VRBA claims totaling $35,124.85 and spent the remainder of its Aug. 25 special meeting and budget workshop reviewing the proposed 2025–26 budget, officials said.

Brian Roland explained that a sewer main break at 224 Elm — separate from a service-line problem — had stopped flow; he said VRBA repaired the main and added a double clean-out. Trustee Burklund moved to pay the VRBA claims in the amount of $35,124.85; Trustee Custer seconded. The motion passed with Burklund, Custer, Johnson and Chair Scott Peterson voting yes.

Consultant Cheryl Pester of Erickson and Brooks led a line‑by‑line review of the draft budget. She said the general fund is maintaining $140,000 in reserves held in capital outlay and that $20,000 is budgeted for capital outlay next year. “There is a rule in the Budget Act that says your ending cash cannot be more than 50% of the operating expenses,” Pester said, adding that the rule guides decisions about how large reserves should be.

Pester said sales‑tax revenue estimates were increased slightly based on three‑year trends, that unused budget amounts roll to ending fund balance and that transfers between funds are available when other special‑revenue funds need support. The trustees discussed the tradeoffs of using reserves now versus preserving cash for future emergencies or larger projects.

On street funding, Pester outlined a capital‑outlay total of $575,000 with roughly $418,000 held as estimated reserves for future projects. She highlighted $60,000 set aside for Hunter Subdivision work and $97,000 estimated for Elm Street, and advised aligning reserve use with the village’s One and Six Year Plan.

Police and fire spending drew focused discussion. Pester said the police allocation was slightly higher than last year, with about $10,000 budgeted toward replacement radios. Fire Chief Tyler Heyen warned trustees that many existing handheld radios will be incompatible with upcoming system upgrades (Orion) and that the department has only a limited number of working radios: “We don’t have enough working radios,” Heyen said, and he estimated the department needs 32 radios. Heyen said a recent grant provided vehicle and station radios plus five handhelds, but price increases have reduced how many radios can be bought from this year’s budgeted funds.

Pester proposed reducing the library’s property‑tax allocation to reflect lower needs and budgeted $11,500 in capital outlay with $10,000 anticipated from grants (grant receipts not guaranteed). In parks, trustees discussed paying down roughly $80,000 left on a stream‑stabilization loan but agreed to preserve general reserves rather than make a large early payment.

Pester reported water borrowing was lowered from a budgeted $610,000 to $450,000, leaving starting water reserves near $24,000, and said sewer reserves are roughly $30,000 while staff await repair estimates for the plant. Garbage and compost‑site needs include $10,000 in capital outlay for rock at the compost site. On debt service, staff reviewed amortization schedules and discussed bonding options, including exploring a bond for a fire barn in 2029–30 to smooth tax impacts.

No changes were made to the proposed budget during the workshop. Pester will finalize budget forms and publish the budget hearing notice by Sept. 4; the board scheduled the public budget hearing for Sept. 16. Chair Peterson moved to close the meeting at 8:01 p.m.; the motion carried unanimously.

What’s next: the budget hearing is set for Sept. 16; any formal adoption will follow that public hearing.