Water rates to rise in Grundy Center

    GRUNDY CENTER — Grundy Center residents will not be getting a holiday bonus from the city in January. Instead they’ll be getting higher water rates.
    Monday the Grundy Center City Council passed an ordinance to raise water rates 5 percent, passing on an increase in rates the city pays to Central Iowa Water.
    Public Works Director Dan Bangasser said the rates for minimum water usage would increase from $11.61 to $12.22.
    Bangasser added that Grundy Center’s last water rate increase came in 2009 and that it also had an increase in 2008.
    After passing the first reading, Council voted to advance the ordinance to a third reading and passed it into law.
    In other business, Council passed the recommendation of the Business Innovations Grant (BIG) Committee to award a $4,875 forgivable economic development load to  Jansen Optical for the installation of new doors, windows, lettering and siding.
    “This is one that absolutely exemplifies what we’re trying to do,” Mayor Rex Van Wert said. “He’s going to change the storefront to make it a little more attractive and add some signage.”
    “It’s exactly what we’re looking for,” BIG Committee member Chad Hamann added.
    Council passed the resolution unanimously.
    Grundy Center’s reserve police officers will receive the pay increases that they were voted to receive earlier this year following action by the council. Council also voted to pay them back pay to the beginning of the fiscal year, a total between the officers of $127. Reserve officer salaries will be between $12 and $12.50 per hour.
    City Council will hold a special meeting Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m. to swear in new mayor Brian Buhrow as well as councilmen who were elected in November. Al Kiewiet, who was elected to fill a vacancy in November, sat in on Monday’s meeting as a sworn-in councilman while Hamann, whose seat Kiewiet filled, was not officially on the council Monday. Hamann will be sworn into the full four-year term he was elected to Dec. 30.