Even though Mt. Union has officially become an unincorporated community, it still has unfinished business with its sewer system providers, Regional Utility Service Systems (RUSS). According to John Marek, who served as the last mayor of Mt. Union, it’s been a misconception that the city has a debt of nearly $300,000 with RUSS for sewer system improvements made over 10 years ago. Marek clarifies, it’s RUSS that owes the debt to the United States Department of Agriculture, “The city is not allowed by law to use its city funds, or the tax money that is received, to pay that ahead of time. When they signed for the loan for $297,000, it says the debt shall be payable solely from the net revenues of the Mt. Union sewer system. In other words, according to the resolution by RUSS, and the requirement of the USDA, the city cannot pay with its general funds the loan (or) the cost of operating systems. It has to be from the user fees.”

According to the Henry County Supervisors, Mt. Union did enter into a 28E agreement with RUSS that said the city would collect delinquent payments through property taxes. The city is still on the hook for $37,038.45 that was supposed to be collected in this manner. RUSS plans on filing the debt with the City Development Board, which will be assessing the city’s outstanding debts over the next six months. With the city now unincorporated, RUSS has entered a similar 28E agreement with Henry County. To hear more about Mt. Union becoming unincorporated and their agreement with RUSS, listen to the two-part In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Marek at KCIIRadio.com.