The findings of an energy audit conducted by Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) for the City of Harlan have been released. Officials with Harlan Municipal Utilities say included in the report are specific recommendations on how to decrease electric, gas and water use at City facilities. Street lights and traffic signals are the largest energy consumers followed by the swimming pool, the waste water treatment plant and Veteran’s Memorial Building.

HMU says the audit was a necessary and productive effort in order to save money to citizens in Harlan. The new street lights and traffic signals will have a big impact on the savings. The utility company converted the stop lights to LED lights and is in the process of changing all street lights over to LED lights as well. The savings is estimated around 50 percent and that will the savings will be passed on to the consumers.

HMU Additional buildings and facilities included in the audit were: City Hall/Police station, C.G. Therkildsen Activity Center, Waste Water Treatment Plan, Developsource Building, the Library, the fire station, Dog Pound, Parks and Rec building, and the street maintenance building.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County arrested a Villisca man late Wednesday night.  28-year-old Joshua Dean Cooney was arrested for possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highways 34 and 48.

Cooney was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Three people have been arrested in connection with an investigation into thefts in Villisca. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 40-year-old Joseph Lamoni of Villisca, 20-year-old Justin Wagner of Farragut and an unidentified female juvenile were arrested Wednesday. The trio was taken into custody after law enforcement received tips from the public.

Authorities were able to locate stolen property in the vicinity of where the suspects were taken into custody. Officials say Lamoni faces Accessory after the fact, 2nd degree theft, and 5th degree theft charges. Wagner was being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a valid Montgomery County warrant, and on charges of being an Accessory after the fact, and 5th degree theft.

The female was released on a juvenile citation, and awaiting a court decision.