It’s not just private residents who are complaining about rising utility bills these days, municipalities are as well.

The Village of Montgomery’s utility bill has doubled in recent years
“We can’t afford $200,000,” said Mayor Steve Brescia.

Buddy Nelson, Superintendent of Public Works said some village accounts have been billed twice. He plans to meet with a Central Hudson representative to discuss billing issues.

The village, meanwhile, will consider ways to reduce the rising utility costs, including allowing solar arrays.

“I’ve heard a lot of complaints,” said Mayor Steve Brescia regarding the rising utility costs and billing issues that have faced Central Hudson customers.

Nelson delivered more bad news at the first village board meeting of the new year: a water main break on Robert Street kept his crew busy on Christmas Eve.

He also delivered some good news as well: water use restrictions, put in place in August, have officially been lifted as of January 1, as the drought appears to be over.