Recent financial woes plaguing the city of Russellville has caused its mayor and council to put their noses to the grindstone and come up with ways to save money.

Mayor Gene Zick asked his council to approve an idea he presented Tuesday night at a city council meeting that could save approximately $10,000 a year.

The council approved Zick’s idea of moving the Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) department out of a building located on Hopkinsville Street to the city’s water an sewer plant located on Francis Avenue.

The I&I team is responsible for locating and repairing sewer lines throughout the city. The job keeps the department very busy, says Zick, simply due to the age of the city’s sewer lines, some of which, are over 50 years old.

The savings, Zick claimed, will be generated from not having to pay for the utilities or insurance on the building, which was purchased by the city in 1998 from the Electric Plant Board.

The building was once used as the city’s maintenance garage, but later became the I&I department after the city purchased a garage on Second Street.

It is the intention of the city to sell the property on Hopkinsville Street after the move is made, this will generate additional funds the city can count on in the up-and-coming 2010-2011 budget.