Also gets good news on insurance premiums, levy rate
The Jefferson city council at its Feb. 26 meeting approved in-kind participation for a grant application to rehabilitate the former Oddfellows lodge west of the Sierra Community Theatre.
City building and zoning officer Nick Sorensen, with help from Jefferson Matters: Main Street director Peg Raney, is preparing an application for a $100,000 Community Catalyst remediation grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
The council in January approved a resolution in support of the grant application. The new action was to approve an in-kind donation by waiving the cost of the building permit, $3,935, for the project. Sorensen said the application would gain points by having in-kind participation from the city.
The total cost of the renovation will by $1.7 million. The developer of the project has not been identified publicly, although Raney told the council she has gathered 25 letters of support for the grant application. “It’s a great opportunity for Jefferson,” Raney said about the project.
The council also received good news from Jim Unger of Unger Insurance. The cost of the city’s property and liability insurance premium for the year beginning April 1 will decrease from $184,250 to $171,436.
The decrease is due to a change in the experience modification rating for workers’ compensation insurance. The premium for that element is decreasing from $90,314 to $69,477. The rate is determined by costs incurred during the previous three years. Based on that, Unger told the council the rate will probably decrease again next spring.
Premium costs for all other coverages increased slightly.
Jefferson Matters: Main Street presented its quarterly report to the council. During the report, Deb McGinn announced that the Tower View Team is adding a new art installation on the roof of John’s Appliance this spring. The art will be painted by Curt Nelson.
She also reported that the first pour of metal castings for the art in Arch Alley, north of the downtown square, will be done March 1 at 10 am at Art on the Fly on E. Lincoln Way just west of the Milwaukee depot.
Jefferson Matters vice president Amy Milligan reported that the group will receive two awards from Main Street in April.
The council followed its meeting with a budget workshop for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The proposed budget allows for a total levy decrease of 32 cents (per thousand dollars of taxable valuation), setting the rate at $14.83.
A public hearing on the budget will be held Tuesday, March 13, at 5:30 pm at the municipal building. More information about the budget will be posted next week on GreeneCountyNewsOnline.
