The Jefferson city council approved the fiscal year 2017 budget after a public hearing held at the March 8 regular meeting, but only after council member Lisa Jaskey asked for amendments to the budget for the Jefferson Community Golf Course.
Jaskey, a CPA, has previously dragged a finer net through city financial matters than other council members. She thanked Kennedy for all the time spent on the city budget, and said she had gone through the budget to verify that changes discussed at the council’s budget workshop had been made in the final budget.
Jaskey said she had received phone calls about the golf course and that the budget raised questions. She said she was unsure of income projections, the need for an assistant manager, the length of the contract for the manager, and the salary range for the manager. She was critical of the young staff members’ use of time and of the cleanliness in the restrooms.
She suggested that the golf course budget go back to the committee (council members Larry Teeples and Gary Von Ahsen serve on that committee) to be looked at more closely. If there are changes to be made, she suggested the council could approve a budget amendment.
Teeples said the committee would meet soon and look at it. Von Ahsen was not at the council meeting.
The only public comment at the hearing was from Tori Riley, speaking as a Jefferson taxpayer, not a journalist. “I would personally rather pay more tax, even if it meant foregoing this decrease to the general fund levy, and concentrate on properly funding our public safety. I don’t know that levies always need to decrease. If they (the fire department) need air tanks, it’s my tax dollars that should pay for air tanks. I’d gladly pay more if it’s going for a good cause. Justify the cause, and I’ll pay,” she said.
“We don’t hear that kind of comment very often,” Jaskey said.
Teeples said he has heard it from others.
Information provided by Kennedy shows the levy rate has decreased eight cents in the last four fiscal years, from $15.30 in FY 14 to $15.22 in the FY 17 budget. In the FY 17 budget, one cent is about $1,200 in revenue to the city.
The budget was approved unanimously.
In other business, the council approved hiring Shane Jones as a police patrolman at an annual salary of $38,552. He will start March 16 and attend the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy next fall.
Jones is a 2007 graduate of Van Meter High School and holds an associate degree in an unrelated field. His most recent employment is at the Van Meter veterinary clinic.
“We’re excited to bring him into Jefferson. He’ll be a great fit not only for our department, but also for the city of Jefferson,” police chief Mark Clouse said.
The council approved waiving a $615 building permit fee for the Greene County Fair Association. The Fair Association is building a 72’ X 135’ Morton building at the fairgrounds.
Council member Dave Sloan said he is not in favor of waiving permit fees for non-profit organizations, saying that the city incurs expense with inspections and gets no revenue when permit fees are waived. He suggested the fee schedule could be restructured.
Building official Nick Sorensen said inspections on structures like the Morton building are minimal.
“It’s something we should think about,” Sloan said. “I don’t see any reason why…. It’s hard to explain to somebody, ‘I’m not going to forgive your building permit when you’re building a house, but I am going to forgive theirs,’” he said. “I don’t agree even for a non-profit. If we’ve got costs, it should be reimbursed to us.”
Permit fees were waived for the project at Greene County Medical Center because other inspectors were hired for the required inspections.
“More of a policy needs to be developed at this point,” city administrator Mike Palmer said. “There are a lot of non-profits.”
The question will go to a council committee.
