The Jefferson city council has three public hearings on its agenda for the regular meeting Tuesday, March 8, at 5:30 at the municipal building.
The first public hearing is on the 2022-23 budget (year beginning July 1, 2022). The proposed budget calls for a levy of $12.90 (per $1000 in taxable valuation) for the general fund and $2.42 for debt service for a total proposed levy of $15.32 (per $1000).
The general fund levy will increase from $12.55 in the current year, while the debt service levy will increase from 2.36. The total increase is 41 cents, from $14.91 to $15.32. The total levy is increasing due to decreases in valuation. The valuation for general fund use decreased almost $7 million, from $147,690,938 to $140,765,495. The valuation for debt service use decreased close to $55,000, from $176,334,388 to $175,784,930.
Total general fund revenue is pegged at $3,316,869. Of that, $1,338,016, or 40 percent, will come from property taxes.
Total general fund expenditures are budgeted at $3,305,379. The largest single expense in the budget is police, taking 27 percent of the budget at $907,750. City parks, the golf course, the swimming pool, recreation, and the library account for 39 percent of expenses.
The council will hold a public hearing on the sale of 107 N. Chestnut St to J. Wiltse Cretsinger, doing business as Cretsinger & Greiner Properties LLC. The purchase price is $75,000. The agenda includes approval of the sale and a redevelopment agreement that includes a $45,000 10-year forgivable loan after the public hearing.
The council will then hold a similar public hearing on the sale of 105 N. Chestnut St to Philip and Bridgette Heisterkamp, dba Heisterkamp Properties LLC. The purchase price is $54,000. The agenda includes approving a resolution for a $27,000 10-year forgivable loan agreement after the public hearing.
The 10-year forgivable loans are similar to redevelopment agreements used in the sale of other city-owned buildings in the downtown district.
The council will consider approving a one-time request from the Bell Tower Festival steering committee for $12,170 to pay for a carnival for the 2022 Bell Tower Festival. Steering committee chair Phil Heisterkamp and members Emily and Josh Dyer made the request at the Feb. 24 council meeting. The committee plans to hire carnival rides from Gotcha Games of Collins. There will be 10 carnival rides available Friday evening, June 10, and Saturday, June 11, after the festival parade.
Heisterkamp explained the committee is looking for $10-$15,000 in donations to support the festival, with the additional donation from the city going only to cover the carnival. Gotcha Games will retain 80 percent of carnival proceeds, with the festival receiving the other 20 percent. Heisterkamp said the festival will return its 20 percent back to the city.
According to Heisterkamp, the committee’s goal is to host “the greatest small town festival in Iowa,” which he later described as a “bomb-diggity Bell Tower Festival.”
This year’s festival will the city of Jefferson’s 150th birthday.
The city funding will come from hotel/motel tax revenue.
Other agenda items can be found under the Calendar/Agenda tab on GreeneCountyNewsOnline.
