The Jefferson council at its Feb. 25 meeting approved levying a debt service tax for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. The action followed a public hearing on the proposed issuance of not more than $2 million in general obligation bonds to fund three projects in the council’s Capital Improvement Plan – half the cost of a firetruck, an asphalt overlay on the full length of McKinley St, and a sidewalk project. The sidewalk project would be built on W. Lincoln where the sidewalk ends at Greene County Medical Center west to where the road curves to the south and then to Westwood Drive. Sidewalk would be built on Westwood Drive west to Hillcrest and east to Grimmell Rd, and on Grimmell Rd between Lincoln Way and South St. at which one taxpayer spoke.
The proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025, calls for a total property tax levy of $14.88 (per $1,000 in taxable valuation). Of that, 41 cents is for debt service on the new GO bond. (Total for all debt service is $2.70, including the levy for this bond issue. The $2.70 is included in the $14.88 total rate.) City administrator Scott Peterson said the debt service levy will not change in the foreseeable future. The total levy may increase, but not the portion for debt service. “The intent is stability in the levy,” Peterson said.
Sue Bose was the only person to speak at the public hearing. She asked about tax levies in years after FY27. Peterson responded that the debt service levy will only fluctuate a few cents, but that he can’t say what the total levy might be.
Forrest Shady addressed tax rates during the open forum portion of the meeting, asking the council, “When are we going to start looking at the infrastructure of the town instead of beautifying this or beautifying that? No one will come here if our infrastructure is crap,” he said.
Residents did get a bit of good financial news. In 2022 the council approved an aggressive five-year plan to increase sewer rates to help fund work at the wastewater treatment plant. The city is entering the fourth year of the plan that included 15 percent increases each year. It now looks like a 10 percent increase will be sufficient to operate the utility and make bond payments.
The council approved an ordinance for 10 percent – not 15 percent – increases effective July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026.
One of the last agenda items was approval of an engineering agreement with Bolton & Menk for the Westwood sidewalk project. Total cost of the agreement is not to exceed $159,000. That includes all phases of the project. Should the project not proceed to completion, the city will pay only for services rendered up to the time it is halted. Construction cost of the project is estimated at $697,500. Adding 20 percent for contingencies and Bolton & Menk’s engineering fees brings the total project cost to $996,950.
