Annual Budget Timeline

Throughout the year, the City Council discusses a wide range of policy issues and program initiatives that continually guide budget strategy and capital improvements. Council meetings are open to the public and agendas are published in advance of the meeting. Council members take suggestions and comments from members of the public at meetings. Agendas can be found here. Council members also engage with community members at festivals, while shopping locally, at church, etc., and can be contacted directly. Information for Council members can be found here.

Each month, Department Heads receive expenditure history, individual project costs, and revenue updates from the Finance Department. As conditions change or opportunities/challenges arise, Departments may need to request budget amendments if they find their year-end projections will outpace their initial budget allocations. The City Administrator and Finance Director work with each department to develop a financial plan.

From October through January, the City Administrator and Finance Director work with each department to review current budget projections and compile an operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year and the capital improvement and equipment plan for the upcoming five years.

In January, per state law, the City publishes a Max Levy rate and holds a hearing. The Max Levy rate requirement was implemented by the State Legislature in 2019. The goal of the Max Levy rate hearing is to inform the public about the maximum amount of property taxes a city can collect from certain levies in the upcoming fiscal year. 

In January and February, City Council holds one or more workshops or meetings devoted to discussing a variety of budget topics.

In February and March, City Council holds public hearings to set a cap on property tax revenue, discuss the proposed budgets, and adopt the final budgets and levy rates. 

The State of Iowa requires a one-year budget to be adopted and submitted by March 31 of each year.