The Jefferson City Council met Tuesday night in regular session.

During the consent agenda, Council member Luke Winkelman requested discussion on two items. The first one was about a smaller grapple for a tractor that is used by the parks and cemetery crews for $16,321. City Administrator Scott Peterson explained that the smaller equipment will not tear up properties as much as the larger grapple. 

The other consent item that was discussed was about a stump grinder for $10,558. Peterson said the current spiral grinder is too costly for maintenance and using a traditional rotary grinder would be easier to maintain and the funding would come from the leftover money from this past winter season. Both items were then approved.

Next, the public hearing for the 2027 fiscal year budget was held, before the Council approved the measure after the hearing. The tax levy going into the upcoming fiscal year is $14.88 per $1,000 of property valuation. Then, the Council set May 12th at 5:30pm for a public hearing on an amendment to the current fiscal year budget.

Additionally, the Council approved a resolution to increase the membership rates at the Greene County Community Center by three percent for the next fiscal year and then have a standard rounding up to the nearest $5 annually. They also approved a resolution for a Federal Aviation Administration grant application for a total of $287,000 for the fuel farm project, and amending the city administrator’s agreement to include a $5,000 increase in salary to $130,000. 

Finally, the Council approved a resolution for Fort Dodge Asphalt to do an overlay on McKinley Street, as well as Cedar Street north to Central Avenue for a total of $283,361. Peterson explained that the McKinley Street project came under the budgeted $250,000 and the committee was comfortable adding Cedar Street, with the total going over by $30,000. They also approved a resolution for crack sealing by Denco to finish the southeastern portion of town before going to the southwestern portion.