In the 2023 legislative session, the Legislature added the requirement for cities to publish their expected income from property taxes, and provide property tax statements to individual property owners after March 15, and before the first public hearing on the proposed budget.

Last night the City Council of Webster City approved a long list of final amendments to the fiscal year 2026 budget from Wolfgram.

Amendments to revenues, (money taken in by the city) include:

• Reducing expected receipts from property taxes by $23,172 from the previous estimate.

• Reducing expected sales tax receipts by $28,720 vs. the previous estimate

• Reducing the expected revenue collected from building and electrical permits by $60,000.

• Reducing the estimate for liquor license revenues by $6,000 from the previous estimate.

• Reducing expected revenues from sewer services by $172,823.

• Reducing expected revenues from treated water sales by $207,615 vs. previous estimate.

Amendments to expenses (money paid out by the city) include:

• Budgeting an additional $1,000 for mosquito control this summer.

• Adding $257,000 to build a new shelter at E. Twin Park, higher utility expense at Fuller Hall and the outdoor pool, and unspecified, unexpected equipment repair costs.

• Add $1,100,000 to pay for certification of ground in Gateway Industrial Park, and establish the new Downtown Revitalization funds.

• An unspecified addition to cover new computer equipment and liability insurance costs that must be paid for prior to June 30.

• An additional $1,300,000 for street repairs.

• $131,009 for unplanned expenses related to the city’s 2025 general obligation (GO) bonds.

• An additional $5 million to pay for large scale capital projects in the water treatment and electric utility departments tied to the 2024 GO bonds.

The budget amendments must now face the scrutiny of the public in a public hearing set for June 15 at 6:05 p.m. at City Hall.

In other matters, the council:

• Approved the sale of city-owned property on the west side to AW.some Mowing for $15,000; the company plans to use the site to establish a permanent base of operations, and for equipment storage.

• Appointed Williams & Co. as auditors for the city’s accounts for fiscal years 2026, 2027 and 2028. The work includes preparation of annual financial statements, auditing, and compiling the city’s annual financial report. A total of seven firms were asked to bid on the work, but only Williams responded with a bid.

• Approved pay packages for city staff. Police Department employees will earn 4% more in base wages for fiscal year 2026-27; Fire Department employees 3% more. Increases reflect previously-negotiated amounts in union contracts. Non-bargaining city employees will see a 3% raise in wages.

• Approved health, dental, vision and life insurance benefit plans for city employees. Costs for health insurance are projected to rise 2.43%; vision insurance costs are projected to be up by 13.3%, and dental insurance premiums are expected to rise by 23.9%.

• Held a second reading of an ordinance regulating the keeping of hens within the city limits of Webster City. Standard residences may keep no more than six chickens and those with lots of an acre or more, up to 12 chickens. Roosters are prohibited. The animals may not be kept indoors in residences, and must be confined in a coop in the back yard. The commercial raising of chickens is not allowed.

• Voted to close-out expenses for two large road construction projects: the Brewer/Willson project at a final cost of $1,008,041.50 and Beach Street concrete patching project at $862,588.43. Both projects ended up costing slightly less than original estimates.