Kalona, Riverside and Wellman set hearings on budgets amendments

By Ron Slechta
Posted 5/12/21

The city councils of Kalona, Riverside and Wellman will be holding public hearings on amendments to their current fiscal year budgets at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 17.

The City of Kalona is adjusting …

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Kalona, Riverside and Wellman set hearings on budgets amendments

Posted

The city councils of Kalona, Riverside and Wellman will be holding public hearings on amendments to their current fiscal year budgets at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 17.

The City of Kalona is adjusting its budget by an additional $403,137 to make the final anticipated expenditures to be $4,096,612. The city’s notice notes changes in expenditures for Watershed HUD grant, cemetery improvements, water/sewer maintenance and miscellaneous costs. New revenue includes cemetery funds, Enhance Iowa Rec Project funds and miscellaneous revenues. There are no increases in property taxes.

Wellman is asking to adjust its budgeted expenditures by $792,3777 to a total of $3,843,210. The notice in last week’s legal notices cites the increase was due to local option sales tax revenue, COVID-19 and derecho reimbursements and transfers from fund to fund. Along with an increase in revenues came additional expenses due to COVID, as well as unexpected projects in Wellman.

Riverside is seeking to adjust its budget by $1,421,700 for total expenditures of $5,655,764. The Riverside budget amendment notice notes that the changes include capital projects paid in FY21, budgeted in FY20; road use funds; additional transfer capital projects; a COVID reimbursement grant ($37,000) received; and COVID expenses of $9,200 not in budget. Also, the sale of city property resulted in increase in USE of money.

Kalona City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh pointed out that the “budget amendment” is strictly to clean up the year’s activities based on revenues and expenses. This can include spending reserves, grant funds awarded, timing of projects over multiple fiscal years, etc. All expenditures were approved through the city councils throughout the year, and this provides the state with the actual end-of-year budget outlook.

Taking a closer look at the adjustments for the City of Kalona, according to Schlabaugh, include:

• Grant awards (the city doesn’t budget for grant funds on the expense side or revenue, as they are unknown what will be awarded).

• Capital projects (ambulance project, etc.): The City of Kalona worked with cities of Riverside and Wellman and Washington County to establish an ambulance garage on the Southtown (formerly Shiloh) property resulting in faster response time for northern Washington County residents. Cost to Kalona was $50,000.

• English River Watershed (Kalona has expenses and revenues as a “pass through” that can at times exceed the city’s best estimates).

• Revenues: Kalona received a reimbursement from the state for the community center project this fiscal year.

• Post Office: Kalona did some unbudgeted improvements on the facility from reserve funds.

•Library: There were some unbudgeted improvements on the facility from reserve funds.