MUSCATINE, Iowa – The final pieces to the puzzle of the City of Muscatine Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget were being put together Wednesday (Jan. 27, 2021) afternoon in preparation for the start of “Budget Season” Thursday.
City Administrator Carol Webb and Finance Director Nancy Lueck have worked with department heads and members of each department’s staff over the past several months preparing the proposed budget for City Council’s consideration.
Lueck will present an overview of the proposed budget to City Council at 4:30 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 28) in the first of a series of budget sessions that will be a hybrid meeting the Council. Each session will be live through a GoToMeeting link and also be shown live on the City of Muscatine YouTube channel.
Council members, Webb, and certain staff members will be present in the City Council chambers for each session but most staff and the public will need to watch the proceedings virtually. Links to the meetings are below.
Public comment during the budget sessions is not permitted with the public asked to make notes of any questions or concerns that they can bring up during the budget’s Public Hearing in March.
Thursday’s meeting will be followed by several weeks of presentations to the City Council by the various departments and outside agencies supported by the City of Muscatine. Most budget discussions will be held in the City Council Chambers at Muscatine City Hall with the first session starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30. Sessions will also be held on Feb. 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10. The February 4 session will be virtual only due to a regular city council meeting scheduled for after the budget session has concluded.
A significant change, approved by the Iowa Legislature in 2019, to the annual city budget adoption process will be implemented this year as cities across the state are required to hold an additional public hearing to identify “a total maximum property tax dollars to be derived from certain levies in the budget for the next fiscal year”.
The public hearing and the passage of a resolution on the proposed maximum property tax dollars must proceed setting a public hearing on the adoption of the budget.
To help cities meeting the requirements of holding two public hearings, the State of Iowa moved back the deadline to file an approved budget with the county auditor for certification to March 31. The previous deadline was March 15.
A complete schedule of the meetings along with additional information can be found at 2021/2022 Proposed Budget on the Finance & Records page of the City of Muscatine web site.
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday City Council 4:30 p.m. General Fund Overview
January 28, 2021 Chambers to City Council
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Saturday City Council 8:00 a.m. City Council Budget Review
January 30, 2021 Chambers Legal Services
City Administrator
Human Resources
Risk Management
Finance
Information Technology
Community Development
Airport/Airport Subsidy
Police Operations
Animal Control
Library Operations
Cablevision
Art Center
Fire Operations
Ambulance
Housing
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Tuesday City Council 5:30 p.m. Parks Administration
February 2, 2021 Chambers Park Maintenance
Aquatic Center
Recreation
Soccer
Kent Stein
Wellness
Cemetery
Golf Course
Boat Harbor
Marina
Soccer Events
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Wednesday City Council 5:30 p.m. Public Works Administration
February 3, 2021 Chambers Engineering
Roadway Maintenance
Traffic Control
Snow and Ice
Street Cleaning
Building & Grounds
Collection & Drainage
Equipment Services
Equipment Replacement
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday Virtual 5:30 p.m. Chamber
February 4, 2021 Session Only CVB
Senior Resources
Humane Society
MCSA
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Saturday City Council 8:00 a.m. Iowa Legislatures
February 6, 2021 Chambers Transit
Parking
Refuse Collection
Landfill
Transfer Station
WPCP
Storm Water
Review & Discussion Begin-
General Fund
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Tuesday City Council 5:30 p.m. Capital/Dept/TIF/RUT
February 9, 2021 Chambers Local Option Review
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Wednesday City Council 5:30 p.m. Review & Discussion
February 10, 2021 Chambers Decisions for Public Hearing
(may continue on 2/13)
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Saturday City Council 8:00 a.m. Final Decision for Public Hearing
February 13, 2021 Chambers (extra meeting if not concluded
February 10th)
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday, Regular Council 7:00 p.m. Council Orders Notice of
February 18, 2021 Meeting Maximum Property Tax
And Set Public hearing #1
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday Regular Council 7:00 p.m. Public Hearing #1 on Maximum
March 4, 2021 Meeting Property Tax and approve
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday Regular Council 7:00 p.m. Set Public Hearing #2 for
March 4, 2021 Meeting Adoption of Budget
Date Location Time Department/Agency
Thursday Regular Council 7:00 p.m. Hold Public Hearing #2
March 18, 2021 Meeting and Adoption of Budget
March 31, 2021(Latest Day) Approved Budget filed with