By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa City Council met last night and formally approved the city budget and tax levy for Fiscal Year 2024.

The tax levy was set at approximately $15.63 per $1,000 of valuation. The final numbers for the budget include about $39.7 million in total revenues and $43.2 million in total expenditures, with the General Fund balance decreasing by roughly $286,000. General Fund numbers in the budget do not include backfill money from the state due to the Business Tax Credit.

The city also approved an agreement with Mahaska County on a pavement restoration project along Old Highway 163. The low bid from Manatt’s Inc. was approximately $1.15 million, which was about $207,000 over the estimated cost of the project. The city of Oskaloosa would be on the hook for about $110,000 of the total expenses for the project, and councilmember Bob Drost said that he wasn’t concerned about the price increase given the condition of the road right now.

And the meeting saw the police department welcome two new additions: the city’s newest officer, Stephanie Nuno, was sworn in, and the city’s new K9, Rocky, was recognized as being fully certified.

The next regular council meeting with the city of Oskaloosa will be held on April 17.