Sheldon, Iowa — When the Sheldon City Council meets Wednesday, February 6th, they’ll hold a public hearing on the authorization of the issuance of a General Obligation Capital Loan Note in the amount of $650-thousand to purchase a fire truck and two police cars. Later, during the budget workshop, the Council will discuss the idea of reducing pressure on the Local Option Sales Tax fund by paying for one of the police cars from that fund and postponing the purchase of the second police car to Fiscal Year 20-21. City Manager Sam Kooiker says that, by doing so, they can avoid paying for either police car from the Emergency Services Note, which would relieve the concern created by having a seven-year loan for a pair of police cars whose life expectancy is three to four years. In addition, the $100-thousand from the Emergency Services Note which had originally been earmarked for the police cars can then be used to cover half of the $200-thousand cost of a new ambulance.
In other business, the Council will be asked to approve the hiring of James Lowery as Recreation Coordinator, hear a report from Sheldon Emergency Management, and get an update on flood mapping from O’Brien County Emergency Management Coordinator Jared Johnson. The Council will also act on Fire Department membership applications for Ashley Balt and Adam Ruschmann, as well as a SCAT membership application for Brianna Davis.
The Council will hear a request for Tax Increment Financing to be used for expansions of a local business during Wednesday’s meeting. The proposal is for approximately $90-thousand in total incentives paid over a five-year period.
After these agenda items are completed, the Council will hold two workshops. One is a continuation of the budget discussions that were held last week. The other is a discussion on the direction the City should take with regard to the possible MidAmerican gas and electric franchise agreements.
Wednesday’s meeting will begin at 4:30 pm in the upper level of the Sheldon Community Services Center.
