New Officer Sworn In During Tuesday Meeting – New Laundromat Also Moves Forward
February 23rd, 2022
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt swore in Oskaloosa’s newest police officer at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Officer Gage VanGorp began his police career with the Oskaloosa Police Department on February 7th, 2022. Officer VanGorp is from New Sharon, where he attended North Mahaska schools and competed in football and track. As a firefighter and certified EMT, Officer VanGorp volunteers with the New Sharon Fire and Rescue team. Officer VanGorp is married with two children and enjoys hunting, fishing, and woodworking during his free time.
The Council approved their consent agenda, setting aside consideration of the proposed city manager position profile. They then moved on to the public hearing for maximum property tax dollars.
The hearing is required when the property tax increase for the 2023 budget exceeds 102% of the previous year’s budget and would be 103.74% over the last fiscal year.
The fiscal year proposed maximum property tax is $4,749,968.00 and exceeds the fiscal year revenues.
The vote to pass the measure would require approval from five of the seven council members.
Oskaloosa City Council member Bob Drost shared concerns about what the profile contained; Drost said he wasn’t comfortable with what that section is as it is currently written.
Drost said he believes the section doesn’t provide a focused look. He then outlined the four main priorities the Council has spoken about each year.
Those priorities, according to Drost, are to maintain a safe community with sustainability. In addition, improve critical road and utility infrastructure to meet existing and future needs. The third was to improve the quality and availability of housing and community amenities to help attract and retain the local workforce.
The fourth goal the Council has addressed was to improve the community gateways and corridors to be more visually appealing and welcoming.
Drost also outlined some major projects the City is currently undertaking, such as the early childhood center, the comprehensive plan, long-term wastewater projects, and the certified site that the City, County, and Chamber have been developing.
Councilmember Joe Caligiuri agreed with Drost, and a motion was made to move forward with those changes and was approved by the Council.
After moving past the consent agenda, the next item discussed by the Council was the Maximum Levy for the 2023 fiscal year.
Councilmember Steve Burnett said that the actual tax on a $150,000 home in city tax has decreased by $2 over the past ten years.
Drost thanked the public, who questioned the tax rate and wanted more information on the subject.
The resolution for the FY23 Maximum Property Tax Dollars was approved.
The Council then considered rezoning property located at 717-723 High Avenue West from mixed-use urban corridor district to mixed-use urban corridor planned unit development district.
Christner Properties proposes to develop the vacant property with a multi-tenant commercial building situated close to the front property lines with primarily on-street parking. The building would face G Street, and the exterior would be brick, stone, and fiber cement siding. The primary tenant will be a Clean Laundry laundromat. Tenants are still being sought for the remaining two spaces.
Drost thanked Christner Properties for taking an interest in Oskaloosa for a business opportunity.
Christner has been the contractor behind the first and third phases of the facade program in downtown Oskaloosa.
The measure passed the first reading unanimously by the Council.
Also approved was the pay application to Graphite Construction Group for the Early Childhood Education and Recreation Center in the amount of $365,958.95.
Also approved was a payment of $8522.50 to SVPA for additional services completed on the Early Childhood Education and Recreation Center.
