Glenwood City Commissioners directed city administration to further reduce the city’s budget and levy before it is finalized this month.

Commissioners had adopted a preliminary 2023 budget that created a 9 percent levy increase over 2022.  Last Wednesday, commissioners said they wanted a budget that reflected an 8 or 8.5 percent increase in the 2023 levy.

City Administrator Dave Iverson cautioned the commission that the reduction in the final levy will result in “an equal reduction in city services.”

He said the preliminary levy adopted was already reduced by $77,743 from what was first proposed to the commission.  

Commissioner Mavis Pattee said she believed a 9 percent increase in the levy was “too much.”  Iverson was asked if he was comfortable reducing the budget by about $10,000 to create a levy increase of 8.5 percent.

“Just so you know we will cut from the future in capital expenditures for equipment…I can make it work but it has to come from somewhere.”

Commissioner Todd Gylsen was concerned about reducing the budget much more because of the cost of inflation, but said he could live with the 8.5 percent increase.  

The commission will host a Truth in Taxation hearing on Dec. 13.  At that meeting, the public is allowed to speak regarding the proposed budget and levy that could be adopted after that hearing.  The 2023 final budget and levy for the city must be adopted prior to December 27.