City Council Special Session Addresses FY26 Budget

DECORAH — The Decorah City Council convened for a special budget session on Monday, January 27, to discuss the FY26 budget, focusing on general fund allocations, capital projects, and significant expenditures for public safety departments. The council outlined challenges posed by changes to the state's property tax system while deliberating on key funding requests from the police and fire departments. Police Department Budget Requests During the session, city officials reviewed a proposal for upgrading police body-worn and in-car cameras. "Right now, they are two separate systems that are spliced together," Assistant Chief of Police Scott Herrmann explained, noting that outdated technology has impacted case prosecution due to poor video quality. The proposal calls for purchasing 14 body-worn cameras and five in-car cameras at an annual cost of $25,111.60 over five years, totaling $125,558. A debate emerged regarding whether older equipment had any trade-in value. "Would a smaller town possibly be interested in them?" Councilmember Kirsten Olson asked. Herrmann acknowledged that while some car camera components might be useful for parts, the video quality was simply no longer viable for prosecution purposes. The council also examined a request for replacing police radios to address communication difficulties in the region's challenging topography. "With our topography here, we struggle greatly with radio reception at times. These will better address our challenges and perform much better in picking up that reception," Herrmann stated. The revised proposal reduces the number of vehicle radios from five to four to align with budget constraints. Fire Department Equipment Needs The fire department presented a long-awaited request for a new fire rescue truck to replace a 24-year-old vehicle deemed insufficient for carrying critical emergency response equipment. "This truck is overloaded," Fire Chief Jeff Clement explained, citing high- and low-angle rescue gear and vehicle extrication tools. The proposed cost is approximately $500,000, with officials considering bond issuance or commercial financing to cover the expense. When asked about contributions from rural fire trustees, City Manager Travis Goedken indicated that the goal is to simplify financial agreements. "If we want to try and simplify that rural fire contract, we need to get to the point where we're not splitting up who's paying for what at individual instances and make it an operational contract." Goedken said. Concerns Over Dispatch Fees A discussion arose over the city's annual $120,000 payment for emergency dispatch services. "I've always been really confused and wondered why that comes through Decorah's budget… When the county could levy those rates strictly across the board to everybody in the county without playing these 'number games' of us pulling stuff out of our budget and them rebating and returning money…" Councilmember Brent Parker expressed. "There are a lot of communities that pay nothing, because the county just covers it as a county service." "What does the county pay for dispatch?" Councilmember Emily Neal asked Parker. "Nothing," Parker replied. "It all comes out of emergency management, so nothing comes out of the sheriff's budget for dispatch." Parker iterated that citizens of Decorah are citizens of Winneshiek County as well, and "if emergency management can levy for the response, why don't they do it across the board?" Goedken clarified that they can as long as the county agrees to levy on their behalf. He also told the council that some legislators, including Senator Mike Klimesh, have proposed changes to allow counties to levy for dispatch services universally. "I would strongly recommend trying to reach out to legislators to talk about that legislation," Goedken said, "That would be a way to universally apply it across the entire county outside of the county's budget." "I think the question here is a fair one," Councilmember Steve Zittergruen stated. "If the county is already wanting to provide a dispatch service to every other resident, why is Decorah expected to pitch in extra money to make that work? They might say, 'because we have a police department' [and that] we should pay for the dispatch that the police department uses.' That's maybe the counterargument," Zittergruen continued, "I think it's easy to forget that city residents of Decorah are also county taxpayers. I think that's really easy to forget at the county courthouse. This may be one of the many places where it behooves us to remind the county that we're members of Winneshiek County, and not just a city that happens to be in the middle of it." Stay informed, stay empowered: invest in the journalism that invests in you. Library Infrastructure and Maintenance Needs During the budget session, the council reviewed the library's financial projections and discussed key funding challenges, particularly concerning infrastructure maintenance and operational expenses. A primary focus was the condition of the library's aging facilities. Much of the library's infrastructure—installed during an expansion in 1996-1997—is now failing. Officials noted that past maintenance efforts have only addressed portions of the problem. "There are numerous pieces of our infrastructure that are going to need updates and repairs," Library Director Kristin Torresdal stated. She also mentioned that the library currently has approximately $1.5 million in identified maintenance and repair projects. The council considered ways to finance these repairs, with discussions about whether some projects could be included in a bond issue later in the year. Officials also discussed funding sources, noting that the council ultimately determines the total budget allocation for the library, but spending decisions remain under the purview of the library board. "Libraries in the State of Iowa are set up rather uniquely where the council really has no authority over the library and things within it, other than how much money they get from property tax revenues," Goedken explained. Revenue challenges were also highlighted, particularly in relation to county contributions. While 40% of the library's users live outside Decorah in rural areas, the county only provides about 15% of the library's funding. "From a funding perspective, about 80% of our funding comes from the city, and about 15% of our funding comes from the county," Torresdal said. Comparatively, this is better than the average county funding across the state. "We're doing better than some places, but percentages don't lie," Torresdal added. Additionally, the budget draft included specific capital improvement projects for the library. These included $15,000 for HVAC control unit replacements, as existing units are outdated and difficult to replace. "None of [these units] have been available to buy new for the past 5-6 years and can only be replaced with the same controllers if you can find used ones," an HVAC technician had advised the city. Other proposed projects included attic insulation repairs and lower-level restroom water mitigation, both aimed at addressing persistent maintenance issues. A separate $2 million renovation project is also being planned, though this will rely primarily on private donations rather than city funding. "We are getting ready to do our client phase of fundraising before we go public with it," Torresdal noted, stating that about 60% of the needed funds have already been secured. Parks and Recreation Department The Parks and Recreation Department outlined several capital improvement projects for FY26, emphasizing facility maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, and new recreational opportunities. A significant portion of the discussion centered on repairs to existing structures and expansions aimed at increasing community engagement. One major project is the $20,000 replacement of the decking and roof at the Phelps Park Bandshell. Officials warned that failing to fund these repairs could lead to moisture damage and safety concerns, potentially making the structure less viable for community events. Another priority is the replacement of outdated basketball hoops at Wayside Park, with a budget of $19,800 allocated for new breakaway rims, glass backboards, and adjustable heights to accommodate a wider range of players. The Dahlen Project, a new $2.5 million initiative, includes constructing two baseball fields and four pickleball courts. This project aims to increase recreational opportunities and attract visitors to Decorah, with a mix of public funding and private donations supporting its development. Infrastructure improvements were also highlighted, including a $24,000 repair of the Dug Road Trail outlet to prevent water discharge issues that could compromise safety and trail conditions. Additional funds were allocated for Whalen Cabin repairs, with $19,000 set aside for floor refinishing and roof replacement, ensuring continued viability as a rental venue. Upgrades at the city campground were another focus, with $20,000 allocated for an electrical upgrade to provide more uniform power for larger RVs, improving the overall experience for campers. Officials also proposed switching to an electric UTV to reduce maintenance costs and fuel usage, aligning with the city's sustainability goals. Moving Ahead The council scheduled a public hearing for April 21, at which point the budget is expected to be adopted. If the council does not approve the budget at that meeting, a special meeting will be required to ensure final approval by the April 30 deadline. Elevate your inbox with the DecorahNews.com newsletter! Receive free thought-provoking articles, actionable advice and inspiring stories every week.