With an eye on holding the tax levy rate the same, the Tama County Board of Supervisors set the maximum property tax levy at $4.81 per $1,000 property valuation on Monday, March 9. The action came following a public hearing at which no comments were heard and no written objections or favoring opinions were received.

The tax levy rate hearing is new in 2020 having been enacted by the Iowa Legislature last year.

A hearing on the 2020-21 fiscal year budget was set by supervisors for Monday, March 30, at 10 a.m. total expenditures are set at $28,450,127 with a $2.8 million increase in capital projects.and debt service up almost $400,000 to $954,155.

The hike is primarily to pay for the new 911 radio communication system. The transportation budget is up almost $1 million to $9.4 million.

Other expenditure categories including public safety and legal services and mental health funding were down in askings.

Total tax valuations for the county for the 2020-21 fiscal year just topped one billion dollars at $1,081,801,668. the current valuation is $993,985,755. 1st District Supervisors and Auditor Laura Kopsa said this is not the first time Tama County’s valuation has been in the billion dollar range.

With the rise in valuations, the current tax levy rate is planned to be maintained and additional money received can be used, in part, to replenish general funds used to pay for the start-up costs for the new $6.7 million county emergency radio system.

Money on hand in the E911 and Communications departments will aid in financing the radio system. A public hearing is set for April 6 on the issuance up to $4,735,167 in bonds to complete the project financing.

In other business the supervisors:

approve the reappointment of John Keenan, Tama, to a five-year term on the County Conservation Board.

discussed the possibility of the revival of construction of a wind farm across the center of the county with Todd Apfel, county environmental health officer.

reviewed a utility permit for the Poweshiek Water Association in York Township.

canvassed results of the March 3 South Tama school District special election for $20.8 million school bond, tax levy and SAVE funds. Only the SAVE?measure gained approval.