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Board approves local-option sales-tax allocations for events, tourism and community grants
Summary
Supervisors received and approved several local-option sales-tax requests including an event-center installment, county fair support, Simcoe membership dues and multiple small community grants; Siouxland Initiative request was reported as forthcoming.
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors on March 3 voted to receive and approve a series of local-option sales-tax (LOST) allocations and community funding requests. Individual motions to receive or approve the items passed unanimously, generally by 5-0 votes where noted.
The packet showed an estimated beginning LOST fund balance of $310,436 and a hypothetical unallocated balance of $711,560 if all present requests were approved. Michelle, a staff member presenting the LOST worksheet, said past practice includes using unallocated LOST funds to pay down county debt and that the board could decide how much to keep for future allocations.
Approved items and amounts (as presented to the board): the county’s structured payment to the event center (noted as an annual installment of $150,000; the current payment was described as payment 8 of 10), a county-fair request (presented in a request letter; specific county appropriation not stated on the record), Western Iowa Tourism ($500 requested; staff said the organization had provided an invoice but not the formal request letter this year), Simcoe joint membership dues ($8,053.90), Improvement Regional Housing Fund (matching funds request, $23,322), Loess Hills Alliance ($2,000), and Iowa’s West Coast Initiative ($5,000, an increase from $2,000 in the prior year). Many of these items were received on motion and adopted with unanimous board approval.
Jason Ingram, identified as Woodbury County Fair board president, described fair participation numbers and capital needs including arena and building repairs; his remarks accompanied the fair’s request. Karina Pedroza, identified as entrepreneurial community navigator with Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, explained the requested increase will fund expanded entrepreneur programming, mentorship and a conference.
Unresolved item: the Siouxland Initiative historically received $25,000; staff reported they had not yet received a formal letter but that Chris McGowan had texted indicating the organization intends to send a request for $25,000 and staff planned to place that request on a future agenda once received.
All individual LOST-related motions presented in the meeting record were received or approved by the board; staff noted prior transfers from LOST to debt service and other programs and recommended the board continue to weigh paydown versus retaining funds for upcoming needs.
