Madison County supervisors push to finalize budgets after state warning about levy limit

Madison County supervisors met in a work session to review department budgets and plan follow‑up meetings after vendor reconciliations delayed audited month‑end numbers.

A supervisor told colleagues they had spoken with the Iowa Department of Management and relayed a hard deadline: if the county does not complete required public hearings and approve a budget by April 30, it would be restricted from levying more than it did the previous year, and the budget must be finalized by June 30 to avoid spending limits. "If we do not approve a budget by April 30, then we are not allowed to levy we're not allowed to tax any more than we did this year," the speaker said during the session.

Board members said the vendor Solutions is still working with the auditor and treasurer to complete month‑end reconciliations, and supervisors lack current, audited numbers needed for detailed line‑item decisions. The work session was intended to let supervisors identify potential questions and savings candidates in advance of meetings with department heads so staff can act quickly when the reconciled figures arrive.

Supervisors tentatively agreed to schedule an additional budget work session at 5 p.m. (to be placed on a future agenda) so members and members of the public can attend outside normal business hours. Board members debated evening meetings’ impact on staff schedules but emphasized the need for public access.

Votes taken during the session were procedural: the board unanimously approved the meeting agenda and later unanimously approved a motion to adjourn.