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West Burlington Council accepts clean audit, approves TIF recertification to collect $1 million in one year
Summary
The council received an unmodified audit opinion and approved De Moine County TIF debt re-certification asking the county to collect $1 million in a single year; auditors and financial advisors said revenues rose in FY2025 while capital spending declined from 2024.
The West Burlington City Council accepted the city’s annual financial audit and approved a recommendation to submit the De Moine County TIF debt re-certification that asks the county to collect the full $1 million in a single year.
The auditor told the council the city’s financial statements received an unmodified opinion. Governmental receipts for FY2025 were reported as $5,688,000, up about $850,000 from $4,837,000 in 2024. Total governmental disbursements were $5,557,000 in 2025 compared with $6,162,000 the prior year. The city’s business-type (water and sewer) receipts were roughly $3.3 million for the year; outstanding enterprise bonds totaled about $12.3 million and the city paid $831,000 in principal, leading to an increase in enterprise cash of about $182,000.
Spear Financial’s Maggie Burgerer, who presented the city’s TIF and debt certification report, said the city has strong statutory debt capacity and reviewed options for a potential bond issuance. Burgerer recommended collecting the full $1 million TIF ask in one year and explained the timing needed to prepare a bond issue if the council decides to pursue new publicly financed projects.
The council approved the De Moine County TIF debt re-certification by voice vote after council discussion and a recommendation that the city present the county with a one-year collection plan.
Why it matters: The audit’s unmodified opinion affirms that the city’s financial statements are presented fairly; the council’s decision on how to request TIF receipts affects the city’s cash flow and budget planning for the coming fiscal year and influences possible debt-financed projects.
Council actions and next steps: The council approved the audit-related reports and the TIF recertification request. Spear Financial advised starting bond-issuance planning early in the calendar year if the city seeks debt for projects next summer.
Quotes: “We did issue an unmodified opinion on the financial statements,” the auditor said when summarizing the audit findings. Maggie Burgerer told the council, “We are recommending to collect the entire $1 million in one year,” explaining that the approach would simplify the city’s budgeting for unknown legislative conditions.
The council also approved the state annual financial report and the annual urban renewal report for FY24–25 during the same meeting. The council voted on several routine appointments and a resolution adding a new member to the city fire department earlier in the agenda.
The council moved into discussion of housing and infrastructure items that will inform budget deliberations ahead of next year’s work.
