HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-20 Bd Comm minutes IOWA CITY CONFERENCE BOARD MINUTES
February 20, 2024
Iowa City Conference Board: February 20, 2024, at 4:00 P.M. in Emma J. Harvat Hall at City
Hall, Mayor Bruce Teague presiding.
Iowa City Council Members Present: Alter, Bergus, Dunn, Harmsen, Moe, Salih, and Teague.
Johnson County Supervisors Present: Fixmer-Oraiz, Green, and Sullivan.
Iowa City School Board Members Present: None.
Others Present: Comer, Fruin, Goers, Kilburg, Burkle, Stammler, and Grace.
Digital Recording: February 20, 2024.
Chair Bruce Teague called the meeting to order and Clerk Brad Comer called roll and stated
that a quorum was present.
The County (Sullivan) moved to accept the minutes of the last conference board meeting,
February 21, 2023, the City(Alter) seconded and the motion carried unanimously 2/0. The
Iowa City School Board, having no members present, did not have a vote recorded.
Iowa City Assessor Brad Comer presented his FY '25 Assessment Expense Fund budget. The
salaries/wages are increasing 2.5% for cost of living, as well as additional increases for merit.
Postage and printing are up because 2025 will be a reassessment year and assessment notices
will be mailed to all property owners. Workers' compensation premiums increased from
$1,215 to $7,963. This increase is mainly due to the reclassification of our staff from all office
workers to 6 field workers and 1 office. Classifying all of our staff previously as office was not
accurate. The proposed budget shows a total increase of$43,419 or 3.56%. There will also be
an increase of 10.58% or $99,476 in the amount to be raised by taxation. This follows
decreases in the amount to be raised the past two fiscal years.
Comer mentioned that the Assessor Evaluation Committee consisting of Charlie Eastham,
Bruce Teague and Rod Sullivan met on January 25, 2024, to discuss the budget and review a
self-evaluation completed by the assessor.
The City (Dunn) moved to accept the proposed budget for publication. The motion was
seconded by the County(Green) and passed unanimously 2/0.
The City (Salib)moved to set the public hearing for March 19,2024, at 4:00 P.M. the County
(Fixmer-Oraiz) seconded and the motion carried unanimously 2/0.
The City (Moe) moved to appoint Scott McDonough to a six-year term on the Iowa City
Assessor's Board of Review ending December 31, 2029. The County (Sullivan) seconded and
the motion carried unanimously 2/0.
The City (Harmsen)moved to defer the appointment of an Examining Board member to the
next meeting, as there were not any applicants yet. The County (Green) seconded and the
motion carried unanimously 2/0.
Comer discussed the possibility of organizing an informal meeting,where the Assessor can
provide background on the assessment process and role of the Conference Board, as well as
share assessment statistics. This may be a good opportunity for the Conference Board to
become more familiar with assessments and ask questions in an informal setting. Comer will
send out a poll with a few dates and determine the best time to meet if there is interest.
There being no other business, it was moved by the County (Sullivan) and seconded by the
City (Moe) to adjourn at 4:10 P.M. Motion carried unanimously 2/0.
Brad Comer
Clerk, Iowa City Conference Board