Page 6 - Ryan Schlabaugh News Today

The Kalona City Council approved the city’s 2022 fiscal year budget following a public hearing Monday night. Next year’s budget is nearly identical to the 2021 budget at just under $3.5 million. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says most expenses will stay the same thanks to revenues that have weathered the pandemic better than anticipated, “For a community like Kalona we didn’t see a dip in our local option sales tax, we held true there with that biggest mover that we see. That’s h...

The City of Kalona is evaluating the future of their pop-up pantries and senior meal deliveries. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says they’re committed to both programs and helping residents facing food insecurity through the month of February. Though he says it’s time to assess being able to continue providing those services going forward, “I think the goal would be that we have a discussion as a community as to what’s sustainable for both fiscally as well as staff-wise. You know th...

The City of Kalona has contributed $2,500 to the Washington County Sheriffs’ K9 Unit. Back in early December, the department’s K9 named Vasco, died of cancer after over five years of service helping the sheriff’s office detect drugs, track missing and wanted individuals and protect partners as well as handler, Deputy Nolan Burke. They recently added a new K9 named Dzamal. At their meeting Monday night, the Kalona City Council voted to approve the financial assistance to the K9 program and...

The Kalona City Council has set February 15th at 7 p.m. for a public hearing for the fiscal year 2022 budget. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says after approving the maximum property tax levy at their meeting Monday night, they can make the next move towards finalizing their budget with the public hearing, “The budget that we’re proposing to the public is a tax levy that is identical to what their current tax-asking (rate) is and that’s $10.59 per thousand (dollars) valuation and that...

Kalona Sets Public Hearing for Proposed Property Tax Levy

Several organizations presented their fiscal year 2022 funding requests to the Washington County Board of Supervisors this week. Jane Drapeaux and Renella Crawford of Hawkeye Area Community Action Program asked for the same funding amount as previous years, and Ryan Schlabaugh of the English River Watershed Management Authority requested the same as last year at $7,500. Washington Economic Development Group Executive Director Mary Audia and Board Treasurer Brent Hinson asked if the county coul...

Next Kalona “Pop Up Pantry” This Saturday

Next Kalona Pop- Up Pantry Set for Saturday

The City of Kalona will present their application later this month for projects utilizing Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) funds in the next fiscal year. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says they have until January 22nd to submit their plans on how they will use about $140,000 in WCRF municipal funds. He says two park projects top their list, “We are looking to do an all-inclusive playground in our Kalona City Park that would be designed to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act...

The City of Kalona is helping seniors in need with the delivery of 100 bags of food today. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says the success of distributing food to the public at large with their “pop up pantries” is allowing them to expand their efforts to better serve older citizens, “We’ve reshifted our focus just a little bit from the bulk food distribution and drive up (operations), to now we’re narrowing our focus to the seniors with a program to assist them.” Schlabaugh say...