ESTHERVILLE, IA (Northwestiowanow) — The City of Estherville addressed several financial items Monday night, including a yearly amendment to the city’s budget.

During its regular meeting on May 4, the city council moved forward with the annual budget amendment, a process used to account for expenses that changed or came in later than anticipated during the fiscal year.

City Administrator Penny Clayton says the amendment is about transparency and making sure the city has enough authorized spending to cover spending.

 

 

Clayton says the amendment largely reflects projects that were approved in previous budgets but were completed during the current fiscal year.

 

 

The amendment places the adjusted budget at around three million dollars; a figure Clayton says is intentionally higher than what the city expects to actually spend.

 

 

Other actions included approving payment for one of two oil coolers for the city’s power plant. The purchase was authorized earlier this year, with the second cooler scheduled to be paid for in the next fiscal year.

The council also reviewed and advanced a routine agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation outlining maintenance responsibilities for Highways 4 and 9 as they run through Estherville.

The agreement is renewed every five years, with the new term set to run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031.