By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa city council held a regular meeting last night and officially approved their annual budget and levying tax for the upcoming fiscal year. The property tax rate included in the budget was approximately $14.47 per $1,000 of valuation, an increase of roughly $0.01 from last year’s rate of $14.46 per $1,000 of valuation. Total projected revenues from the city amounted to roughly $68.8 million, while projected expenditures totaled roughly $70 million. The budget was passed on a 6-0 vote from the council.

In other business, the council swore in two officers for the Oskaloosa Police Department –  Oskaloosa native Dane Jones is joining the department as a new hire, while officer Gage VanGorp is returning to the department after working part-time at the New Sharon Police Department for two years – and the council held two proclamation signings. April 20, 2026 was proclaimed as K9 Duke Day in honor of K9 Duke’s retirement from the Oskaloosa Police Department following eight years of service, and April 24, 2026 was proclaimed as Arbor Day in the city of Oskaloosa in recognition of the city being named a Tree City USA community for 29 years.

The next regular meeting for the Oskaloosa City Council is scheduled for May 4.