by Mari Radtke
A public hearing was held Tuesday April 8 designed to allow Primghar taxpayers an opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns about the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. There were no written comments submitted and no one attended. The levy rate for the City of Primghar stayed at $15.25 per $1000 of taxable value of property within Primghar City limits. Assessments may have changed. Other taxing bodies may have amended their levy, all of which will affect the final property tax bill for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Council approved the resolution to adopt the levy.
A public hearing was also held to enable the city to borrow as much as $800,000 more for the lagoon project. An approved grant of up to a million dollars was redetermined and the gift was dropped significantly. It is believed that the borrowed funds will be under $200,000 but officials are setting this up to allow for unforeseen events. No comments were submitted.
City Attorney Thor Klinker asked where Council would like him to draw the line for nuisance notification in reference to campers in yards. There is a clear ordinance, but the a yard with non camper vehicles parked and adding rock to the yard could conceivably make enforcement more difficult. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to look at how neighboring communities worded their similar ordinance and establish a way to measure for enforcement purposes.
RAGBRAI is coming through Primghar on July 20. This coincides, once again, with opening day of O’Brien County Fair. RAGBRAI closes in Primghar by 2:00pm. Livestock cannot be brought to the fairgrounds that day before 4:00pm. Traffic congestion is not expected to be severe. Highway B40 will be closed to traffic for most of the day.
Food Truck Mondays was approved for Primghar. Food Trucks wishing to be open in Primghar on Monday through the summer must get a permit through City Hall.
The full proposed City Budget public hearing was set and approved for Tuesday April 29th at 4:30pm at City Hall. A public hearing for a budget amendment will follow.