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Local taxes › Allamakee County › Waterville

City

Waterville

Allamakee County · How cities work

$3,060 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.35 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,370 a yearof that goes to the city ($16.25 per $1,000)
$36,542property taxes the city levies, FY27
$153,423city budget, FY27, without city-run utilities (not yet reported)2

Who runs it

The city council passes ordinances, adopts the budget and sets the city’s property tax.

  • Bethany DundeeWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Dave MonserudWaterville Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • David J. ChristiansonWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Joe WeipertWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Kayla VanderKolkWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Robbie BurrettWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David ChristiansonWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jaclyn HilleshiemWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Jodi Van ItenWaterville City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023

Officials are worked out from election results: every member whose four-year term is still running, plus appointments and titles Iowa Funnel has been told about. A resignation may not show yet.

Meetings and agendas

What the council is deciding: each agenda, the resolutions and ordinances on it, and a plain-language summary.

Iowa Funnel doesn’t read this city’s agendas yet. Every council and board posts its agenda at least 24 hours before it meets.

Property taxes

How the bill is collected · What each levy is for

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Waterville

Homes and businesses in most of Waterville pay a combined $36.35 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Allamakee County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $16.25. Estimate your bill.

  • City of Waterville$16.2545%
  • Allamakee schools$10.5729%
  • Allamakee County$6.4518%
  • Allamakee County Veterans Memorial Hospital$1.213%
  • Northeast Iowa Community College$1.043%
  • Allamakee County Assessor$0.562%
  • Allamakee County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.27<1%

Rates over time

Per $1,000 of taxable value: the typical combined rate people in Waterville pay, and the city government’s own piece of it.

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.24$16.91
FY21$35.53$17.24
FY22$32.81$14.59
FY23$36.65$18.56
FY24$35.84$16.30
FY25$37.36$17.55
FY26$35.78$15.34
FY27$36.35$16.25
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$35.24$16.91
FY21$35.53$17.24
FY22$32.81$14.59
FY23$36.65$18.56
FY24$35.84$16.30
FY25$37.36$17.55
FY26$35.78$15.34
FY27$36.35$16.25

Compared with places this size3

Waterville’s city property tax rate of $16.25 per $1,000 is the 21st highest of 139 Iowa cities with 80–170 people. The middle of the group is $9.61.

Castana: $34.13Brayton: $25.07Hansell: $23.66Harris: $23.13Whitten: $22.65Stanley: $20.69Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Ricketts: $19.22Hastings: $18.95Grant: $18.71Swaledale: $18.62Derby: $18.13Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Popejoy: $15.80Woodburn: $15.59Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Baldwin: $14.91Palmer: $13.89Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Ferguson: $13.53Lanesboro: $13.53Calumet: $13.16Delaware: $12.86Clemons: $12.69Cylinder: $12.52Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Arion: $12.14Webb: $12.10Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89Henderson: $11.85Reasnor: $11.76Morley: $11.74Ledyard: $11.74Toronto: $11.68Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54Melrose: $11.27Linn Grove: $11.15Promise City: $11.13Leighton: $11.07Masonville: $11.00Somers: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Wallingford: $10.75Pacific Junction: $10.56Barnes City: $10.44Bradgate: $10.37Randall: $10.35North Washington: $10.23Dawson: $10.19Hartwick: $9.90Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Rutland: $9.65Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Superior: $9.58Webster: $9.55Martinsburg: $9.49Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Wiota: $9.32Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Prairieburg: $8.91Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Fraser: $8.81Macksburg: $8.81Pilot Mound: $8.54Andover: $8.28Thurman: $8.26Carpenter: $8.10Chillicothe: $8.10Rome: $8.10Scarville: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Buckeye: $7.94Morrison: $7.86Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Oyens: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Ralston: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Cromwell: $7.81Mcclelland: $7.79Arispe: $7.71Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Westwood: $7.67Kinross: $7.57Bernard: $7.56Braddyville: $7.49Garber: $7.35Franklin: $7.31Spragueville: $7.20Weldon: $7.18Craig: $7.01Brunsville: $6.95Zwingle: $6.93Pleasant Plain: $6.79Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Lincoln: $6.32Tennant: $6.29Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Keomah Village: $3.15Mcintire: $2.78Graf: $2.56Centralia: $2.41New Liberty: $2.27North Buena Vista: $1.78Balltown: $0.12Waterville: $16.25$0.12 lowest$34.13 highestmiddle
See all 139
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Castana$34.13103
2Brayton$25.07138
3Hansell$23.6685
4Harris$23.13145
5Whitten$22.6598
6Stanley$20.6986
7Rowan$19.53118
8Chester$19.30134
9Bouton$19.25125
10Ricketts$19.22105
11Hastings$18.95157
12Grant$18.7182
13Swaledale$18.62136
14Derby$18.1389
15Hillsboro$17.68158
16Bristow$17.39139
17Woolstock$17.26141
18Monmouth$16.41129
19Blockton$16.37123
20Geneva$16.25137
21Waterville$16.25112
22Popejoy$15.8076
23Woodburn$15.59133
24Goodell$15.16139
25Marne$15.03109
26Baldwin$14.9199
27Palmer$13.89137
28Ayrshire$13.55128
29Searsboro$13.55129
30Ferguson$13.5398
31Lanesboro$13.53112
32Calumet$13.16144
33Delaware$12.86139
34Clemons$12.69135
35Cylinder$12.5284
36Millersburg$12.40135
37Aurora$12.40165
38Bridgewater$12.29145
39Arion$12.1499
40Webb$12.10139
41Shambaugh$11.98161
42Lone Rock$11.92143
43East Peru$11.89119
44Henderson$11.85140
45Reasnor$11.76157
46Morley$11.7494
47Ledyard$11.74118
48Toronto$11.68101
49Exline$11.60157
50Beaman$11.54155
51Melrose$11.27110
52Linn Grove$11.15155
53Promise City$11.1391
54Leighton$11.07153
55Masonville$11.0098
56Somers$10.99121
57Havelock$10.95127
58Alexander$10.90165
59Wallingford$10.75154
60Pacific Junction$10.5699
61Barnes City$10.44152
62Bradgate$10.3776
63Randall$10.35156
64North Washington$10.23107
65Dawson$10.19110
66Hartwick$9.9091
67Clare$9.81133
68Tingley$9.81146
69Rutland$9.65116
70Rock Falls$9.61143
71Kirkville$9.59159
72Superior$9.58127
73Webster$9.5594
74Martinsburg$9.49109
75Larrabee$9.41116
76Hamilton$9.35125
77Wiota$9.3291
78Floris$9.29119
79Mitchell$9.22118
80Westphalia$9.18133
81Prairieburg$8.91156
82Welton$8.86124
83Archer$8.84116
84Luther$8.83147
85Fraser$8.81107
86Macksburg$8.81103
87Pilot Mound$8.54155
88Andover$8.28106
89Thurman$8.26162
90Carpenter$8.1092
91Chillicothe$8.1079
92Rome$8.10112
93Scarville$8.1075
94Westfield$8.10121
95Vincent$8.09125
96Buckeye$7.9482
97Morrison$7.86101
98Mount Auburn$7.86162
99Haverhill$7.86164
100Oyens$7.8688
101Castalia$7.86141
102Dickens$7.86146
103Ralston$7.8676
104Rose Hill$7.86156
105West Chester$7.82147
106Cromwell$7.81104
107Mcclelland$7.79147
108Arispe$7.7195
109Luzerne$7.69111
110Lidderdale$7.68162
111Westwood$7.6796
112Kinross$7.5780
113Bernard$7.56117
114Braddyville$7.49142
115Garber$7.3576
116Franklin$7.31133
117Spragueville$7.2092
118Weldon$7.18134
119Craig$7.0178
120Brunsville$6.95128
121Zwingle$6.9386
122Pleasant Plain$6.7983
123Houghton$6.73129
124Williamson$6.72126
125Lincoln$6.32119
126Tennant$6.2983
127Gravity$6.18149
128Ackworth$5.90117
129Springbrook$5.79145
130Maysville$5.77155
131Harper$5.29117
132Panorama Park$4.62142
133Keomah Village$3.15107
134Mcintire$2.78115
135Graf$2.5676
136Centralia$2.41117
137New Liberty$2.27141
138North Buena Vista$1.78107
139Balltown$0.1278

The $8.10 limit

Waterville’s general levy is $7.41 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.69 below the limit.4 817 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $7.86 · FY26 $7.64 · FY27 $7.41 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $8.83 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$7.29 · $16,259
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.55 · $3,449

The city’s levies, FY27

What the city raises from each levy. The general levy is capped by state law; the others are set aside for one purpose.

  • Consolidate General Fund$16,54146%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$16,25945%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$3,44910%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Waterville’s budget goes, FY26

Culture and Recreation: 36¢ of every dollar36¢Business Type / Enterprise: 24¢ of every dollar24¢Public Works: 19¢ of every dollar19¢General Government: 18¢ of every dollar18¢Public Safety: 2¢ of every dollarEverything else: 1¢ of every dollar

Planned spending from all funds, including city-run utilities like water and sewer (“business type”), which some cities run and others don’t. Transfers between funds are left out. “Cities this size” is the average for the 140 Iowa cities closest in size (80–170 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (140)
Culture and Recreation36¢7¢
Business Type / Enterprise24¢23¢
Public Works19¢28¢
General Government18¢26¢
Public Safety2¢10¢
Everything else1¢2¢

Planned spending, FY27

All funds: property taxes, utility and other fees, state and federal money. “Business type” is city-run utilities and enterprises like water or sewer.

  • Culture and Recreation$77,80751%
  • Public Works$39,10325%
  • General Government$29,22919%
  • Public Safety$4,2003%
  • Community and Economic Development$3,0842%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($45,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$31,200$27,588
Public Safety$3,725$5,677
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$46,096$29,742
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$59,558$70,407
Community and Economic Development$10,800$2,340
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$38,000$37,261

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$239,644
$186,217

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Waterville owes

$2,927 at June 30, 2026: $27 per resident. 715th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$76,142
$2,927
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2,927$27
2025$8,823$81
2024$11,525$106
2023$20,024$184
2022$25,625$235
2021$39,278$360
2020$19,932$183
2019$26,248$241
2018$32,219$296
2017$37,859$347
2016$43,249$397
2015$39,258$360
2014$46,922$430
2013$54,586$501
2012$62,250$571
2011$64,937$596
2010$76,142$699
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$2,927$27
2025$8,823$81
2024$11,525$106
2023$20,024$184
2022$25,625$235
2021$39,278$360
2020$19,932$183
2019$26,248$241
2018$32,219$296
2017$37,859$347
2016$43,249$397
2015$39,258$360
2014$46,922$430
2013$54,586$501
2012$62,250$571
2011$64,937$596
2010$76,142$699

Down 96% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Waterville’s latest audit has them: Periodic Examination Follow-Up, period ending Friday, August 31, 2018 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Periodic Examination Follow-Up for the period ending Friday, August 31, 2018 (PDF), released Wednesday, January 16, 2019, by a CPA firm.

State money

What the State of Iowa pays the city each year, and whether it has kept up with prices. Does state money keep pace? 10

What the state pays the city every year

Road Use Tax for streets, the commercial and industrial tax “backfill”, and ambulance reimbursement, paid every year by formula: $10,784 in FY25, down 15% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 32% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$10,874$10,277$10,438$10,495
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$463$405$347$289

Grants and project money

State grants and money for specific projects (roads, development, natural resources) vary with what the city applies for and wins, so they aren’t counted as the state’s regular support.

$15,630
$629
  • State Library$629100%
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$15,630
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$722
FY24$688
FY25$629
Show the numbers
YearGrants and projects
FY19$0
FY20$15,630
FY21$0
FY22$0
FY23$722
FY24$688
FY25$629

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−34%$12,691 → $10,495, down 17% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 34% less

Collected by the state for the city

The local option sales tax is a city tax voters approved; the state collects it with the state sales tax and sends it back. It isn’t state aid. It’s up 13% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 10% less.

$15,284
$13,850

Federal grants, for comparison: $33,483 in FY24.

Business awards

Every award statewide

Elections

Running for mayor and city council

Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 285 days.

For the Tuesday, November 2, 2027 election, candidates file Monday, August 23, 2027 to Thursday, September 16, 2027 with the county auditor (or the city clerk, if the auditor names the clerk to take them)11.

In a city that can hold a primary, filing runs Monday, August 9, 2027 to Thursday, August 26, 2027.

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 2

5 seats: the top 5 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Waterville; official results are on each county auditor’s site.

Who has filed for Tuesday, November 2, 2027

Filing hasn’t opened. These seats are expected on the ballot.

  • Waterville City Council At-Large (5 seats)
    Now held by Jaclyn Hilleshiem, Robbie Burrett, Jodi Van Iten, Bethany Dundee, David Christianson
  • Waterville Mayor
    Now held by Dave Monserud

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here12.

Past ballot measures

  • Public Measure ANNovember 7, 2023

    Passed Yes 100.0% (20) · No 0.0% (0)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

When a measure can be on the ballot

  • Tuesday, March 2, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
  • Tuesday, September 14, 2027 · no bond or debt questions
  • Tuesday, November 2, 2027 · any question, including bonds
  • Tuesday, March 7, 2028 · no bond or debt questions

Bonds and other borrowing can only go on the November ballot13.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress14

Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Jason Gearhart (Rep. 64)

U.S. House:District 2

Allamakee CountyAllamakee schools