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Local taxes › Carroll County › Templeton

City

Templeton

Carroll County · How cities work

$2,340 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($27.77 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,090 a yearof that goes to the city ($12.91 per $1,000)
$497,484property taxes the city levies, FY27
$1.1Mcity 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.

  • Cory DreesTempleton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ken BehrensTempleton Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mark BauerTempleton City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • David RamseyTempleton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Joseph IrlbeckTempleton City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Natasha GoeckeTempleton 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 Templeton

Homes and businesses in most of Templeton pay a combined $27.77 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Carroll County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $12.91. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$25.67$10.59
FY21$26.55$11.22
FY22$26.45$11.68
FY23$28.35$13.13
FY24$28.66$12.92
FY25$31.13$15.55
FY26$30.13$14.64
FY27$27.77$12.91
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$25.67$10.59
FY21$26.55$11.22
FY22$26.45$11.68
FY23$28.35$13.13
FY24$28.66$12.92
FY25$31.13$15.55
FY26$30.13$14.64
FY27$27.77$12.91

Compared with places this size3

Templeton’s city property tax rate of $12.91 per $1,000 is the 91st highest of 200 Iowa cities with 230–510 people. The middle of the group is $12.48.

Stanhope: $29.10Rolfe: $22.67Fenton: $22.05Elliott: $21.61Oxford Junction: $20.84Earling: $20.47Fort Atkinson: $19.19Salem: $19.15Cumberland: $18.42Massena: $18.23Elma: $17.82Callender: $17.78Casey: $17.72Vail: $17.66Ringsted: $17.65Emerson: $17.54Thompson: $17.25Ashton: $17.17Pierson: $17.12Burt: $17.10Pisgah: $17.09Latimer: $16.96Lohrville: $16.95Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Mccallsburg: $16.58Whittemore: $16.54Irwin: $16.46Titonka: $16.45Lewis: $16.25Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Duncombe: $16.10Bayard: $16.05Scranton: $16.01Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Peterson: $15.27Russell: $15.18Arlington: $14.98Riverton: $14.94Maynard: $14.85Plainfield: $14.84Ryan: $14.84Otho: $14.82Humeston: $14.80Bagley: $14.63Gilmore City: $14.60Sabula: $14.38Garrison: $14.38Halbur: $14.37Lorimor: $14.36Crystal Lake: $14.36Collins: $14.32Kimballton: $14.27Ocheyedan: $14.22Steamboat Rock: $14.19Garwin: $14.08Farragut: $14.07Mystic: $14.01Lime Springs: $13.95Dow City: $13.94Wesley: $13.91Diagonal: $13.91Bussey: $13.83Mondamin: $13.82Livermore: $13.78Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Albion: $13.58Quimby: $13.58Lamont: $13.57New Albin: $13.55Persia: $13.41Lawler: $13.39Lacona: $13.38Leland: $13.31Ute: $13.26New Market: $13.25Plymouth: $13.21Harcourt: $13.21Bennett: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Little Rock: $13.03Lehigh: $12.97Menlo: $12.92Silver City: $12.87Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Galva: $12.68Martensdale: $12.63Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Norway: $12.53Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Spillville: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Brandon: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Bonaparte: $12.17Macedonia: $12.12Hawkeye: $12.11Kiron: $12.03Colesburg: $11.97Liscomb: $11.96New Providence: $11.88Thornton: $11.86Runnells: $11.79Allerton: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Kelley: $11.69Orient: $11.66Ellsworth: $11.57Cincinnati: $11.57Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45Holland: $11.37Churdan: $11.31Mallard: $11.28Miles: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Milton: $10.98New Vienna: $10.91Letts: $10.91Goose Lake: $10.89Birmingham: $10.87Charlotte: $10.86Yale: $10.85Batavia: $10.77Hornick: $10.74Riverdale: $10.67Bode: $10.64Union: $10.58Cleghorn: $10.49Calamus: $10.47Lovilia: $10.46Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stacyville: $10.36Rhodes: $10.36Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Andrew: $10.22Royal: $10.20Bronson: $10.14Rudd: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Panama: $9.85Breda: $9.80Lynnville: $9.68Salix: $9.63Luxemburg: $9.58Farnhamville: $9.18Middletown: $9.16Alleman: $9.12Lester: $8.94Harvey: $8.71Rowley: $8.31Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Grandview: $8.10Lost Nation: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Delhi: $7.81Klemme: $7.74Pulaski: $7.58Beacon: $7.56Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Worthington: $7.50Harpers Ferry: $7.49Marquette: $7.08Columbus City: $6.94Donahue: $6.83Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44New Virginia: $5.97Holy Cross: $5.91Conesville: $5.86University Park: $5.27Orleans: $4.13Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87Wahpeton: $3.19West Okoboji: $2.92Templeton: $12.91$2.92 lowest$29.10 highestmiddle
See all 200
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Stanhope$29.10354
2Rolfe$22.67505
3Fenton$22.05250
4Elliott$21.61328
5Oxford Junction$20.84424
6Earling$20.47394
7Fort Atkinson$19.19300
8Salem$19.15380
9Cumberland$18.42248
10Massena$18.23352
11Elma$17.82493
12Callender$17.78361
13Casey$17.72387
14Vail$17.66383
15Ringsted$17.65346
16Emerson$17.54401
17Thompson$17.25478
18Ashton$17.17434
19Pierson$17.12335
20Burt$17.10404
21Pisgah$17.09248
22Latimer$16.96477
23Lohrville$16.95366
24Lakota$16.84261
25Marble Rock$16.78258
26Auburn$16.65253
27Mccallsburg$16.58356
28Whittemore$16.54478
29Irwin$16.46320
30Titonka$16.45491
31Lewis$16.25358
32Corwith$16.22259
33Deep River$16.18243
34Waucoma$16.17235
35Duncombe$16.10374
36Bayard$16.05402
37Scranton$16.01496
38Granville$16.00302
39Minburn$15.75317
40Peterson$15.27321
41Russell$15.18475
42Arlington$14.98415
43Riverton$14.94243
44Maynard$14.85466
45Plainfield$14.84392
46Ryan$14.84348
47Otho$14.82417
48Humeston$14.80472
49Bagley$14.63230
50Gilmore City$14.60484
51Sabula$14.38498
52Garrison$14.38345
53Halbur$14.37268
54Lorimor$14.36377
55Crystal Lake$14.36243
56Collins$14.32503
57Kimballton$14.27281
58Ocheyedan$14.22424
59Steamboat Rock$14.19261
60Garwin$14.08469
61Farragut$14.07480
62Mystic$14.01318
63Lime Springs$13.95467
64Dow City$13.94477
65Wesley$13.91382
66Diagonal$13.91331
67Bussey$13.83378
68Mondamin$13.82335
69Livermore$13.78382
70Fertile$13.70300
71Stockport$13.68272
72Kellerton$13.60241
73Albion$13.58444
74Quimby$13.58245
75Lamont$13.57429
76New Albin$13.55435
77Persia$13.41292
78Lawler$13.39392
79Lacona$13.38336
80Leland$13.31240
81Ute$13.26326
82New Market$13.25381
83Plymouth$13.21368
84Harcourt$13.21257
85Bennett$13.16330
86Ridgeway$13.10261
87Farmersburg$13.09264
88Little Rock$13.03447
89Lehigh$12.97395
90Menlo$12.92347
91Templeton$12.91337
92Silver City$12.87244
93Martelle$12.83250
94Malcom$12.82257
95Galva$12.68416
96Martensdale$12.63413
97Williams$12.57299
98Maurice$12.56271
99Norway$12.53463
100Clearfield$12.50277
101Kensett$12.47256
102Mccausland$12.45314
103Spillville$12.40371
104Modale$12.34284
105Mingo$12.31314
106Brandon$12.29331
107Blakesburg$12.21273
108Cushing$12.18225
109Bonaparte$12.17357
110Macedonia$12.12266
111Hawkeye$12.11429
112Kiron$12.03262
113Colesburg$11.97379
114Liscomb$11.96292
115New Providence$11.88233
116Thornton$11.86394
117Runnells$11.79467
118Allerton$11.72432
119Atalissa$11.71287
120Kelley$11.69312
121Orient$11.66363
122Ellsworth$11.57495
123Cincinnati$11.57280
124Delta$11.52257
125Terril$11.48310
126Westside$11.45283
127Holland$11.37261
128Churdan$11.31359
129Mallard$11.28255
130Miles$11.28400
131Renwick$11.16228
132Milton$10.98395
133New Vienna$10.91384
134Letts$10.91358
135Goose Lake$10.89250
136Birmingham$10.87371
137Charlotte$10.86386
138Yale$10.85265
139Batavia$10.77434
140Hornick$10.74255
141Riverdale$10.67385
142Bode$10.64304
143Union$10.58378
144Cleghorn$10.49235
145Calamus$10.47348
146Lovilia$10.46456
147Danbury$10.43315
148Lytton$10.38274
149Stacyville$10.36436
150Rhodes$10.36269
151Deloit$10.28246
152Protivin$10.28264
153Andrew$10.22374
154Royal$10.20379
155Bronson$10.14294
156Rudd$10.13339
157La Motte$10.09235
158Defiance$10.05248
159Floyd$10.02297
160Panama$9.85234
161Breda$9.80492
162Lynnville$9.68382
163Salix$9.63303
164Luxemburg$9.58240
165Farnhamville$9.18364
166Middletown$9.16365
167Alleman$9.12439
168Lester$8.94309
169Harvey$8.71242
170Rowley$8.31264
171Bertram$8.10267
172Fostoria$8.10229
173Grandview$8.10431
174Lost Nation$8.10425
175Low Moor$8.10242
176Nichols$8.10317
177Luana$7.98303
178Lockridge$7.92245
179Delhi$7.81438
180Klemme$7.74429
181Pulaski$7.58259
182Beacon$7.56434
183Sheldahl$7.56312
184Fredonia$7.55227
185Worthington$7.50374
186Harpers Ferry$7.49273
187Marquette$7.08434
188Columbus City$6.94385
189Donahue$6.83336
190Libertyville$6.60278
191Keswick$6.49238
192Crawfordsville$6.44278
193New Virginia$5.97499
194Holy Cross$5.91348
195Conesville$5.86350
196University Park$5.27476
197Orleans$4.13503
198Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
199Wahpeton$3.19337
200West Okoboji$2.92311

The $8.10 limit

Templeton’s general levy is $8.02 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.08 below the limit.4 434 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.51 · FY26 $8.26 · FY27 $8.02 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $4.89 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.87 · $110,607
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.13 · $43,490
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$0.89 · $34,241

Tax increment financing (TIF)

Templeton’s TIF revenue, from its reports to the state. It budgeted $449,459 in TIF revenue for FY25.

$272,315
$90,621
YearTIF revenue
FY16$53,177
FY17$59,536
FY18$62,872
FY19$114,195
FY20$163,099
FY21$272,315
FY22$248,816
FY23$90,621
Show the numbers
YearTIF revenue
FY16$53,177
FY17$59,536
FY18$62,872
FY19$114,195
FY20$163,099
FY21$272,315
FY22$248,816
FY23$90,621

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$308,77462%
  • Debt Service Levy$110,60722%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$43,4909%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$34,2417%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Templeton’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 46¢ of every dollar46¢Community and Economic Development: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Debt Service: 11¢ of every dollar11¢General Government: 10¢ of every dollar10¢Everything else: 7¢ of every dollar7¢

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 198 Iowa cities closest in size (230–510 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (198)
Business Type / Enterprise46¢39¢
Community and Economic Development13¢2¢
Public Works12¢20¢
Debt Service11¢3¢
General Government10¢16¢
Everything else7¢21¢

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$328,68530%
  • Public Works$242,59822%
  • General Government$186,46517%
  • Debt Service$147,99313%
  • Community and Economic Development$141,50813%
  • Public Safety$47,6484%
  • Health and Social Services$2,8500%
  • Capital Projects$1,0000%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($705,645 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$279,885$336,521
Public Safety$22,597$30,568
Health and Social Services$2,650$200
General Government$102,127$110,321
Debt Service$103,361$103,361
Culture and Recreation$92,967$141,696
Community and Economic Development$98,124$120,715
Capital Projects$70,000$314,876
Business Type / Enterprise$181,463$174,356

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.3M
$1.3M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Templeton owes

$593,739 at June 30, 2026: $1,687 per resident. 425th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$979,644
$593,739
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$593,739$1,687
2025$837,374$2,379
2024$979,644$2,783
2023$972,048$2,762
2022$663,048$1,884
2021$819,048$2,327
2020$706,639$2,007
2019$494,235$1,404
2018$557,516$1,584
2017$618,237$1,756
2016$656,123$1,864
2015$660,655$1,877
2014$894,079$2,540
2013$371,240$1,055
2012$432,107$1,228
2011$471,607$1,340
2010$517,112$1,469
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$593,739$1,687
2025$837,374$2,379
2024$979,644$2,783
2023$972,048$2,762
2022$663,048$1,884
2021$819,048$2,327
2020$706,639$2,007
2019$494,235$1,404
2018$557,516$1,584
2017$618,237$1,756
2016$656,123$1,864
2015$660,655$1,877
2014$894,079$2,540
2013$371,240$1,055
2012$432,107$1,228
2011$471,607$1,340
2010$517,112$1,469

Up 15% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $444,941, 17% of the limit of about $2.6M (5% of $52.2M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

8 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationGO Bond North Ridge addition2034$182,000
General Obligation2023 Water Main Project2033$139,941
Revenue BondsSewer Rehabilitation Project2040$117,000
General ObligationCommunity Center2029$96,000
Revenue BondsSanitary Sewer lining Rehab Project2032$29,298
General Obligation2006 Intl. 7300 Snowplow acquisition2028$27,000
Revenue BondsSRF Sewer Planning & Design Loan2032$2,500
General ObligationPublic Works Building2029$0

General obligation bonds are repaid from property taxes; revenue bonds and loans from the fees or revenue they’re tied to. On the Treasurer’s site

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances9. Templeton’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF).

Audits10

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Monday, June 30, 2025 (PDF), released Tuesday, December 23, 2025, by a CPA firm.

2 earlier reports for Templeton

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? 11

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: $64,336 in FY25, up 34% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 7% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$39,126$37,338$37,688$37,848
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$15,528$12,453$24,899$26,488

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.

$3,459
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$3,459
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$3,459
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)−19%$37,412 → $37,848, up 1% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)+101%$10,530 → $26,488, up 152% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 101% more

    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 29% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more.

    $68,628
    $68,052

    Federal grants, for comparison: $24,970 in FY23.

    Business awards

    Every award statewide

    State economic development awards

    2 businesses have state awards in TEMPLETON: $2.3M in grants, loans and tax benefits, for 30 jobs. Closed projects promised 27 jobs; 25 were there at the end.12

    • Templeton Rye Spirits Holdings, LLC
      High Quality Jobs Program · FY22 · Under contract: Building · 3 jobs required
      $389K
    • Templeton Rye Spirits, LLC
      High Quality Jobs Program · FY17 · Closed: Met its contract · 27 jobs required, 25 at the end
      $2.0M

    Community college new jobs training: 1 contract since 2018 worth $240K, for 28 pledged jobs.

    Awards statewide

    Elections

    Running for mayor and city council

    Filing opens Monday, August 23, 2027: in 284 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)13.

    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

    2 seats: the top 2 win.

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Templeton; 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.

    • Templeton City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by David Ramsey, Joseph Irlbeck, Natasha Goecke
    • Templeton Mayor
      Now held by Ken Behrens

    Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here14.

    Past ballot measures

    None found since 2022.

    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 ballot15.

    Related places

    At the Statehouse and in Congress16

    Jason Schultz (Sen. 6)Craig Steven Williams (Rep. 11)

    U.S. House:District 4

    Carroll CountyCarroll schoolsIkm-Manning schools