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Local taxes › Cerro Gordo County › Meservey

City

Meservey

Cerro Gordo County · How cities work

$2,800 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($33.19 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,130 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.43 per $1,000)
$43,646property taxes the city levies, FY27
$201,326city 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.

  • Cyneva Zoe MyersMeservey City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jennifer BurkeMeservey City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Mike GobeliMeservey City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Richard M. MillerMeservey Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Jenny RembeMeservey City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Michael McNuttMeservey City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Pat WhiteMeservey 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 Meservey

Homes and businesses in most of Meservey pay a combined $33.19 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Cerro Gordo County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.43. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.34$12.83
FY21$31.47$12.49
FY22$31.20$12.38
FY23$32.79$14.26
FY24$31.24$12.56
FY25$31.87$13.71
FY26$33.68$13.91
FY27$33.19$13.43
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$31.34$12.83
FY21$31.47$12.49
FY22$31.20$12.38
FY23$32.79$14.26
FY24$31.24$12.56
FY25$31.87$13.71
FY26$33.68$13.91
FY27$33.19$13.43

Compared with places this size3

Meservey’s city property tax rate of $13.43 per $1,000 is the 51st highest of 199 Iowa cities with 140–320 people. The middle of the group is $11.44.

Harris: $23.13Fenton: $22.05Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Garden Grove: $19.20Fort Atkinson: $19.19Hastings: $18.95Cumberland: $18.42Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Pisgah: $17.09Lakota: $16.84Marble Rock: $16.78Auburn: $16.65Prescott: $16.53Montour: $16.37Corwith: $16.22Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Granville: $16.00Minburn: $15.75Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Kamrar: $15.47Greeley: $15.23Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Halbur: $14.37Crystal Lake: $14.36Kimballton: $14.27Steamboat Rock: $14.19Westgate: $14.05Mystic: $14.01Fertile: $13.70Stockport: $13.68Kellerton: $13.60Quimby: $13.58Persia: $13.41Leland: $13.31Harcourt: $13.21Calumet: $13.16Ridgeway: $13.10Farmersburg: $13.09Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Silver City: $12.87Patterson: $12.84Martelle: $12.83Malcom: $12.82Blencoe: $12.57Williams: $12.57Maurice: $12.56Clearfield: $12.50Kensett: $12.47Mccausland: $12.45Aurora: $12.40Modale: $12.34Mingo: $12.31Bridgewater: $12.29Blakesburg: $12.21Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Macedonia: $12.12Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Kiron: $12.03Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Liscomb: $11.96Lone Rock: $11.92New Providence: $11.88Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Joice: $11.72Atalissa: $11.71Cantril: $11.69Kelley: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Cincinnati: $11.57Beaman: $11.54Delta: $11.52Terril: $11.48Westside: $11.45College Springs: $11.44Holland: $11.37Mallard: $11.28Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Frederika: $10.99Alexander: $10.90Goose Lake: $10.89Yale: $10.85Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Hornick: $10.74Woden: $10.68Bode: $10.64Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Danbury: $10.43Lytton: $10.38Stockton: $10.37Rhodes: $10.36Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Deloit: $10.28Protivin: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Bronson: $10.14Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Defiance: $10.05Floyd: $10.02Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Salix: $9.63Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Rippey: $9.42Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Lester: $8.94Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38Rowley: $8.31South English: $8.27Thurman: $8.26Boxholm: $8.11Bertram: $8.10Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Nichols: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Luana: $7.98Lockridge: $7.92Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Lidderdale: $7.68Pulaski: $7.58Sheldahl: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Braddyville: $7.49Harpers Ferry: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Packwood: $6.77Libertyville: $6.60Keswick: $6.49Crawfordsville: $6.44Gravity: $6.18Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Panorama Park: $4.62Maharishi Vedic City: $3.87West Okoboji: $2.92Sherrill: $2.66Rickardsville: $2.27Meservey: $13.43$2.27 lowest$23.13 highestmiddle
See all 199
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Harris$23.13145
2Fenton$22.05250
3Soldier$21.92176
4Coulter$21.80220
5Chelsea$21.61207
6Smithland$21.12184
7Volga$20.23200
8Alta Vista$19.88219
9Arthur$19.86218
10Coin$19.59171
11Garden Grove$19.20173
12Fort Atkinson$19.19300
13Hastings$18.95157
14Cumberland$18.42248
15Jamaica$18.24196
16Hillsboro$17.68158
17Pisgah$17.09248
18Lakota$16.84261
19Marble Rock$16.78258
20Auburn$16.65253
21Prescott$16.53186
22Montour$16.37199
23Corwith$16.22259
24Deep River$16.18243
25Waucoma$16.17235
26Granville$16.00302
27Minburn$15.75317
28Little Sioux$15.74170
29Moorhead$15.68186
30Onslow$15.63198
31Linden$15.62206
32Kamrar$15.47178
33Greeley$15.23216
34Riverton$14.94243
35Marathon$14.89221
36Ladora$14.74223
37Magnolia$14.68194
38Bagley$14.63230
39Davis City$14.45178
40Lucas$14.40176
41Halbur$14.37268
42Crystal Lake$14.36243
43Kimballton$14.27281
44Steamboat Rock$14.19261
45Westgate$14.05190
46Mystic$14.01318
47Fertile$13.70300
48Stockport$13.68272
49Kellerton$13.60241
50Quimby$13.58245
51Meservey$13.43212
52Persia$13.41292
53Leland$13.31240
54Harcourt$13.21257
55Calumet$13.16144
56Ridgeway$13.10261
57Farmersburg$13.09264
58Portsmouth$13.05187
59Clutier$13.03209
60Silver City$12.87244
61Patterson$12.84176
62Martelle$12.83250
63Malcom$12.82257
64Blencoe$12.57223
65Williams$12.57299
66Maurice$12.56271
67Clearfield$12.50277
68Kensett$12.47256
69Mccausland$12.45314
70Aurora$12.40165
71Modale$12.34284
72Mingo$12.31314
73Bridgewater$12.29145
74Blakesburg$12.21273
75Cushing$12.18225
76Hanlontown$12.17200
77Stout$12.14194
78Macedonia$12.12266
79Paton$12.09217
80Decatur$12.08174
81Kiron$12.03262
82Rembrandt$12.03199
83Shambaugh$11.98161
84Liscomb$11.96292
85Lone Rock$11.92143
86New Providence$11.88233
87Parnell$11.78190
88Reasnor$11.76157
89Joice$11.72206
90Atalissa$11.71287
91Cantril$11.69224
92Kelley$11.69312
93Wadena$11.65201
94Exline$11.60157
95Cincinnati$11.57280
96Beaman$11.54155
97Delta$11.52257
98Terril$11.48310
99Westside$11.45283
100College Springs$11.44172
101Holland$11.37261
102Mallard$11.28255
103Renwick$11.16228
104Linn Grove$11.15155
105Dundee$11.14193
106Randolph$11.08183
107Leighton$11.07153
108Rake$11.05179
109Frederika$10.99206
110Alexander$10.90165
111Goose Lake$10.89250
112Yale$10.85265
113Lambs Grove$10.78174
114Wallingford$10.75154
115Hornick$10.74255
116Woden$10.68183
117Bode$10.64304
118Cleghorn$10.49235
119Barnes City$10.44152
120Danbury$10.43315
121Lytton$10.38274
122Stockton$10.37171
123Rhodes$10.36269
124Randall$10.35156
125Dedham$10.28221
126Deloit$10.28246
127Protivin$10.28264
128Meriden$10.28175
129Drakesville$10.24170
130Bronson$10.14294
131Hancock$10.13199
132La Motte$10.09235
133Melvin$10.05196
134Defiance$10.05248
135Floyd$10.02297
136Barnum$9.96186
137Panama$9.85234
138Grafton$9.83212
139Tingley$9.81146
140Ionia$9.65220
141Salix$9.63303
142Van Wert$9.62175
143Rock Falls$9.61143
144Kirkville$9.59159
145Luxemburg$9.58240
146Rippey$9.42217
147Elberon$9.16178
148Dixon$9.03204
149Lester$8.94309
150Blairsburg$8.93175
151Prairieburg$8.91156
152Oakville$8.89198
153Luther$8.83147
154Harvey$8.71242
155Washta$8.65206
156Moorland$8.61169
157Pilot Mound$8.54155
158Ollie$8.44196
159Thor$8.38182
160Rowley$8.31264
161South English$8.27196
162Thurman$8.26162
163Boxholm$8.11177
164Bertram$8.10267
165Fostoria$8.10229
166Low Moor$8.10242
167Nichols$8.10317
168Laurel$8.10214
169Lineville$8.10194
170Luana$7.98303
171Lockridge$7.92245
172Mount Auburn$7.86162
173Haverhill$7.86164
174Grand River$7.86192
175Olds$7.86174
176Dickens$7.86146
177Rose Hill$7.86156
178West Chester$7.82147
179Mcclelland$7.79147
180Lidderdale$7.68162
181Pulaski$7.58259
182Sheldahl$7.56312
183Fredonia$7.55227
184Braddyville$7.49142
185Harpers Ferry$7.49273
186Alvord$7.41216
187Packwood$6.77186
188Libertyville$6.60278
189Keswick$6.49238
190Crawfordsville$6.44278
191Gravity$6.18149
192Oakland Acres$5.88178
193Springbrook$5.79145
194Maysville$5.77155
195Panorama Park$4.62142
196Maharishi Vedic City$3.87290
197West Okoboji$2.92311
198Sherrill$2.66176
199Rickardsville$2.27204

The $8.10 limit

Meservey’s general levy is $8.39 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.29 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 43 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.64 · FY26 $8.64 · FY27 $8.39 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $5.04 more5

  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$4.15 · $12,135
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.80 · $2,334
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$0.10 · $280

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$24,54362%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$12,13531%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$2,3346%
  • Support of a Local Emerg. Mgmt. Comm.$2801%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Meservey’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 88¢ of every dollar88¢General Government: 4¢ of every dollarCulture and Recreation: 3¢ of every dollarPublic Works: 2¢ of every dollarPublic 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 197 Iowa cities closest in size (140–320 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (197)
Business Type / Enterprise88¢33¢
General Government4¢20¢
Culture and Recreation3¢8¢
Public Works2¢22¢
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.

  • General Government$63,30031%
  • Culture and Recreation$46,00023%
  • Public Safety$41,77621%
  • Public Works$35,75018%
  • Community and Economic Development$10,5005%
  • Health and Social Services$4,0002%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($1.3M in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$27,500$17,590
Public Safety$18,700$27,732
Health and Social Services$3,000$3,620
General Government$52,500$38,482
Debt Service$0$0
Culture and Recreation$40,287$45,484
Community and Economic Development$6,000$8,343
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$114,000$168,394

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$310,009

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Meservey owes

$682,166 at June 30, 2026: $3,073 per resident. 275th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$682,166
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$682,166$3,073
2025$84,848$382
2024$84,848$382
2023$43,394$195
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$682,166$3,073
2025$84,848$382
2024$84,848$382
2023$43,394$195
2022$0$0
2021$0$0
2020$0$0
2019$0$0
2018$0$0
2017$0$0
2016$0$0
2015$0$0
2014$0$0
2013$0$0
2012$0$0
2011$0$0
2010$0$0

Up 1472% since 2023.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $0, 0% of the limit of about $385,632 (5% of $7.7M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

1 obligation at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
Revenue BondsPhase I Water System Improvement Project2045$682,166

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. Meservey’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, July 21, 2026, by the Auditor of State.

The report has no Schedule of Findings Iowa Funnel could read.

2 earlier reports for Meservey

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: $24,780 in FY25, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$24,828$24,014$24,646$24,780

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

  • Road Use Tax (streets)−17%$23,928 → $24,780, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% 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 30% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% more.

$52,396
$50,083

Federal grants, for comparison: $13,155 in FY25.

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)12.

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 · 3

2 seats: the top 2 win.

Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Meservey; 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.

  • Meservey City Council At-Large (3 seats)
    Now held by Jenny Rembe, Pat White, Michael McNutt
  • Meservey Mayor
    Now held by Richard M. Miller

Candidates as county auditors and civicAPI list them; a filing can take a few days to appear here13.

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 ballot14.

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress15

Doug Campbell (Sen. 30)Jane Bloomingdale (Rep. 60)

U.S. House:District 2

Cerro Gordo CountyWest Fork schools