Display
Language
About accessibility
Language
Display
Sign in

Local taxes › Fremont County › Thurman

City

Thurman

Fremont County · How cities work

$2,610 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($31.04 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$700 a yearof that goes to the city ($8.26 per $1,000)
$22,778property taxes the city levies, FY27
$102,942city 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.

  • Brandy BlakeThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Bray BlakeThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Karen FarmerThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Nicolette McCulloughThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Shelly ReevesThurman Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Teresa AchenbachThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Danielle LeBaughThurman City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Patty EdenThurman 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 Thurman

Homes and businesses in most of Thurman pay a combined $31.04 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Fremont County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $8.26. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.06$8.10
FY21$30.08$8.34
FY22$30.57$8.00
FY23$29.67$6.68
FY24$29.49$6.61
FY25$31.85$8.78
FY26$31.02$8.10
FY27$31.04$8.26
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$30.06$8.10
FY21$30.08$8.34
FY22$30.57$8.00
FY23$29.67$6.68
FY24$29.49$6.61
FY25$31.85$8.78
FY26$31.02$8.10
FY27$31.04$8.26

Compared with places this size3

Thurman’s city property tax rate of $8.26 per $1,000 is the 44th lowest of 187 Iowa cities with 110–240 people. The middle of the group is $10.95.

Brayton: $25.07Harris: $23.13Soldier: $21.92Coulter: $21.80Chelsea: $21.61Smithland: $21.12Volga: $20.23Alta Vista: $19.88Arthur: $19.86Coin: $19.59Rowan: $19.53Chester: $19.30Bouton: $19.25Garden Grove: $19.20Hastings: $18.95Swaledale: $18.62Jamaica: $18.24Hillsboro: $17.68Bristow: $17.39Woolstock: $17.26Prescott: $16.53Monmouth: $16.41Blockton: $16.37Montour: $16.37Geneva: $16.25Waterville: $16.25Deep River: $16.18Waucoma: $16.17Little Sioux: $15.74Moorhead: $15.68Onslow: $15.63Linden: $15.62Woodburn: $15.59Kamrar: $15.47Greeley: $15.23Goodell: $15.16Marne: $15.03Riverton: $14.94Marathon: $14.89Ladora: $14.74Magnolia: $14.68Bagley: $14.63Davis City: $14.45Lucas: $14.40Crystal Lake: $14.36Westgate: $14.05Palmer: $13.89Kellerton: $13.60Ayrshire: $13.55Searsboro: $13.55Lanesboro: $13.53Meservey: $13.43Leland: $13.31Calumet: $13.16Portsmouth: $13.05Clutier: $13.03Delaware: $12.86Patterson: $12.84Clemons: $12.69Blencoe: $12.57Millersburg: $12.40Aurora: $12.40Bridgewater: $12.29Cushing: $12.18Hanlontown: $12.17Stout: $12.14Webb: $12.10Paton: $12.09Decatur: $12.08Rembrandt: $12.03Shambaugh: $11.98Lone Rock: $11.92East Peru: $11.89New Providence: $11.88Henderson: $11.85Parnell: $11.78Reasnor: $11.76Ledyard: $11.74Joice: $11.72Cantril: $11.69Wadena: $11.65Exline: $11.60Beaman: $11.54College Springs: $11.44Melrose: $11.27Renwick: $11.16Linn Grove: $11.15Dundee: $11.14Randolph: $11.08Leighton: $11.07Rake: $11.05Somers: $10.99Frederika: $10.99Havelock: $10.95Alexander: $10.90Lambs Grove: $10.78Wallingford: $10.75Woden: $10.68Cleghorn: $10.49Barnes City: $10.44Stockton: $10.37Randall: $10.35Dedham: $10.28Meriden: $10.28Drakesville: $10.24Dawson: $10.19Hancock: $10.13La Motte: $10.09Melvin: $10.05Barnum: $9.96Panama: $9.85Grafton: $9.83Clare: $9.81Tingley: $9.81Ionia: $9.65Rutland: $9.65Van Wert: $9.62Rock Falls: $9.61Kirkville: $9.59Luxemburg: $9.58Superior: $9.58Martinsburg: $9.49Rippey: $9.42Larrabee: $9.41Hamilton: $9.35Floris: $9.29Mitchell: $9.22Westphalia: $9.18Elberon: $9.16Dixon: $9.03Blairsburg: $8.93Prairieburg: $8.91Oakville: $8.89Welton: $8.86Archer: $8.84Luther: $8.83Harvey: $8.71Washta: $8.65Moorland: $8.61Pilot Mound: $8.54Ollie: $8.44Thor: $8.38South English: $8.27Boxholm: $8.11Fostoria: $8.10Low Moor: $8.10Rome: $8.10Westfield: $8.10Laurel: $8.10Lineville: $8.10Vincent: $8.09Mount Auburn: $7.86Haverhill: $7.86Grand River: $7.86Olds: $7.86Castalia: $7.86Dickens: $7.86Rose Hill: $7.86West Chester: $7.82Mcclelland: $7.79Luzerne: $7.69Lidderdale: $7.68Bernard: $7.56Fredonia: $7.55Braddyville: $7.49Alvord: $7.41Franklin: $7.31Weldon: $7.18Brunsville: $6.95Packwood: $6.77Houghton: $6.73Williamson: $6.72Keswick: $6.49Lincoln: $6.32Gravity: $6.18Ackworth: $5.90Oakland Acres: $5.88Springbrook: $5.79Maysville: $5.77Harper: $5.29Panorama Park: $4.62Mcintire: $2.78Sherrill: $2.66Centralia: $2.41Rickardsville: $2.27New Liberty: $2.27Thurman: $8.26$2.27 lowest$25.07 highestmiddle
See all 187
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Brayton$25.07138
2Harris$23.13145
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
11Rowan$19.53118
12Chester$19.30134
13Bouton$19.25125
14Garden Grove$19.20173
15Hastings$18.95157
16Swaledale$18.62136
17Jamaica$18.24196
18Hillsboro$17.68158
19Bristow$17.39139
20Woolstock$17.26141
21Prescott$16.53186
22Monmouth$16.41129
23Blockton$16.37123
24Montour$16.37199
25Geneva$16.25137
26Waterville$16.25112
27Deep River$16.18243
28Waucoma$16.17235
29Little Sioux$15.74170
30Moorhead$15.68186
31Onslow$15.63198
32Linden$15.62206
33Woodburn$15.59133
34Kamrar$15.47178
35Greeley$15.23216
36Goodell$15.16139
37Marne$15.03109
38Riverton$14.94243
39Marathon$14.89221
40Ladora$14.74223
41Magnolia$14.68194
42Bagley$14.63230
43Davis City$14.45178
44Lucas$14.40176
45Crystal Lake$14.36243
46Westgate$14.05190
47Palmer$13.89137
48Kellerton$13.60241
49Ayrshire$13.55128
50Searsboro$13.55129
51Lanesboro$13.53112
52Meservey$13.43212
53Leland$13.31240
54Calumet$13.16144
55Portsmouth$13.05187
56Clutier$13.03209
57Delaware$12.86139
58Patterson$12.84176
59Clemons$12.69135
60Blencoe$12.57223
61Millersburg$12.40135
62Aurora$12.40165
63Bridgewater$12.29145
64Cushing$12.18225
65Hanlontown$12.17200
66Stout$12.14194
67Webb$12.10139
68Paton$12.09217
69Decatur$12.08174
70Rembrandt$12.03199
71Shambaugh$11.98161
72Lone Rock$11.92143
73East Peru$11.89119
74New Providence$11.88233
75Henderson$11.85140
76Parnell$11.78190
77Reasnor$11.76157
78Ledyard$11.74118
79Joice$11.72206
80Cantril$11.69224
81Wadena$11.65201
82Exline$11.60157
83Beaman$11.54155
84College Springs$11.44172
85Melrose$11.27110
86Renwick$11.16228
87Linn Grove$11.15155
88Dundee$11.14193
89Randolph$11.08183
90Leighton$11.07153
91Rake$11.05179
92Somers$10.99121
93Frederika$10.99206
94Havelock$10.95127
95Alexander$10.90165
96Lambs Grove$10.78174
97Wallingford$10.75154
98Woden$10.68183
99Cleghorn$10.49235
100Barnes City$10.44152
101Stockton$10.37171
102Randall$10.35156
103Dedham$10.28221
104Meriden$10.28175
105Drakesville$10.24170
106Dawson$10.19110
107Hancock$10.13199
108La Motte$10.09235
109Melvin$10.05196
110Barnum$9.96186
111Panama$9.85234
112Grafton$9.83212
113Clare$9.81133
114Tingley$9.81146
115Ionia$9.65220
116Rutland$9.65116
117Van Wert$9.62175
118Rock Falls$9.61143
119Kirkville$9.59159
120Luxemburg$9.58240
121Superior$9.58127
122Martinsburg$9.49109
123Rippey$9.42217
124Larrabee$9.41116
125Hamilton$9.35125
126Floris$9.29119
127Mitchell$9.22118
128Westphalia$9.18133
129Elberon$9.16178
130Dixon$9.03204
131Blairsburg$8.93175
132Prairieburg$8.91156
133Oakville$8.89198
134Welton$8.86124
135Archer$8.84116
136Luther$8.83147
137Harvey$8.71242
138Washta$8.65206
139Moorland$8.61169
140Pilot Mound$8.54155
141Ollie$8.44196
142Thor$8.38182
143South English$8.27196
144Thurman$8.26162
145Boxholm$8.11177
146Fostoria$8.10229
147Low Moor$8.10242
148Rome$8.10112
149Westfield$8.10121
150Laurel$8.10214
151Lineville$8.10194
152Vincent$8.09125
153Mount Auburn$7.86162
154Haverhill$7.86164
155Grand River$7.86192
156Olds$7.86174
157Castalia$7.86141
158Dickens$7.86146
159Rose Hill$7.86156
160West Chester$7.82147
161Mcclelland$7.79147
162Luzerne$7.69111
163Lidderdale$7.68162
164Bernard$7.56117
165Fredonia$7.55227
166Braddyville$7.49142
167Alvord$7.41216
168Franklin$7.31133
169Weldon$7.18134
170Brunsville$6.95128
171Packwood$6.77186
172Houghton$6.73129
173Williamson$6.72126
174Keswick$6.49238
175Lincoln$6.32119
176Gravity$6.18149
177Ackworth$5.90117
178Oakland Acres$5.88178
179Springbrook$5.79145
180Maysville$5.77155
181Harper$5.29117
182Panorama Park$4.62142
183Mcintire$2.78115
184Sherrill$2.66176
185Centralia$2.41117
186Rickardsville$2.27204
187New Liberty$2.27141

The $8.10 limit

Thurman’s general levy is $7.94 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 below the limit.4 475 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

FY23 $6.68 · FY24 $6.61 · FY25 $6.61 · FY26 $8.10 · FY27 $7.94 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $0.31 more5

  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.31 · $868

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$21,91096%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$8684%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Thurman’s budget goes, FY26

Business Type / Enterprise: 33¢ of every dollar33¢General Government: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Culture and Recreation: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Public Works: 13¢ of every dollar13¢Debt Service: 12¢ of every dollar12¢Everything else: 8¢ of every dollar8¢

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 185 Iowa cities closest in size (110–240 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (185)
Business Type / Enterprise33¢29¢
General Government22¢22¢
Culture and Recreation13¢8¢
Public Works13¢25¢
Debt Service12¢2¢
Everything else8¢9¢

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$32,93732%
  • Debt Service$23,26223%
  • Public Works$16,50016%
  • Culture and Recreation$15,40015%
  • Public Safety$14,84314%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($64,000 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$10,100$11,844
Public Safety$22,100$32,303
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$45,800$89,941
Debt Service$18,828$0
Culture and Recreation$7,800$9,052
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$0$0
Business Type / Enterprise$67,100$76,779

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$1.2M
$133,696

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Thurman owes

$445,700 at June 30, 2026: $2,669 per resident. 311th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$515,752
$445,700
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$445,700$2,669
2025$459,549$2,752
2024$473,474$2,835
2023$467,899$2,802
2022$421,750$2,525
2021$487,621$2,920
2020$497,208$2,977
2019$515,752$3,088
2018$515,752$3,088
2017$400,000$2,395
2016$400,000$2,395
2015$400,000$2,395
2014$0$0
2013$10,000$60
2012$30,000$180
2011$30,000$180
2010$40,000$240
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$445,700$2,669
2025$459,549$2,752
2024$473,474$2,835
2023$467,899$2,802
2022$421,750$2,525
2021$487,621$2,920
2020$497,208$2,977
2019$515,752$3,088
2018$515,752$3,088
2017$400,000$2,395
2016$400,000$2,395
2015$400,000$2,395
2014$0$0
2013$10,000$60
2012$30,000$180
2011$30,000$180
2010$40,000$240

Up 1014% since 2010.

Money in reserve

The state’s budget files don’t include cities’ fund balances8. Thurman’s latest audit has them: Annual Examination, period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2020 (PDF).

Audits9

The latest: Annual Examination for the period ending Tuesday, June 30, 2020 (PDF), released Wednesday, February 16, 2022, by the Auditor of State.

3 earlier reports for Thurman

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: $14,593 in FY25, up 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% more. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$21,136$162,112$14,713$14,593

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.

$15,946
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$13,818
    FY22$15,946
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$0
    FY20$0
    FY21$13,818
    FY22$15,946
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0

    Has it kept up with prices?

    Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

    • Road Use Tax (streets)+4%$11,159 → $14,593, up 31% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 4% 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 21% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 3% less.

    $46,376
    $17,598

    Federal grants, for comparison: $14,899 in FY22.

    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

    Ballot measures · 1

    Passed Yes 55.6% (20) · No 44.4% (16)

    Passes with more yes votes than no.

    City · 2

    5 seats: the top 5 win.

    3 more →

    Local races from civicAPI and county auditors for Thurman; 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.

    • Thurman City Council At-Large (5 seats)
      Now held by Teresa Achenbach, Danielle LeBaugh, Brandy Blake, Patty Eden, Bray Blake
    • Thurman Mayor
      Now held by Shelly Reeves

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

    Past ballot measures

    • Public Measure ICNovember 4, 2025

      Passed Yes 55.6% (20) · No 44.4% (16)

      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

    Mark Costello (Sen. 8)David Sieck (Rep. 16)

    U.S. House:District 4

    Fremont CountyFremont-Mills schools