City

Goodell

$3,060 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($36.34 per $1,000 of taxable value)¹

$1,280 a yearof that goes to the city ($15.16 per $1,000)

$39,849property taxes the city levies, FY27

$95,293city 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.

Angela KernGoodell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Barbara SchaeferGoodell Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
Karen GreenGoodell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Mark StilleGoodell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Theresa A. BeckGoodell City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
Alan PralleGoodell City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
Write-in: Travis NolteGoodell 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 Goodell

Homes and businesses in most of Goodell pay a combined $36.34 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Hancock County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $15.16. Estimate your bill.

City of Goodell$15.1642%
Belmond-Klemme schools$13.6638%
Hancock County$4.0011%
Hancock County Hospital$1.534%
North Iowa Area Community College$1.243%
Hancock County Assessor$0.541%
Hancock County Extension (ISU Extension and Outreach)$0.22<1%

Rates over time

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

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$39.74	$16.84
FY21	$39.49	$16.65
FY22	$36.81	$16.87
FY23	$35.98	$16.69
FY24	$33.70	$15.58
FY25	$34.32	$15.99
FY26	$37.86	$17.34
FY27	$36.34	$15.16

Show the numbers

Year	Combined	City’s own
FY20	$39.74	$16.84
FY21	$39.49	$16.65
FY22	$36.81	$16.87
FY23	$35.98	$16.69
FY24	$33.70	$15.58
FY25	$34.32	$15.99
FY26	$37.86	$17.34
FY27	$36.34	$15.16

Compared with places this size³

Goodell’s city property tax rate of $15.16 per $1,000 is the 33rd highest of 172 Iowa cities with 90–210 people. The middle of the group is $10.62.

See all 172

#	Place	Rate per $1,000	People
1	Castana	$34.13	103
2	Brayton	$25.07	138
3	Harris	$23.13	145
4	Whitten	$22.65	98
5	Soldier	$21.92	176
6	Chelsea	$21.61	207
7	Smithland	$21.12	184
8	Volga	$20.23	200
9	Coin	$19.59	171
10	Rowan	$19.53	118
11	Chester	$19.30	134
12	Bouton	$19.25	125
13	Ricketts	$19.22	105
14	Garden Grove	$19.20	173
15	Hastings	$18.95	157
16	Swaledale	$18.62	136
17	Jamaica	$18.24	196
18	Hillsboro	$17.68	158
19	Bristow	$17.39	139
20	Woolstock	$17.26	141
21	Prescott	$16.53	186
22	Monmouth	$16.41	129
23	Blockton	$16.37	123
24	Montour	$16.37	199
25	Geneva	$16.25	137
26	Waterville	$16.25	112
27	Little Sioux	$15.74	170
28	Moorhead	$15.68	186
29	Onslow	$15.63	198
30	Linden	$15.62	206
31	Woodburn	$15.59	133
32	Kamrar	$15.47	178
33	Goodell	$15.16	139
34	Marne	$15.03	109
35	Baldwin	$14.91	99
36	Magnolia	$14.68	194
37	Davis City	$14.45	178
38	Lucas	$14.40	176
39	Westgate	$14.05	190
40	Palmer	$13.89	137
41	Ayrshire	$13.55	128
42	Searsboro	$13.55	129
43	Ferguson	$13.53	98
44	Lanesboro	$13.53	112
45	Calumet	$13.16	144
46	Portsmouth	$13.05	187
47	Delaware	$12.86	139
48	Patterson	$12.84	176
49	Clemons	$12.69	135
50	Millersburg	$12.40	135
51	Aurora	$12.40	165
52	Bridgewater	$12.29	145
53	Hanlontown	$12.17	200
54	Stout	$12.14	194
55	Arion	$12.14	99
56	Webb	$12.10	139
57	Decatur	$12.08	174
58	Rembrandt	$12.03	199
59	Shambaugh	$11.98	161
60	Lone Rock	$11.92	143
61	East Peru	$11.89	119
62	Henderson	$11.85	140
63	Parnell	$11.78	190
64	Reasnor	$11.76	157
65	Morley	$11.74	94
66	Ledyard	$11.74	118
67	Joice	$11.72	206
68	Toronto	$11.68	101
69	Wadena	$11.65	201
70	Exline	$11.60	157
71	Beaman	$11.54	155
72	College Springs	$11.44	172
73	Melrose	$11.27	110
74	Linn Grove	$11.15	155
75	Dundee	$11.14	193
76	Randolph	$11.08	183
77	Leighton	$11.07	153
78	Rake	$11.05	179
79	Masonville	$11.00	98
80	Somers	$10.99	121
81	Frederika	$10.99	206
82	Havelock	$10.95	127
83	Alexander	$10.90	165
84	Lambs Grove	$10.78	174
85	Wallingford	$10.75	154
86	Woden	$10.68	183
87	Pacific Junction	$10.56	99
88	Barnes City	$10.44	152
89	Stockton	$10.37	171
90	Randall	$10.35	156
91	Meriden	$10.28	175
92	Drakesville	$10.24	170
93	North Washington	$10.23	107
94	Dawson	$10.19	110
95	Hancock	$10.13	199
96	Melvin	$10.05	196
97	Barnum	$9.96	186
98	Clare	$9.81	133
99	Tingley	$9.81	146
100	Rutland	$9.65	116
101	Van Wert	$9.62	175
102	Rock Falls	$9.61	143
103	Kirkville	$9.59	159
104	Superior	$9.58	127
105	Webster	$9.55	94
106	Martinsburg	$9.49	109
107	Larrabee	$9.41	116
108	Hamilton	$9.35	125
109	Floris	$9.29	119
110	Mitchell	$9.22	118
111	Westphalia	$9.18	133
112	Elberon	$9.16	178
113	Dixon	$9.03	204
114	Blairsburg	$8.93	175
115	Prairieburg	$8.91	156
116	Oakville	$8.89	198
117	Welton	$8.86	124
118	Archer	$8.84	116
119	Luther	$8.83	147
120	Fraser	$8.81	107
121	Macksburg	$8.81	103
122	Washta	$8.65	206
123	Moorland	$8.61	169
124	Pilot Mound	$8.54	155
125	Ollie	$8.44	196
126	Thor	$8.38	182
127	Andover	$8.28	106
128	South English	$8.27	196
129	Thurman	$8.26	162
130	Boxholm	$8.11	177
131	Rome	$8.10	112
132	Westfield	$8.10	121
133	Lineville	$8.10	194
134	Vincent	$8.09	125
135	Morrison	$7.86	101
136	Mount Auburn	$7.86	162
137	Haverhill	$7.86	164
138	Grand River	$7.86	192
139	Olds	$7.86	174
140	Dickens	$7.86	146
141	Castalia	$7.86	141
142	Rose Hill	$7.86	156
143	West Chester	$7.82	147
144	Cromwell	$7.81	104
145	Mcclelland	$7.79	147
146	Arispe	$7.71	95
147	Luzerne	$7.69	111
148	Lidderdale	$7.68	162
149	Westwood	$7.67	96
150	Bernard	$7.56	117
151	Braddyville	$7.49	142
152	Franklin	$7.31	133
153	Weldon	$7.18	134
154	Brunsville	$6.95	128
155	Packwood	$6.77	186
156	Houghton	$6.73	129
157	Williamson	$6.72	126
158	Lincoln	$6.32	119
159	Gravity	$6.18	149
160	Ackworth	$5.90	117
161	Oakland Acres	$5.88	178
162	Springbrook	$5.79	145
163	Maysville	$5.77	155
164	Harper	$5.29	117
165	Panorama Park	$4.62	142
166	Keomah Village	$3.15	107
167	Mcintire	$2.78	115
168	Sherrill	$2.66	176
169	Centralia	$2.41	117
170	Rickardsville	$2.27	204
171	New Liberty	$2.27	141
172	North Buena Vista	$1.78	107

The $8.10 limit

Goodell’s general levy is $8.13 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.03 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.⁴ 191 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

$8.10

FY23 $8.10 · FY24 $8.10 · FY25 $8.37 · FY26 $8.37 · FY27 $8.13 (before FY25, the general levy alone)

Outside the limit: $7.04 more⁵

Liability, property & self insurance costs$4.53 · $11,570
Debt Service Levy$2.32 · $5,922
Total Employee Benefit Levies$0.19 · $482

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$20,75454%
Liability, property & self insurance costs$11,57030%
Debt Service Levy$5,92215%
Total Employee Benefit Levies$4821%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Goodell’s budget goes, FY26

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 172 Iowa cities closest in size (90–210 people).

Where it goes	Of each dollar	Cities this size (172)
Business Type / Enterprise	61¢	27¢
General Government	14¢	24¢
Public Works	12¢	26¢
Public Safety	8¢	10¢
Debt Service	3¢	2¢
Everything else	1¢	8¢

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$30,31832%
Public Works$28,90530%
Public Safety$20,11321%
Culture and Recreation$8,5759%
Debt Service$6,1426%
Health and Social Services$1,2401%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($142,930 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23

Function	Budget	Spent
Public Works	$21,566	$24,552
Public Safety	$16,926	$21,540
Health and Social Services	$1,100	$1,240
General Government	$22,813	$65,662
Debt Service	$8,405	$3,072
Culture and Recreation	$5,127	$5,215
Community and Economic Development	$0	$0
Capital Projects	$0	$0
Business Type / Enterprise	$544,509	$2.3M

What it spent each year

FY24 left out⁶

$2.4M

$244,640

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? ⁷

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: $14,866 in FY25, up 14% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers

Source	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)	$14,092	$14,136	$14,518	$14,596
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)	$712	$507	$324	$270

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.

$1,251

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$660
FY20	$873
FY21	$1,093
FY22	$1,251
FY23	$1,153
FY24	$0
FY25	$0

Show the numbers

Year	Grants and projects
FY19	$660
FY20	$873
FY21	$1,093
FY22	$1,251
FY23	$1,153
FY24	$0
FY25	$0

Has it kept up with prices?

Each source from FY19 to FY25, after inflation.

Road Use Tax (streets)−11%$13,092 → $14,596, up 11% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 11% 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 37% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 9% more.

$21,807

$19,895

Federal grants, for comparison: $170,193 in FY24.

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

City · 3

Goodell City Council At-Large

3 seats: the top 3 win.

Mark Stille Winner3034.9%
Angela Kern Winner2933.7%
Karen Green Winner2731.4%

Goodell City Council At-Large To Fill a Vacancy

Theresa A. Beck Unopposed30100.0%

Goodell Mayor

Barbara Schaefer Unopposed31100.0%

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

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸

Dennis Guth (Sen. 28)Mark I. Thompson (Rep. 56)

U.S. House:District 4

Hancock County Belmond-Klemme schools

Notes

For a $200,000 home with the homestead credit, at the combined rate in most of the city. Some parts of the city pay a different rate (special districts, tax increment financing districts). ↩
Cities adopt their budgets each spring for the year starting July 1. ↩
FY27 rates from the Department of Management. A higher rate isn’t always a bigger bill: it depends on how much property there is to tax. Sizes: Census Bureau 2024 estimates. ↩
Iowa Code section 384.1, as changed by House File 718 (2023). Until FY25 a city’s regular general levy was capped at $8.10 by itself, and a city at the cap could add an emergency levy of up to $0.27. From FY25 the general levy and several smaller levies were combined into one “consolidated” general levy with an $8.10 limit; a city whose combined rate was above $8.10 lowers it in steps, in years its taxable value grows by more than the law allows, until it reaches $8.10. So years before FY25 aren’t directly comparable with later ones. ↩
Levies outside the limit are each set aside for one purpose and have their own rules: debt service pays back bonds voters or the council approved, employee benefits cover pensions and insurance, and some (transit, an airport, insurance costs) have their own caps in state law. ↩
The state’s FY24 spending file repeats the year before for nearly every Iowa city, so that year isn’t shown. ↩
From the city’s annual financial reports to the state (Iowa Data Hub, city actual revenues). “Today’s dollars” adjusts each year by the consumer price index for the Midwest, so a flat line in today’s dollars means the money buys the same as before. ↩
Legislative and congressional districts that cover Goodell; percentages are rough shares of its area. These lawmakers write the state laws and budget Goodell works within. ↩

Sources: City budgets and levies from the Department of Management; tax rates from the Iowa Data Hub; state payments from the Department of Revenue; prices from the consumer price index; legislative districts from Census Bureau maps.

Goodell

Who runs it

Meetings and agendas

Property taxes

Who gets a property owner’s tax bill in Goodell

Rates over time

Compared with places this size3

The $8.10 limit

Outside the limit: $7.04 more5

The city’s levies, FY27

Budget and spending

Where each dollar of Goodell’s budget goes, FY26

Planned spending, FY27

What it spent each year

State money

What the state pays the city every year

Grants and project money

Has it kept up with prices?

Collected by the state for the city

Elections

Most recent: November 4, 2025

Related places

At the Statehouse and in Congress8

Compared with places this size³

Outside the limit: $7.04 more⁵

At the Statehouse and in Congress⁸