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Local taxes › Winneshiek County › Ossian

City

Ossian

Winneshiek County · How cities work

$3,250 a yearproperty tax on a $200,000 home here, FY27, for every local government ($38.55 per $1,000 of taxable value)1
$1,170 a yearof that goes to the city ($13.88 per $1,000)
$432,079property taxes the city levies, FY27
$850,678city 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.

  • Arnold C. KrienerOssian Mayor · elected November 4, 2025
  • Ryan BeckerOssian City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Todd McNeilOssian City Council At-Large · elected November 4, 2025
  • Daniel LangreckOssian City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Graham GoltzOssian City Council At-Large · elected November 7, 2023
  • Susan LienauOssian 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 Ossian

Homes and businesses in most of Ossian pay a combined $38.55 per $1,000 of taxable value (FY27). They pay it all to the Winneshiek County treasurer, who passes each government its share; the city sets and gets only its own piece, $13.88. Estimate your bill.

Rates over time

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

YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.60$12.62
FY21$34.07$12.63
FY22$33.95$12.67
FY23$34.27$12.74
FY24$34.90$13.02
FY25$36.55$13.83
FY26$37.08$14.41
FY27$38.55$13.88
Show the numbers
YearCombinedCity’s own
FY20$33.60$12.62
FY21$34.07$12.63
FY22$33.95$12.67
FY23$34.27$12.74
FY24$34.90$13.02
FY25$36.55$13.83
FY26$37.08$14.41
FY27$38.55$13.88

Compared with places this size3

Ossian’s city property tax rate of $13.88 per $1,000 is the 62nd highest of 183 Iowa cities with 520–1,200 people. The middle of the group is $12.79.

Exira: $24.81Dayton: $22.51Charter Oak: $21.32Correctionville: $19.84Villisca: $19.74Allison: $19.06Dumont: $19.04Seymour: $18.78Dexter: $18.69Fonda: $18.52Kanawha: $18.11Swea City: $18.04Greene: $17.91Alden: $17.90New Hartford: $17.69Lansing: $17.67Strawberry Point: $17.58Rockwell: $17.54Walnut: $17.46Murray: $17.44Gowrie: $17.17Colo: $17.14Mapleton: $16.90George: $16.89Adair: $16.84Eddyville: $16.82Elk Horn: $16.78Oxford: $16.70Buffalo Center: $16.58Bancroft: $16.52Eldon: $16.42Early: $16.35Aplington: $16.34Panora: $16.14Mechanicsville: $16.12Armstrong: $15.87Ruthven: $15.84Minden: $15.77Walker: $15.74Newell: $15.49Riceville: $15.31Neola: $15.30Sidney: $15.19Gilbertville: $15.15Stanwood: $15.12Stratford: $15.03Griswold: $15.01Readlyn: $14.99Wyoming: $14.81Hopkinton: $14.79Essex: $14.76Dunlap: $14.56Garnavillo: $14.52Maxwell: $14.50Clermont: $14.30Moulton: $14.25Mcgregor: $14.20Olin: $14.19Primghar: $14.18Sheffield: $14.16Elgin: $14.05Redfield: $13.73Victor: $13.72Edgewood: $13.64Sioux Rapids: $13.63Donnellson: $13.63Gladbrook: $13.58Rockford: $13.52Janesville: $13.43Glidden: $13.43Calmar: $13.39Boyden: $13.39Baxter: $13.32Anita: $13.28Van Horne: $13.27Conrad: $13.23Springville: $13.22Keota: $13.21Shellsburg: $13.20De Soto: $13.18Quasqueton: $13.12Farmington: $13.10Anthon: $13.05Treynor: $13.03Odebolt: $13.00Coggon: $12.99Earlville: $12.90Brighton: $12.88Danville: $12.87Underwood: $12.85Malvern: $12.79Montrose: $12.78Goldfield: $12.73Wellsburg: $12.68Buffalo: $12.68Delmar: $12.68Badger: $12.67Stanton: $12.62Hospers: $12.58Everly: $12.51Hazleton: $12.48West Point: $12.39Hinton: $12.38Preston: $12.38Alburnett: $12.30Hubbard: $12.30Moravia: $12.27Hedrick: $12.22Carson: $12.22Wheatland: $12.18Schaller: $12.14Winfield: $12.04Elkhart: $12.00Afton: $11.96Lowden: $11.93Tabor: $11.88Albert City: $11.88Aurelia: $11.84Merrill: $11.64Morning Sun: $11.50Battle Creek: $11.49Wall Lake: $11.43West Bend: $11.42Dakota City: $11.39Marcus: $11.31Dunkerton: $11.30Sutherland: $11.25Arcadia: $11.23Whiting: $11.21Shelby: $11.17Blairstown: $11.04Manilla: $11.01Hamburg: $10.95Clarence: $10.94Ireton: $10.93Fontanelle: $10.88Richland: $10.82Grand Mound: $10.78Cambridge: $10.53Swisher: $10.39Schleswig: $10.39Melbourne: $10.38Radcliffe: $10.37Elk Run Heights: $10.33Fredericksburg: $10.27Lake Park: $10.25Ventura: $10.22Inwood: $10.22Milo: $10.20Hartford: $10.16What Cheer: $10.01Newhall: $9.99Cumming: $9.85Graettinger: $9.81Doon: $9.78Long Grove: $9.59Lake View: $9.39Paullina: $9.21Fairbank: $9.00Winthrop: $8.94Crescent: $8.72Keosauqua: $8.58Grand Junction: $8.57Princeton: $8.24Gilman: $8.10Kellogg: $8.10Lakeside: $8.10Riverside: $8.02Agency: $7.94Hills: $7.94Fremont: $7.86Larchwood: $7.52North English: $7.49Sloan: $7.49Sully: $7.41Fruitland: $7.21Lawton: $7.10Wayland: $7.07Raymond: $6.85Keystone: $6.80Shueyville: $6.79Okoboji: $3.83Ossian: $13.88$3.83 lowest$24.81 highestmiddle
See all 183
#PlaceRate per $1,000People
1Exira$24.81766
2Dayton$22.51766
3Charter Oak$21.32521
4Correctionville$19.84759
5Villisca$19.741,106
6Allison$19.06937
7Dumont$19.04614
8Seymour$18.78646
9Dexter$18.69631
10Fonda$18.52636
11Kanawha$18.11638
12Swea City$18.04545
13Greene$17.91971
14Alden$17.90738
15New Hartford$17.69555
16Lansing$17.67959
17Strawberry Point$17.581,141
18Rockwell$17.541,044
19Walnut$17.46728
20Murray$17.44609
21Gowrie$17.17943
22Colo$17.14856
23Mapleton$16.901,114
24George$16.891,106
25Adair$16.84792
26Eddyville$16.82965
27Elk Horn$16.78631
28Oxford$16.70715
29Buffalo Center$16.58839
30Bancroft$16.52677
31Eldon$16.42788
32Early$16.35571
33Aplington$16.341,088
34Panora$16.141,096
35Mechanicsville$16.12974
36Armstrong$15.87847
37Ruthven$15.84710
38Minden$15.77581
39Walker$15.74671
40Newell$15.49850
41Riceville$15.31807
42Neola$15.30917
43Sidney$15.191,048
44Gilbertville$15.15792
45Stanwood$15.12612
46Stratford$15.03688
47Griswold$15.01975
48Readlyn$14.99857
49Wyoming$14.81526
50Hopkinton$14.79622
51Essex$14.76721
52Dunlap$14.561,030
53Garnavillo$14.52751
54Maxwell$14.50862
55Clermont$14.30571
56Moulton$14.25596
57Mcgregor$14.20725
58Olin$14.19652
59Primghar$14.18893
60Sheffield$14.161,123
61Elgin$14.05676
62Ossian$13.88777
63Redfield$13.73719
64Victor$13.72852
65Edgewood$13.64908
66Sioux Rapids$13.63722
67Donnellson$13.63859
68Gladbrook$13.58775
69Rockford$13.52722
70Janesville$13.431,052
71Glidden$13.431,140
72Calmar$13.391,100
73Boyden$13.39694
74Baxter$13.32983
75Anita$13.28953
76Van Horne$13.27768
77Conrad$13.231,098
78Springville$13.221,161
79Keota$13.21888
80Shellsburg$13.20987
81De Soto$13.18937
82Quasqueton$13.12587
83Farmington$13.10583
84Anthon$13.05534
85Treynor$13.031,104
86Odebolt$13.00967
87Coggon$12.99691
88Earlville$12.90713
89Brighton$12.88592
90Danville$12.87910
91Underwood$12.85973
92Malvern$12.791,056
93Montrose$12.78734
94Goldfield$12.73617
95Wellsburg$12.68709
96Buffalo$12.681,163
97Delmar$12.68541
98Badger$12.67540
99Stanton$12.62664
100Hospers$12.58703
101Everly$12.51570
102Hazleton$12.48711
103West Point$12.39903
104Hinton$12.38959
105Preston$12.38940
106Alburnett$12.30672
107Hubbard$12.30837
108Moravia$12.27625
109Hedrick$12.22717
110Carson$12.22772
111Wheatland$12.18765
112Schaller$12.14702
113Winfield$12.041,006
114Elkhart$12.001,079
115Afton$11.96864
116Lowden$11.93767
117Tabor$11.88983
118Albert City$11.88627
119Aurelia$11.84970
120Merrill$11.64713
121Morning Sun$11.50702
122Battle Creek$11.49683
123Wall Lake$11.43739
124West Bend$11.42770
125Dakota City$11.39764
126Marcus$11.311,069
127Dunkerton$11.30840
128Sutherland$11.25628
129Arcadia$11.23588
130Whiting$11.21725
131Shelby$11.17730
132Blairstown$11.04705
133Manilla$11.01756
134Hamburg$10.95863
135Clarence$10.94991
136Ireton$10.93571
137Fontanelle$10.88684
138Richland$10.82532
139Grand Mound$10.78608
140Cambridge$10.53844
141Swisher$10.39909
142Schleswig$10.39820
143Melbourne$10.38771
144Radcliffe$10.37540
145Elk Run Heights$10.331,061
146Fredericksburg$10.27983
147Lake Park$10.251,155
148Ventura$10.22701
149Inwood$10.22962
150Milo$10.20762
151Hartford$10.16729
152What Cheer$10.01595
153Newhall$9.99887
154Cumming$9.85527
155Graettinger$9.81810
156Doon$9.78640
157Long Grove$9.59849
158Lake View$9.391,120
159Paullina$9.21979
160Fairbank$9.001,133
161Winthrop$8.94814
162Crescent$8.72626
163Keosauqua$8.58944
164Grand Junction$8.57715
165Princeton$8.24917
166Gilman$8.10530
167Kellogg$8.10597
168Lakeside$8.10695
169Riverside$8.021,063
170Agency$7.94623
171Hills$7.94911
172Fremont$7.86688
173Larchwood$7.52954
174North English$7.491,030
175Sloan$7.491,078
176Sully$7.41891
177Fruitland$7.21928
178Lawton$7.10949
179Wayland$7.07935
180Raymond$6.85754
181Keystone$6.80616
182Shueyville$6.79725
183Okoboji$3.83729

The $8.10 limit

Ossian’s general levy is $8.26 per $1,000 of taxable value in FY27, $0.16 above the limit; it has to come down in steps.4 122 of 934 Iowa cities have a higher general levy. All cities.

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

Outside the limit: $5.63 more5

  • Debt Service Levy$2.91 · $90,356
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$1.60 · $49,631
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$1.11 · $34,503

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$256,05759%
  • Debt Service Levy$90,35621%
  • Liability, property & self insurance costs$49,63112%
  • Total Employee Benefit Levies$34,5038%

Budget and spending

Reading a local budget

Where each dollar of Ossian’s budget goes, FY26

Capital Projects: 28¢ of every dollar28¢Public Works: 22¢ of every dollar22¢Business Type / Enterprise: 19¢ of every dollar19¢Debt Service: 12¢ of every dollar12¢General Government: 8¢ of every dollar8¢Everything else: 12¢ of every dollar12¢

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 182 Iowa cities closest in size (520–1,200 people).

Where it goesOf each dollarCities this size (182)
Capital Projects28¢8¢
Public Works22¢16¢
Business Type / Enterprise19¢40¢
Debt Service12¢6¢
General Government8¢10¢
Everything else12¢18¢

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.

  • Public Works$324,10038%
  • Debt Service$185,02722%
  • General Government$135,54916%
  • Culture and Recreation$111,20213%
  • Public Safety$94,80011%

The state’s FY27 file doesn’t include business type / enterprise yet ($295,476 in FY26), so this total is low.

Budget compared with what it spent, FY23
FunctionBudgetSpent
Public Works$285,024$352,196
Public Safety$53,300$86,868
Health and Social Services$0$0
General Government$110,969$113,992
Debt Service$198,260$205,644
Culture and Recreation$98,330$84,524
Community and Economic Development$0$0
Capital Projects$475,000$98,860
Business Type / Enterprise$270,136$266,210

What it spent each year

FY24 left out6

$3.4M
$1.2M

Debt, reserves and audits

How local debt works · What an audit tells you

What Ossian owes

$1.2M at June 30, 2026: $1,521 per resident. 459th most per resident of 939 Iowa places of its kind (the list).7

$1.8M
$1.2M
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.2M$1,521
2025$1.4M$1,696
2024$1.5M$1,895
2023$1.7M$2,089
2022$1.8M$2,276
2021$1.3M$1,602
2020$1.4M$1,802
2019$1.6M$1,995
2018$1.8M$2,188
2017$526,667$657
2016$628,333$783
2015$730,000$910
2014$713,000$889
2013$171,527$214
2012$271,404$338
2011$368,702$460
2010$462,491$577
Show the numbers
June 30OwedPer resident
2026$1.2M$1,521
2025$1.4M$1,696
2024$1.5M$1,895
2023$1.7M$2,089
2022$1.8M$2,276
2021$1.3M$1,602
2020$1.4M$1,802
2019$1.6M$1,995
2018$1.8M$2,188
2017$526,667$657
2016$628,333$783
2015$730,000$910
2014$713,000$889
2013$171,527$214
2012$271,404$338
2011$368,702$460
2010$462,491$577

Up 164% since 2010.

The 5% limit8

General obligation debt is $1.2M, 41% of the limit of about $3.0M (5% of $59.8M, the full value of its taxable property in 2024).

2 obligations at June 30, 2026
KindForPaid off byOwed
General ObligationHighway 52/Main Street resurfacing project with new curb and gutter and streetlights2035$730,000
General Obligation2018 Jessie-Brooks-West Streets Project and Reilly Interceptor Sewer Project.2030$490,000

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. Ossian’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 Monday, June 29, 2026, by a CPA firm.

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

6 earlier reports for Ossian

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: $117,009 in FY25, up 2% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 19% less. Grants are below.

Show the numbers
SourceFY22FY23FY24FY25
Road Use Tax (streets)$111,935$110,364$113,285$113,900
Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)$4,748$4,352$3,730$3,109

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.

$1,462
$0
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$1,441
    FY20$1,462
    FY21$0
    FY22$0
    FY23$0
    FY24$0
    FY25$0
    Show the numbers
    YearGrants and projects
    FY19$1,441
    FY20$1,462
    FY21$0
    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)−17%$109,162 → $113,900, up 4% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 17% less
    • Commercial and industrial tax replacement (“backfill”)−55%$5,463 → $3,109, down 43% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 55% 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 28% since FY19 while prices rose 25%, so it buys 2% more.

    $139,685
    $138,363

    Federal grants, for comparison: $1,000 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 Ossian; 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.

    • Ossian City Council At-Large (3 seats)
      Now held by Graham Goltz, Daniel Langreck, Susan Lienau
    • Ossian Mayor
      Now held by Arnold C. Kriener

    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

    Mike Klimesh (Sen. 32)Michael R. Bergan (Rep. 63)

    U.S. House:District 2

    Winneshiek CountySouth Winneshiek schools