It calls for spending $153,876,927 in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2024.

While it includes money for building the new Fort Dodge Fiber broadband utility, it maintains all other government services at their current level.

Proposals to add three police officers, a firefighter and an airport operations worker were found to be unaffordable and were dropped.

At the conclusion of the council’s last budget workshop earlier this spring, the budget’s bottom line was estimated at about $141 million.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Orange conduit snakes along the sidewalk on the west side of North Ninth Street Monday afternoon as construction of the Fort Dodge Fiber broadband utility progresses. The new utility, paid for by revenue from its customers, is included in the 2023-2024 budget approved by the Fort Dodge City Council Monday evening.

That figure went up because spending associated with a planned $13 million bond issue had to be moved into the 2023-2024 budget, according to Jeff Nemmers, the city clerk and finance director. He said the original plan was to issue those bonds in the current fiscal year.

Spending in the general fund, which pays for police and fire protection along with many other government functions, will rise from about $15.1 million to about $15.4 million, according to Nemmers. He attributed that to increases in wages and salaries.

The budget includes about $20 million to pay for building the Fort Dodge Fiber system. The city government borrowed that money from a group of local banks. The debt will be paid off with revenue generated by the system, not tax dollars.

The property tax levy included in the budget is $20.74 per $1,000 of taxable value.

That levy includes:

• $8.10 for the general fund.

• $6.73 for employee benefits.

• $4.50 to pay off general obligation bond debt.

• 56 cents for property and liability insurance.

• 34 cents for Dodger Area Rapid Transit.

• 27 cents to help balance the general fund.

• 12 cents for Citizens Central.

• 6 cents to support the Webster County Emergency Management Agency.

• 5 cents for the Karl King Municipal Band.

The current city budget is $143,286,634.

The current property tax levy is $20.10 per $1,000 of taxable value.

The council approved the budget with no debate Monday.