The Fort Dodge City Council will begin working on the 2025-2026 budget when it meets tonight.

The council will have a budget workshop starting at 5 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.

The next fiscal year begins on July 1, 2025, but state law requires cities to have their budgets finalized well before that date. Because of that state deadline, the city staff has already been working on the budget for weeks and the council is now beginning its efforts.

During tonight’s workshop, the elected officials will consider the budgets for the water and sanitary sewer systems.

They will also review the road use tax budget. The road use tax is the city’s share of the state’s gasoline tax revenue. That money pays for road maintenance, snow removal, street sweeping, and traffic signals.

The proposed budget for Fort Dodge Fiber, the city’s broadband utility, will also be discussed.

The council’s regular business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

A budget-related matter will be acted on during that meeting when the council will consider the third and final reading of a measure raising water and sanitary sewer bills on Jan. 1 and again on Jan. 1, 2026.

Water bills for average residential customers would go up by $2.12 per month starting Jan. 1 and by a similar amount on Jan. 1, 2026.

Sanitary sewer bills for average residential customers would go up by $1.33 per month on Jan. 1 and by a similar amount on Jan. 1, 2026.

Also during the business meeting, the council will consider awarding a contract for some additional renovations to the Municipal Building.

The council will consider transferring ownership of a vacant building at 18 N. Seventh St. to O’Goodie’s, which is located next door. A plan has been submitted by the owner of O’Goodie’s to tear down the vacant building and use the space for an outdoor seating area for the bar.