The resignation of a city official and police detective along with steps to approve the upcoming fiscal year budget were among matters recently brought before the Waterloo City Council.

Jim Nagel, who has served as Waterloo’s subdivision and zoning administrator since 2011, announced his resignation effective April 6. 

Waterloo Mayor Tom Smith said Nagel’s departure will be formally approved during Monday’s city council meeting, during which a replacement will also be appointed.

Nagel did not offer comment on the decision to resign at this time. 

“I want to thank Jim for his 10 years of service in the position,” Smith said Monday night.

The council approved the mayor’s appointment of Nathan Krebel to the position Monday night. Krebel, who is also the city’s building inspector/code administrator, will serve in both city positions until a replacement for building inspector/code administrator is hired.

Also on Monday night, the council approved an increase in the monthly household charge to $16.39, which includes a 50-cent recycling surcharge.

Reliable Sanitation opted to propose a 2 percent increase (31 cents per household) rather than the 3 percent (46 cents) stipulated in the local company’s contract with the city. 

Other action items Monday night included approval  of the purchase of 50 lifetime 72-inch picnic tables at a cost of $8,882.50 to be paid out of gambling proceeds. These tables will be used for city events such as PumpkinFest.

The council also OK’d a site plan for the future Bank of Monroe County to be located at 813 N. Market Street across from Tequila Mexican Restaurant.

Aldermen voted to approve an amended annual budget for the fiscal year that ends April 30. 

The council is expected to approve its upcoming fiscal year budget during the April 19 meeting.

The city’s proposed 2021-22 budget calls for proposed revenue of $32,675,080 compared with proposed expenditures of $31,420,06 for a total of $1,255,019 in the black.

There is an 8 percent budgeted increase in expenditures overall.

In the General Fund, there’s proposed revenue of $10,689,680 and proposed expenditures of $10,689,490. General Fund revenue includes a $3.5 million transfer of invested funds. 

Sales tax revenue is expected to increase 5 percent from budgeted FY2020-21. State income tax revenue is projected to increase by 11 percent from budgeted FY2020-21.

As for “big ticket” items in Waterloo’s proposed budget, there are $4,047,000 in capital projects. The main one is $2.1 million for Moore Street work. There’s also $850,000 for Morrison Avenue work.

The city has more than $30 million in reserves, which includes invested funds and funds that are committed to certain departments or accounts per state statute.

“Some of the invested funds are restricted where they can only be used for certain purposes,” Waterloo budget officer Shawn Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the city is always trying to keep its reserves built up in case a large expenditure is required.

“It’s always good to have some money stored away,” Kennedy said.

At the March 15 council meeting, Waterloo Police Chief Jeff Prosise announced the resignation of Detective Josh Wirth effective April 1. Wirth accepted a position as project manager with a company that installs business elevators.