Property Tax Collection Exceeding Recent Years

The Sidney property tax collections are exceeding recent years by 23 to 28 percent.

Sidney’s Finance Director David Scott reported the condition of the City’s budget to the city council Tuesday night. Scott said property tax collection revenue is averaging 23 to 28 percent above the last four years at this point in the fiscal year.

“Property tax is currently sitting at 28 percent, or 3 percent better than the last fiscal year through half of the fiscal year. This is understandable. As I stated earlier, the bulk of the revenue will come in the spring.

The City budgeted $279,975 less in the current fiscal year for sales and occupation tax, Scott said in his report. He said it is encouraging that the city is at the highest percentage for this time of year in the last four years. He said the City has slowly rebounded since since the budget slumped in FY2016 to FY 2017. Scott said he is pleased with the sales tax return.

The council then approved purchase of a Turf Cart from 21st Century John Deere in Sidney for Hillside Golf Course. The Turf Cart will fitted and wired to use the sprayer attachment. Golf Superintendent Patrick Kilbride and the council also spent more time discussing the proposed “Adopt-A-Tee” program. The program is designed for individuals or civic groups to beautify tee boxes at the golf course. Kilbride suggested having a list of approved plants and materials to beautify a tee box.

The council also approved Bob Olsen as a new council representative on the Sidney Housing Authority board and for Don Ogle to return to the Tree Board.

The City of Sidney Tree-Give-Away is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, at Lodgepole Valley Youth Camp.

Doors open at 7 a.m. for registration with the program beginning at 8 a.m. Galen Wittrock of the South Platte Natural Resources District will be the guest arborist. Trees to be given away include Shademaster Honeylocust, American Redmond Linden, European Mountain Ash, Canada Red Select Cherry, Profusion Crabapple, Princeton American Elm, Heritage Oak, Triumph Elm and May Day Tree.

Tuesday night, Tom Von Seggern also presented the council with the Arbor Day Proclamation. Von Seggern noted that Sidney has been designated a Tree City USA community for the past 33 years. To receive the commendation, a community needs to sign an Arbor Day proclamation. April 26 is Arbor Day in Nebraska.

The city council also received a $127,000 from Points West Insurance as part of the Employers Mutual Casualty (EMC) companies Nebraska Municipality Safety Group Program. This is the 18th time in the last 25 years dividends have been paid in Nebraska.

The council also approved Mike Palmer as a representative on the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool board.