Finance Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Presentation Copyrighted
April 8, 2025
City of Dubuque PUBLIC HEARINGS # 5.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: Finance Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Presentation
SUMMARY:
SUGGUESTED
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 26 Policy Book Volume 3 - Finance
2. Finance - FY26 Budget Presentation_Uploaded 4.8.25
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Finance
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Budget Highlights
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Budget
FY 2026
Requested
% Change
From FY
2025 Budget
Expenses
Employee Expense $ 2,243,246 $ 2,469,054 $ 2,675,048 8.3 %
Supplies and Services $ 2,233,675 $ 1,086,681 $ 1,186,888 9.2 %
Electric and Gas Utility Franchise Fee Rebates $ 730,036 $ 946,494 $ 871,978 -7.9 %
Investment Manager and Custodial Service
Fees $ 52,663 $ 53,600 $ 53,620 0.0 %
Machinery and Equipment $ 17,256 $ 1,100 $ 44,379 3,934.5 %
Non-Expense Accounts $ 35,158 $ (8,200) $ (7,871) -4.0 %
Total $ 5,312,034 $ 4,548,729 $ 4,824,042 6.1 %
Abated Debt - General Ledger Software $ 51,661 $ 50,700 $ 50,404 -0.6 %
Abated Debt - Franchise Fee Litigation $ 196,706 $ 198,906 $ 195,825 -1.5 %
Total Expense $ 5,560,401 $ 4,798,335 $ 5,070,271 5.7 %
Resources
Miscellaneous Revenue $ 124,371 $ 106,719 $ 110,481 3.5 %
Electric and Gas Utility Franchise Fees $ 926,742 $ 1,145,400 $ 1,067,803 -6.8 %
Sales Tax 20% for Debt Abatement $ 51,661 $ 50,700 $ 50,404 -0.6 %
Overhead & Utility Billing Recharges to
Enterprise Funds $ 2,201,359 $ 2,932,998 $ 3,117,529 6.3 %
Total Revenue $ 3,304,133 $ 4,235,817 $ 4,346,217 2.6 %
Property Tax Support $ 2,256,268 $ 562,518 $ 724,054 $ 161,536
Personnel - Authorized FTE 20.51 24.51 25.51
1 of 1
This improvement package is to provide funding for a bilingual, self-service payment kiosk providing
residents with an around the clock bill payment solution. The kiosk can be installed indoors or outdoors.
Payments through the kiosk are PCI compliant to maintain industry leading security. Residents can
conveniently look up their account and payment information to quickly pay their bills. Residents get
email, text, or printed receipts at the end of the transaction so that they have proof of a successful
transaction. The non-recurring cost for the purchase of the kiosk is $40,000 and the annual maintenance
support is $8,000.
Related Cost:$ 8,000 Tax Funds Recurring Recommend - Yes
Related Cost:$ 40,000 Tax Funds Non-Recurring
Related Revenue:$ 8,000 Administrative Overhead Recurring
Related Revenue:$ 40,000 Administrative Overhead Non-Recurring
Net Property Tax Cost:$ —
Property Tax Impact:$ — —%
Activity: Utility Billing
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Significant Line Items
Employee Expense
1.FY 2026 employee expense reflects a 3.00% wage package increase.
2.The Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) City contribution of 9.44% is unchanged
from FY 2025. The employee contribution of 6.29% is unchanged from FY 2025.
3.The City portion of health insurance expense is unchanged from $1,119 in FY 2025 to $1,119 in FY
2026 per month, per contract, which results in annual unchanged of $0 or 0.0%.
4.Overtime is unchanged from $7,950 in FY 2025 to $7,950 in FY 2026. FY 2024 actual was $8,305.
5.During FY 2025, the following personnel changes were approved by City Council:
i.On January 6th, 2025, the City Council approved the addition of a full-time Budget/
Financial Accounting Analyst (1.00 FTE, GE-34). The cost of adding the position mid year
in FY25 ($50,055) was fully offset with unbudgeted interest revenue.
Supplies & Services
6.Electric Franchise Fee Refund decreased from $845,095 in FY 2025 to $817,268 in FY 2026 based
on FY 2024 actual $681,056 plus an expected rate increase of 20%. This line item represents
refunds paid related to electric utility franchise fees. Electric utility providers collect franchise fees
from their customers in the City limits through monthly billing. Electric utility providers then remit
franchise fee revenue to the City. City ordinances allow sales tax exempt entities to request a refund
from the City for the electricity franchise fees they pay.
7.Natural Gas Franchise Fee Refund decreased from $101,399 in FY 2025 to 54,710 in FY 2026
based on FY 2024 actual of $48,979 plus an expected rate increase of 11.7%. This line item
represents refunds paid related to natural gas utility franchise fees. Gas utility providers collect
franchise fees from their customers in the City limits through monthly billing. Gas utility providers
then remit franchise fee revenue to the City. City ordinances allow sales tax exempt entities to
request a refund from the City for the gas franchise fees they pay.
8.Printing increased from $137,949 in FY 2025 to $163,081 in FY 2026. The FY 2024 actual was
$145,969. This line item includes general printing and mailing needs such as envelopes, business
cards, and brochures ($3,249), as well as outsourced mailing services for Utility Billing notices and
bills ($159,832). In FY 2026, the budget for general printing and mailing needs is increasing $1,000,
while the budget for outsourced mailing services is increasing by $26,132. The increase in this line
item aligns the budget with anticipated costs based on past year actuals (the FY 2024 actual was
higher than the FY 2024 budget) and anticipated price increases.
9.IT Recharges decreased from $126,461 in FY 2025 to $125,898 in FY 2026. This line item
represents the recharge of Information Technology staff time related to processing checks, system
back-ups and daily production for the financial software.
10.Technology Services increased from $576,065 in FY 2025 to $640,349 in FY 2026. This line item
includes the following software subscriptions:
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Software Licenses
FY 2025
Budget
FY 2026
Budget
% Change
from FY 2025
Budget
Finance Plus $ 10,000 $ 10,102 1 %a
Lease Query $ 13,696 $ 13,696 — %
Thales TRS ACFR Online Report Writer $ 3,200 $ — — %b
FreshService Licensing $ — $ 9,845 — %c
Tyler - Finance, Budget, Asset
Management, HRM $ 284,989 $ 322,563 13 %d
Tablet Data Pan $ 100 $ — — %e
Moody's Analytical Contract $ 41,628 $ 41,628 — %
Ecivis indirect cost software $ 11,000 $ 11,000 — %
Balancing Act Budget Simulation $ 8,200 $ 8,700 6 %f
Wdesk Report Writer $ 99,007 $ 110,000 11 %g
Indirect Rate Software $ 10,000 $ — — %h
Tyler - Utility Billing $ 88,585 $ 97,815 10 %i
Creditron Check Scanner $ 5,660 $ 7,000 24 %j
Total $ 576,065 $ 632,349 10 %
a)Finance Plus increased 1% based on anticipated price increase from the vendor.
b)Thales TRS ACFR Online Report Writer is not planned to be renewed for FY 2026.
c)FreshService Licensing is a new software in FY 2026.
d)Tyler - Finance, Budget, Asset Management, and Human Resources modules increased based
on not allocating a portion of the cost to the Human Resources Department in FY26. The overall
cost of the software has not changed based on the amended contract.
e)Tablet data plan is not being budgeted in FY 2026 as the tablet is no longer in use.
f)Balancing Act Budget Simulation increased 6% based on FY 2024 actual..
g)Wdesk Report Writer increased 11% based on FY 2024 actual.
h)Indirect Rate Software was a duplicate software inadvertently budgeted in FY 2025.
i)Tyler - Utility Billing module increased based on amending the contract to include annual
maintenance on resident water meter portal and PCI compliance for credit card machines.
j)Creditron increased 24% based on FY 2024 actual.
11.Credit Card Charge decreased from $48,197 in FY 2025 to $45,439 in FY 2026 based on the FY
2024 actual of $45,439. This line item represents fees paid for credit card transactions through the
Tyler Payments system. Under the agreement with Tyler Payments, all credit card transactions
(online, phone and in person) have a 2.95% per transaction fee with a minimum fee of $2.50, and a
transaction cap of $500. This fee is passed directly to the utility billing customer. There is also a fee
of $0.25 per e-check transaction for online and phone utility bill payments, which is absorbed by the
City.
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Machinery & Equipment
12.Equipment replacement items at the maintenance level include ($44,379):
Finance Machinery and Equipment
Accounting/Payroll/Treasury
Chairs $ 900
Desk Phone $ 293
Smartphones $ 800
Budget
Desk Phone $ 293
Chairs $ 900
Utility Billing/Parking Tickets
Chairs $ 900
Desk Phone $ 293
Recommended Improvement Package $ 40,000
Total Equipment $ 44,379
Debt Service
13.Annual debt service payment includes the following ($246,229):
Amount Debt Series Source Purpose
Final
Payment
Call
Date
$ 195,825 2016A G.O.Debt Levy Franchise Fee Settlement 2035 2024
$ 15,427 2021A G.O.Sales Tax General Ledger Software 2041 2028
$ 34,977 2022A G.O Sales Tax General Ledger Software 2042 2029
$ 246,229 Total Finance Debt Service
Revenue
14.Franchise Fees decreased from $6,903,981 in FY 2025 to $6,106,745 in FY 2026 based on FY 2024
actual of $5,152,838 plus anticipated rate increases for electricity and natural gas. Electric and
natural gas utility providers collect franchise fees from customers in the City limits through monthly
billing. The utility providers then remit franchise fee revenue to the City.
i.Electric Franchise Fee increased from $4,924,839 in FY 2025 to $5,075,053 in FY 2026
based on FY 2024 actual of $4,229,211 plus an expected rate increase of 20%.
ii.Natural Gas Franchise Fee decreased from $1,979,142 in FY 2025 to $1,031,692 in FY
2026 based on FY 2024 actual of $923,628 plus an expected rate increase of 11.7%.
15.Forfeitures/Penalties decreased from $18,600 in FY 2025 to $9,363 in FY 2026 based on the FY
2024 actual of $9,363. This line item represents administrative collection fees and administrative
fees for tax liens.
16.Reimbursements increased from $82,321 in FY 2025 to $95,000 in FY 2026. The the FY 2024 actual
was $100,277. This line item includes the rebate revenue received on City purchases made with
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purchase cards (1% rebate) as well as enrolled virtual card vendor spend as rebate revenue (1%
rebate). A virtual card payment is equivalent to that of a credit card transaction. Suppliers that
choose to participate in the virtual card program receive an automated email notification for each
processed payment from the Finance Department. This replaces a traditional check or ACH
transaction, pending vendor acceptance into the City’s virtual card program, and captures additional
transactions not typically paid using a purchasing card. These emails contain a link to a secure web
portal where the supplier obtains the unique Visa credit card account number, the amount to charge,
and the other pertinent details of the transaction needed to process and reconcile the payments
using their Point-of-Sale device/software. The credit card account number changes with each
payment so suppliers are not required to keep this information on file. The standard processing fees
administered by the supplier’s acquiring bank still apply.
17.Revenue received from Enterprise Funds for Utility Billing and administrative overhead charges
increased from $2,932,998 in FY 2025 to $3,117,529 in FY 2026.
Miscellaneous
18.City-wide interest revenue increased from $2,565,899 in FY 2025 to $6,146,519 in FY 2026. The FY
2024 actual was $5,017,706. The FY 2026 budget is based on projected cash balance, projected
interest rates, and the new banking services agreement tied to a thirteen week T-bill plus five basis
points.
General Fund $ 1,767,689 $ 1,718,055 $ 2,300,097
PEG Equipment Fund $ 605 $ — $ 720
Dubuque Industrial Center West TIF $ 142,581 $ 47,127 $ 169,731
Greater Downtown TIF $ 386,447 $ 195,481 $ 460,033
Technology Park TIF $ 3,854 $ 1,406 $ 4,587
Lake Ridge TIF $ 300 $ 261 $ —
North Cascade TIF $ 22,955 $ 2,234 $ 27,326
English Ridge TIF $ 39,870 $ — $ 13,834
South Pointe TIF $ 3,204 $ — $ 3,814
Rustic Point TIF $ 3,060 $ — $ 3,643
Downtown Loan Pool $ 73,239 $ 30,307 $ 87,185
Veterans Memorial Maintenance $ 7,084 $ 9,391 $ 8,433
Library Trust $ 37,907 $ 14,538 $ 45,124
Police Canine Trust $ 292 $ 115 $ 347
Airport Customer Facility Charge $ 9,138 $ 3,317 $ 10,878
Special Assessment $ 3,335 $ 893 $ 3,971
Housing Choice Voucher $ 404 $ 400 $ 904
Media Services $ 18,337 $ 7,555 $ 21,829
Construction Escrow $ 189 $ — $ 225
Debt Service $ (12,557) $ — $ —
Street Construction $ 277,575 $ — $ 330,430
DICW Construction $ 1,111 $ — $ 1,322
Sales Tax Increment $ 570,530 $ — $ 679,168
Sales Tax 20%$ 181,689 $ — $ 216,285
General Construction $ 58,125 $ — $ 69,193
Interest by Fund FY 2024 Actual FY 2025 Budget FY 2026 Budget
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Golf Construction $ 4,515 $ — $ 5,375
Airport Construction $ 15,542 $ — $ 18,501
Passenger Facility Charge $ 2,402 $ — $ 2,859
Lyons Peony Trust $ 5,873 $ 7,049 $ 6,991
Library Gift Trust $ 643 $ 244 $ 766
Water Operations $ 358,736 $ 126,719 $ 427,045
Water Capital $ 63,464 $ — $ 75,549
Salt Operations $ 2,510 $ 505 $ 2,987
Sanitary Sewer Operations $ 179,124 $ 71,246 $ 213,232
Sanitary Capital $ 82,820 $ — $ 98,590
Stormwater $ 229,978 $ 77,529 $ 273,769
Stormwater Capital $ 13,622 $ 15,047 $ 16,215
Parking Operations $ 20,670 $ 14,764 $ 24,606
Parking Capital $ 45,563 $ — $ 54,239
Refuse Operations $ 76,635 $ 75,000 $ 91,227
Transit Capital $ 114 $ 117 $ 136
Landfill Operations $ 315,312 $ 146,599 $ 375,353
Total $ 5,014,486 $ 2,565,899 $ 6,146,519
Interest by Fund FY 2024 Actual FY 2025 Budget FY 2026 Budget
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Finance Department Organization Chart
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
The City of Dubuque Finance Department promotes excellence internally through all-encompassing
communication, support, and teamwork and strives for authentic connections between unique
individuals to create harmonious service to our citizens and co-workers. The Finance Department
strives to create an environment that is inclusive, transparent, accessible, and forged by clear
communication, providing dependable customer service in a fun and enjoyable environment. We are
unique. We are Dubuque.
SUCCESS IS ABOUT PEOPLE, PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS
LEADING TO OUTCOMES
-
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026
Full-Time Equivalent 20.51 24.51 25.51
Resources and Property Tax Support
FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026
Misc. Rev
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$0
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$3,000,000
The Finance Department is supported by 25.51 full-time equivalent employees, which accounts for
52.76% of the department expense as seen below. Overall, the departments’ expenses are expected to
increase by 5.67% in FY 2025 compared to FY 2026.
Expenditures by Category by Fiscal Year
$2,243,246
$2,233,675
$730,036
$17,256
$35,158
$196,706
$2,469,054
$1,086,681
$946,494
$1,100
$198,906
$2,675,048
$1,186,888
$871,978
$44,379
$195,825
FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026
$0
$5
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Employee Expense
Supplies and Services
Franchise Fee Rebates
Machinery and Equipment
Non-Expense Accounts
Debt Service
96 Page 1030 of 1094
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Financial Service
Mission & Services
Financial Services preserve the City’s strong financial condition through responsible financial strategies
and effective management of City resources. Responsibilities include financial policy, cash
management, debt management, accounting, payroll, accounts payable, purchasing, risk management,
grant assistance, auditing and reporting for the City of Dubuque.
Financial Service Funding Summary
FY 2024 Actual FY 2025 Budget
FY 2026
Requested
Expenditures $3,355,266 $2,991,097 $3,157,577
Resources $1,194,367 $1,595,858 $1,679,456
Financial Service Position Summary
FY 2026
Chief Financial Officer 1.00
Finance Manager 1.00
Purchasing & Risk Manager 1.00
Confidential Account Clerk 1.00
Purchasing/Safety Coordinator 1.00
Budget/Financial Analyst 2.00
Senior Payroll Accountant 1.00
Payroll Systems Analyst 1.00
Accountant 2.00
Project Manager 0.50
Finance Intern 1.75
Total FT Equivalent Employees 13.25
Performance Measures
City Council Goal: Financially Responsible, High-Performance City Organization
1 Activity Objective: Provide transparency of City finances through the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
Performance Measure (KPI)Target FY 2023
Actual
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Estimated
Performance
Indicator
Receive the Certificate of
Excellence in Financial Reporting Yes Yes Yes Yes Goal Met
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Utility Services
Mission & Services
Utility Services is responsible for maintaining positive customer relations for over 24,000 customers.
Utility services include water, sewer, stormwater and refuse. Utility Billing staff work with customers
answer questions, schedule service, solve problems and collect payments. The billing activity manages
the customer data base and depository for all utility billing and parking violations. Bills are computed
and issued, and monies are received and recorded. Staff is available to address customer's service
needs and billing inquiries.
Utility Services Funding Summary
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Budget
FY 2026
Requested
Expenditures $975,589 $1,038,162 $1,129,372
Resources $1,022,569 $1,045,595 $1,140,777
Utility Services Position Summary
FY 2026
Utility Billing Supervisor 1.00
Finance Intern 1.26
Account Clerk I 3.00
Cashier 4.00
Total FT Equivalent
Employees 9.26
Performance Measures
City Council Goal: Financially Responsible, High-Performance City Organization
1 Activity Objective: Improve utility billing processes and procedures and service delivery
through the use of technology.
Performance Measure (KPI)Target FY 2023
Actual
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Estimated
Performance
Indicator
% of City water customers using the
online customer water portal 50%46%44%55%Goal Met
% of UB customers using e-billing 20%19%19%23%Goal Met
% of UB customers using direct
payment (ACH)30%35%37%38%Goal Met
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Budget
Mission & Services
The Budget Office is responsible for the preparation, development, reconciliation, compliance, and
implementation of the City's annual operating and five-year capital budgets. Included in this work is the
development of all budget reporting guidelines, debt issuance, and compliance with Local and State
reporting requirements.
In addition, the Budget Office coordinates with various City departments with reporting and filing
obligations of alternative funding sources such as grants and user fees. Maintenance of the five-year
financial plan is critical in providing decision makers with strategic financial information. Budget staff
regularly monitor and report on operating and capital budget activities, as well as report on debt-related
activities.
Budget Funding Summary
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Budget
FY 2026
Requested
Expenditures $939,371 $516,809 $538,593
Resources $0 $0 $0
Budget Position Summary
FY 2026
Budget/Financial Analyst 2.00
Budget Manager 1.00
Total FT Equivalent
Employees 3.00
Performance Measures
City Council Goal: Financially Responsible, High-Performance City Organization
1 Activity Objective: Engage and empower residents to provide input and participate in
the budget process.
Performance Measure (KPI)Target FY 2023
Actual
FY 2024
Actual
FY 2025
Estimated
Performanc
e Indicator
# of resident budgets
submitted on Balancing Act
Budget Simulation*
100 12 8 0 Goal in
Progress
# of individuals reached
through budget public
engagement sessions
+10
Annually 35 11 15 Goal in
Progress
2 Activity Objective: Promote transparency and communicate budget information to
residents in a user-friendly and understandable way.
# page views: Balancing Act
Budget Simulation Tool*
+2%
Annually 252 335 171 Goal in
Progress
*Balancing Act was launched in Fiscal Year 2019
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Recommended Operating Revenue Budget - Department Total
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Account/Account Title
FY23
Actual
Revenue
FY24
Actual
Revenue
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
100 - General
4A - Charges for Services
45020 - Credit Card Fee 0 0 0 0
45300 - Forfeitures/Penalties (18,600) (9,363) (18,600) (9,363)
45305 - Collection Fees 0 273 0 0
45310 - AR Late Fee 0 0 0 0
45500 - Miscellaneous Chg for Svcs (658) (424) (702) (424)
47100 - Reimbursements (87,700) (100,277) (82,321) (95,000)
47150 - Refunds (34) (75) 0 0
47200 - Insurance Settlements 0 0 0 0
47820 - Specialized Services (4,535) (5,528) (5,096) (5,694)
4A - Charges for Services Total (111,528) (115,394) (106,719) (110,481)
4N - Transfers
49600 - Transfer in Water Op (264,267) (477,274) (640,620) (683,609)
49610 - Transfer In Sanitary Op (516,108) (516,315) (651,128) (694,558)
49620 - Transfer in Storm Op (306,240) (439,437) (635,390) (678,159)
49650 - Transfer in Parking Op (110,362) (111,831) (151,069) (154,418)
49670 - Transfer in Refuse Op (552,411) (516,315) (648,694) (692,023)
49950 - Transfer in DMASWA Gen (149,905) (140,187) (206,097) (214,762)
4N - Transfers Total (1,899,293) (2,201,359) (2,932,998) (3,117,529)
200 - Debt Service
4N - Transfers
49304 - Transfer in Sales Tax 20% (15,400) (51,661) (50,700) (50,404)
4N - Transfers Total (15,400) (51,661) (50,700) (50,404)
813 - Stores/Printing
4A - Charges for Services
47860 - Central Stores Services (2,651) (8,977) 0 0
47880 - Central IT Processing 0 0 0 0
4A - Charges for Services Total (2,651) (8,977) 0 0
4K - Unrest Invest Earn
43000 - Interest 0 0 0 0
4K - Unrest Invest Earn Total 0 0 0 0
FINANCE DEPARTMENT - Total (2,028,871) (2,377,391) (3,090,417) (3,278,414)
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6A - Salaries & Wages
100 - General
60100 - Salaries-Regular Full Time 1,146,232 1,489,235 1,672,235 1,821,431
60200 - Salaries - Regular Part Time 3,253 47,335 63,207 59,516
60300 - Hourly Wages - Temp/Seasonal 74,338 70,138 121,752 129,827
60400 - Overtime 4,365 8,305 7,950 7,950
60630 - Special Pay Sick Lv Payout Ret 0 0 0 8,001
60635 - Special Pay Sick Lv Payout 50% 975 2,499 1,024 2,510
60640 - Special Pay - Vacation Payout 25,210 0 0 0
60710 - Special Pay - Parental Leave 10,332 42,342 0 0
60730 - Spec Pay - Safety Equipment 0 0 0 0
60760 - Spec Pay - Moving Allowance 0 7,085 0 0
180 - Community Development
60100 - Salaries-Regular Full Time 0 0 0 0
6A - Salaries & Wages Total 1,264,705 1,666,939 1,866,168 2,029,235
6B - Employee Benefits
100 - General
61100 - FICA - City Contribution 91,707 117,701 142,682 155,236
61300 - IPERS - City Contribution 113,630 152,253 174,007 190,568
61510 - Health Insurance 248,326 301,160 281,883 295,306
61540 - Life Insurance 820 940 966 1,012
61600 - Workers' Compensation 2,494 2,620 3,348 3,691
61615 - Insurance Premium 0 1,633 0 0
61700 - Unemployment Compensation 0 0 0 0
61992 - Physicals 0 0 0 0
180 - Community Development
61100 - FICA - City Contribution 0 0 0 0
61300 - IPERS - City Contribution 0 0 0 0
61510 - Health Insurance 0 0 0 0
61540 - Life Insurance 0 0 0 0
6B - Employee Benefits Total 456,977 576,306 602,886 645,813
6C - Staff Development
100 - General
62100 - Association Dues 4,238 4,658 6,575 6,304
62200 - Subscriptions 611 511 300 522
62325 - Mileage 0 0 50 0
Recommended Operating Expenditure Budget - Department Total
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Account/Account Title
FY23
Actual
Expense
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
101 Page 1035 of 1094
62400 - Meetings & Conferences 6,436 10,136 18,152 18,152
62500 - Education Reimbursement 29,780 4,191 17,500 17,500
180 - Community Development
62100 - Association Dues 0 0 0 0
62325 - Mileage 0 0 0 0
6C - Staff Development Total 41,065 19,496 42,577 42,478
6D - Repair/Maint/Util
100 - General
63400 - Equipment Maint/Repair 0 0 0 0
63730 - Telecommunications 3,049 2,946 3,048 2,946
180 - Community Development
63730 - Telecommunications 0 0 0 0
813 - Stores/Printing
63730 - Telecommunications 8,864 7,262 8,864 7,262
6D - Repair/Maint/Util Total 11,913 10,208 11,912 10,208
6E - Contractual Svcs
100 - General
64004 - Internal Service Charge 0 0 0 0
64010 - Accounting & Auditing 15,371 24,175 21,500 23,500
64013 - Investment Custodial 13,562 13,620 13,600 13,620
64014 - Investment Management 39,933 39,044 40,000 40,000
64015 - Financial Service Fees 4,854 5,392 5,100 5,392
64020 - Advertising 5,986 9,320 7,700 8,950
64030 - Outsourced Labor 37,406 52,995 0 0
64040 - Collections 0 0 0 0
64045 - Bad Debt Expense 0 95 0 0
64060 - Damage Claims 0 0 0 0
64062 - Refunds 2,207 0 0 0
64064 - Gas Franchise Fee Refunds 98,446 48,979 101,399 54,710
64065 - Electric Franchise Fee Refunds 769,667 681,056 845,095 817,268
64080 - Insurance - Property 0 (2) 0 0
64081 - Insurance - Liability 22,979 38,436 25,699 27,373
64083 - Insurance - Other 0 0 0 0
64110 - Legal 690 15,245 0 0
64135 - Grants 0 0 0 0
64140 - Printing 137,650 145,969 137,949 163,081
Recommended Operating Expenditure Budget - Department Total
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Account/Account Title
FY23
Actual
Expense
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
102 Page 1036 of 1094
64145 - Copying 1,502 1,234 1,502 440
64150 - Rental - Equipment 5,642 5,919 0 5,919
64160 - Rental - Land/Bldgs/Parking 3,218 4,896 5,040 4,896
64190 - Technology Services 252,780 960,993 576,065 640,349
64191 - IT Recharges 96,697 103,352 126,461 125,898
64195 - Credit Card Charge 48,197 45,439 48,197 45,439
64800 - Courier Fee 2,885 3,735 2,885 3,735
64900 - Other Professional Service 354,400 751,156 50,000 53,000
64980 - Technology Equip Maint Cont 0 0 0 0
180 - Community Development
64020 - Advertising 0 0 0 0
64081 - Insurance - Liability 0 0 0 0
64160 - Rental - Land/Bldgs/Parking 0 0 0 0
64190 - Technology Services 0 0 0 0
813 - Stores/Printing
64004 - Internal Service Charge (15,082) 35,158 (8,200) (7,871)
64062 - Refunds 0 0 0 0
64145 - Copying 1,997 609 1,997 609
64150 - Rental - Equipment 0 0 0 0
6E - Contractual Svcs Total 1,900,987 2,986,817 2,001,989 2,026,308
6F - Commodities
100 - General
65045 - Technology Equipment 268 10,334 1,100 41,679
65060 - Office Supplies 3,759 14,421 2,743 3,895
65070 - Operating Supplies 144 184 500 500
65080 - Postage/Shipping 8,924 9,023 9,229 9,474
65100 - Safety Supplies 0 1,316 0 1,500
65925 - Uniform Purchase 1,434 1,548 1,425 1,752
65940 - Gift Cards 0 0 0 0
65960 - Repair Parts 0 0 0 0
65990 - Other Supplies 0 2 0 0
65999 - Cash Over and Short 47 (167) 0 0
180 - Community Development
65045 - Technology Equipment 0 0 0 0
65060 - Office Supplies 0 0 0 0
65080 - Postage/Shipping 0 0 0 0
Recommended Operating Expenditure Budget - Department Total
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Account/Account Title
FY23
Actual
Expense
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
103 Page 1037 of 1094
6F - Commodities Total 14,576 36,661 14,997 58,800
6G - Capital Outlay
100 - General
67210 - Furniture/Fixtures 7,303 6,827 0 2,700
67250 - Office Equipment 0 0 0 0
67500 - Buildings 0 0 0 0
6G - Capital Outlay Total 7,303 6,827 0 2,700
6H - Debt Service
100 - General
68010 - Principal Payment 0 0 0 0
68020 - Interest Payments 0 0 0 0
68980 - Financial Consultant 0 0 0 0
68990 - Paying Agent Fees 8,200 10,000 8,200 10,000
200 - Debt Service
68010 - Principal Payment 150,648 169,358 174,358 175,024
68020 - Interest Payments 80,640 79,009 75,248 71,205
201 - Bond Issues
68010 - Principal Payment 0 0 0 0
6H - Debt Service Total 239,488 258,367 257,806 256,229
FINANCE - Total 3,937,015 5,561,623 4,798,335 5,071,771
Recommended Operating Expenditure Budget - Department Total
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Account/Account Title
FY23
Actual
Expense
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
104 Page 1038 of 1094
7401 - Accounting
100 - General
6A - Salaries & Wages 898,843 1,057,850 1,195,483
6B - Employee Benefits 283,988 315,186 354,561
6C - Staff Development 13,985 25,142 25,074
6D - Repair/Maint/Util 1,132 1,105 1,132
6E - Contractual Svcs 2,111,822 1,576,639 1,558,618
6F - Commodities 28,669 6,975 11,809
6G - Capital Outlay 6,827 —900
6H - Debt Service 10,000 8,200 10,000
200 - Debt Service
6H - Debt Service 248,367 ——
7401 - Accounting Total 3,603,634 2,991,097 3,157,577
7402 - Budget
100 - General
6A - Salaries & Wages 285,989 291,091 308,271
6B - Employee Benefits 89,722 90,691 93,668
6C - Staff Development 5,442 7,300 7,517
6D - Repair/Maint/Util 859 690 859
6E - Contractual Svcs 556,800 126,337 126,535
6F - Commodities 559 700 843
6G - Capital Outlay ——900
180 - Community Development
6A - Salaries & Wages ———
6B - Employee Benefits ———
6C - Staff Development ———
6D - Repair/Maint/Util ———
6E - Contractual Svcs ———
6F - Commodities ———
7402 - Budget Total 939,371 516,809 538,593
7403 - Utility Billing
100 - General
6A - Salaries & Wages 482,107 517,227 525,481
6B - Employee Benefits 202,596 197,009 197,584
6C - Staff Development 69 10,135 9,887
Recommended Expenditure Budget Report by Activity & Funding Source
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Activity
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
105 Page 1039 of 1094
6D - Repair/Maint/Util 955 1,253 955
6E - Contractual Svcs 282,428 305,216 348,417
6F - Commodities 7,433 7,322 46,148
6G - Capital Outlay ——900
6H - Debt Service ———
200 - Debt Service
6H - Debt Service ———
201 - Bond Issues
6H - Debt Service 0 0 0
7403 - Utility Billing Total 975,589 1,038,162 1,129,372
7404 - Stores Inventory
813 - Stores/Printing
6E - Contractual Svcs 23,288 0 0
7404 - Stores Inventory Total 23,288 0 0
7405 - Centralized Multifunction
813 - Stores/Printing
6D - Repair/Maint/Util 7,262 8,864 7,262
6E - Contractual Svcs 1,584 -6,203 -7,262
7405 - Centralized Multifuction Total 8,846 2,661 0
7406 - Centralized Phone
813 - Stores/Printing
6E - Contractual Svcs 10,896 0 0
7406 - Centralized Phone Total 10,896 0 0
7407 - Centralized Postage
813 - Stores/Printing
6E - Contractual Svcs 0 0 0
7407 - Centralized Postage Total 0 0 0
7480 - Debt Service
200 - Debt Service
6H - Debt Service 0 249,606 246,229
7480 - Debt Service Total 0 249,606 246,229
7499 - Pcard Clearing
100 - General
6F - Commodities 0 0 0
Recommended Expenditure Budget Report by Activity & Funding Source
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Activity
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
106 Page 1040 of 1094
7499 - Pcard Clearing Total 0 0 0
FINANCE DEPARTMENT TOTAL 5,561,623 4,798,335 5,071,771
Recommended Expenditure Budget Report by Activity & Funding Source
74 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Fund/Activity
FY24
Actual
Expense
FY25
Adopted
Budget
FY26
Recomm'd
Budget
107 Page 1041 of 1094
C I T Y O F D U B U Q U E , I O W A
DEPARTMENT DETAIL - PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT
74 FINANCE DEPARTMENT
FY 2026
FD JC WP-GR JOB CLASS FTE BUDGET
60100 Full Time Employee Expense
100 1265 GE-21 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 1.00 $ 170,554
100 1260 GE-18 FINANCE MANAGER 1.00 $ 134,136
100 1255 GE-18 BUDGET MANAGER 1.00 $ 127,066
100 1325 GE-14 BUDGET/FINANCIAL ANALYST 4.00 $ 354,817
100 5010 GE-07 ADMIN SUPPORT PROF 1.00 $ 60,159
100 3805 GE-12 UTILITY BILLING SUPERVISOR 1.00 $ 73,999
100 4055 GE-16 PURCHASING & RISK MANAGER 1.00 $ 132,295
100 8535 GE-12
PURCHASING/SAFETY
COORDINATOR 1.00 $ 87,067
100 5565 GE-11 ACCOUNTANT 2.00 $ 143,096
100 5575 GE-12 PAYROLL ACCOUNTANT 1.00 $ 78,369
100 GE-10 PAYROLL SYSTEMS ANALYST 1.00 $ 78,198
100 5030 OE-06 ACCOUNT CLERK I 3.00 $ 172,124
100 5170 OE-05 CASHIER 4.00 $ 209,551
TOTAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES 22.00 $ 1,821,431
60200 Part Time Employee Expense
100 GE-16 PROJECT MANAGER 0.50 $ 59,516
TOTAL PART TIME EMPLOYEES 0.50 $ 59,516
60300 Temporary Employee Expense
100 5555 GE-03 FINANCE INTERN 3.01 $ 129,827
TOTAL SEASONAL EMPLOYEES 3.01 $ 129,827
TOTAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT 25.51 $ 2,010,774
108 Page 1042 of 1094
Accounting/Payroll/Treasury-FT General Fund
7401 60100 100 1265 GE-21
CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER 1.00 $ 170,554
7401 60100 100 1260 GE-18 FINANCE MANAGER 1.00 $ 134,136
7401 60100 100 4055 GE-16
PURCHASING & RISK
MANAGER 1.00 $ 132,295
7401 60100 100 8535 GE-12
PURCHASING/SAFETY
COORDINATOR 1.00 $ 87,067
7401 60100 100 5010 GE-07
ADMIN SUPPORT
PROF 1.00 $ 60,159
7401 60100 100 5030 OE-06 ACCOUNT CLERK I —$ —
7401 60100 100 1325 GE-14
BUDGET/FINANCIAL
ANALYST 2.00 $ 173,612
7401 60100 100 1335 GE-10
PAYROLL SYSTEMS
ANALYST 1.00 $ 78,198
7401 60100 100 5575 GE-12
PAYROLL
ACCOUNTANT 1.00 $ 78,369
7401 60100 100 5565 GE-11 ACCOUNTANT 2.00 $ 143,096
Total 11.00 $ 1,057,486
Accounting/Payroll/Treasury-PT General Fund
7401 60200 100 1250 GE-16 PROJECT MANAGER 0.50 $ 59,516
Total 0.50 $ 59,516
Accounting/Payroll/Treasury-Temporary General Fund
7401 60300 100 5555 GE-03 FINANCE INTERN 1.75 $ 75,481
Total 1.75 $ 75,481
Budget-General Fund
7402 60100 100 GE-18 BUDGET MANAGER 1.00 $ 127,066
7402 60100 100 GE-14
BUDGET/FINANCIAL
ANALYST 2.00 $ 181,205
Total 3.00 $ 308,271
Utility Billing/Parking Tickets- FT General Fund
7403 60100 100 3805 GE-12
UTILITY BILLING
SUPERVISOR 1.00 $ 73,999
7403 60100 100 5170 OE-05 CASHIER 4.00 $ 209,551
7403 60100 100 5030 OE-06 ACCOUNT CLERK I 3.00 $ 172,124
Total 8.00 $ 455,674
Utility Billing/Parking Tickets- Seasonal General Fund
7403 60300 100 5555 GE-03 FINANCE INTERN 1.26 $ 54,346
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
ACTIVITY PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT SUMMARY
FY 2026
ACCT FD JC
WP-
GR POSITION CLASS FTE BUDGET
109 Page 1043 of 1094
Total 1.26 $ 54,346
TOTAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT 25.51 $ 2,010,774
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
ACTIVITY PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT SUMMARY
FY 2026
ACCT FD JC
WP-
GR POSITION CLASS FTE BUDGET
110 Page 1044 of 1094
FINANCE
DEPARTMENT
FISCAL YEAR 2026
BUDGET PRESENTATION
Page 1045 of 1094
MISSION STATEMENT
Finance Department
The City of Dubuque Finance Department promotes excellence internally
through all-encompassing communication, support, and teamwork and strives
for authentic connections between unique individuals to create harmonious
service to our citizens and co-workers.
VISION STATEMENT
To create an environment that is inclusive, transparent, accessible, and
forged by clear communication, providing dependable customer service in a
fun and enjoyable environment. We are unique. We are Dubuque.
Page 1046 of 1094
FINANCIAL SERVICES
•Financial Policy
•Cash Management
•Debt Management
•Accounting
•Payroll
•Accounts Payable
•Purchasing
•Risk Management
•Grant Assistance
•Auditing + Reporting
•Utility Billing
•Budget
•Legislative Analysis
Page 1047 of 1094
Retirements
Finance Project
Manager
Keith Strey
Retiring 6/27/2025
Utility Billing
Supervisor
Rose Hoerner
Retired 10/2/24
Thank You for 28
Years of Service!
Thank You for 2.5
Years of Service!
Page 1048 of 1094
New Faces & Promotions
Budget/Financial Analyst
Shannon Soppe
Starts 4/14/24
Budget/Financial
Analyst
Caitlyn Heiderscheit
Promoted 2/17/25
Utility Billing
Supervisor
Chris Vallee
Promoted 8/26/24
Utility Billing
Cashier
Dorothy Pearson
Started 11/1/24
Accounts Payable
Accountant
Alyssa Carlin
Promoted 4/21/25
Part-Time Project
Manager
Nancy McCaul
Started March 21, 2025Page 1049 of 1094
Finance Department (25.51 Full-Time Equivalents)
Page 1050 of 1094
Finance Department
Page 1051 of 1094
INVESTMENT AND CASH MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT
COMMISSION
3-Year Term
Meets Quarterly
Gary Ruden
Molly Valaskey
Daniel Garza
Lucian Paucean
Vacant
Purpose
•Review the actions and decisions of the City's
investments and all money managers for compliance
with the City's Investment Policy & report any
noncompliance to the City Council
•Review internal cash management practices and
external agreements regarding the banking services
agreement, U.S. Treasuries, and certificates of deposits
•To recommend, as needed, changes in the City's
Investment Policy or cash management practices to the
City Council
•To review the investment performance of the City's
investments and money managers and to report to the
City Council concerning same at least quarterly
Page 1052 of 1094
Finance Department
FY2026 REQUESTED PROPERTY TAX SUPPORT
$725,554 $11.35
Net Property Tax
Support
Average homeowner’s*
property tax cost for the
Finance Department
(*Avg. home value of $196,508)
Page 1053 of 1094
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Finance Department
Goals On Track:
•GFOA Certificate of
Excellence in Financial
Reporting for ACFR
•GFOA Distinguished
Budget Presentation
Award
•# of UB Customers using
direct payment
Goals Improving:
•% of City water
customers using the
online water management
portal
•# of individuals reached
through budget public
engagement sessions
Goals That Needs Work:
•# of resident budgets
submitted on Balancing
Act Budget Simulation
Page 1054 of 1094
BUDGET AT A GLANCE
•Provide support for budget activities
across all departments
•Assist in development of budgets for
each department
•Oversee and manage total budget
$263.5 million
•Maintain and enforce adherence to
budget decisions
Page 1055 of 1094
BUDGET
•Online Tools: Open Budget,
Balancing Act, Taxpayer Receipt
•Develop/Manage City’s annual
operating budget and 5-year
Capital Improvement Plan
•Budget Documents: Resident’s
Guide, Policy Budget, CIP
Budget
Page 1056 of 1094
BUDGET
ENGAGEMENT
Launched Interactive
Budget Simulation &
Taxpayer Receipt in
FY2019
*FY20 includes presentation to Young Professionals
Page 1057 of 1094
www.cityofdubuque.org/budget:
•Dollars and Cents
•Open Budget
•Balancing Act
•Taxpayer Receipt
www.cityofdubuque.org/finance:
•Open Expenses
ONLINE TOOLS
Page 1058 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Budget
•Annual Department Training: Budget Module in Tyler Munis ERP
•Leveraged the Tyler Payroll System to import real time salary data to budget
•Implementation of the Classification and Compensation Study to all non -represented
employees in the FY26 budget
Page 1059 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Budget
•Received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the FY25 Budget -
19 Consecutive Years!
City
Years of
Award
Muscatine 41
Ames 39
Davenport 30
Bettendorf 30
Ankeny 26
West Des Moines 26
Cedar Rapids 25
Dubuque 19
Iowa City 18
Page 1060 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Budget
•Continue to expand budget engagement
•Process Improvements -Budget Process, Salary
Projections, Document Production
•Department Training on Budget Amendments and
Project Ledger
•Expand use of Tyler Munis Budget Module features
Page 1061 of 1094
PURCHASING AT A GLANCE
•Support procurement activities across all departments
•Coordinate joint purchasing efforts
•Identify efficiencies/cost savings through purchasing data analysis
•Oversee and manage a network of 5,000+ vendors
•Maintain and enforce purchasing policies, terms, and conditions
Page 1062 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Purchasing
Implementation of New Vendor Setup Process
•Completed setup, testing, and training of automated paperless vendor setup process
•Vendors utilize paperless process through a secure link or QR code
•All steps are workflow driven
•Enhances security in a high-risk area
Page 1063 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Purchasing
•E-Procurement Software Implementation of ION
Wave Technologies
•Monitor and engage in AI procurement
opportunities.
◦Outlined in American Purchasing Society:
“What AI will do to Improve Purchasing” vast
opportunities are coming.
Page 1064 of 1094
RISK MANAGEMENT AND
SAFETY AT A GLANCE
•Assist in identifying, assessing, and managing risk & safety within
departments.
•Partner with City Legal and Human Resources in key areas:
◦Workplace & employee safety
◦Liability & property coverages
◦Insurance damage claims
◦Emergency preparedness
◦Compliance & regulation
•Promote a proactive approach to hazard identification, injury prevention, &
risk management -help create a safer work environment for all.
Page 1065 of 1094
City of Dubuque Safety Committee:
•Coordinates City-wide development of safety rules and safe work methods
•Coordinates joint safety training with departments
•Promote and develop safety culture within the City.
•Protect health, safety, & well-being of both employees and the public.
City of Dubuque Safety Subcommittees:
•Incident Review Team-Reviews every injury, incident and accident.
◦Makes recommendations and seeks ways to prevent future occurrences
◦Reviews anonymous near miss reports submitted from the City's website
•Safety Training Team-Assist in recommending trainings for departments
•Safety Audit Team-Performs job site and facilities walkthroughs and audits of City
facilities and worksites for efficiencies, safety related concerns and risk.
SAFETY
COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEES
Page 1066 of 1094
SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S
RESPONSIBILITY
VS.
If you see something say something...it makes a difference!
Page 1067 of 1094
Risk Management and Safety
•Comprehensive review of the City’s 40 + Safety Policies and Procedures to ensure
compliance with current regulations.
•Implemented a paperless, electronic safety audit reporting process to facilitate
corrective actions and ensure timely follow -up and completion.
•Integrated Safety Presentations into New Employee Orientation and New Supervisor
Training.
•Purchasing & Risk Manager presented at Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference on
Risk Management Strategies for Cities
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Page 1068 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Risk Management and Safety
•Continue comprehensive training on the City’s 40+
safety policies and procedures.
•Establish an automated safety training program for
all City positions.
•Explore risk management software options.
Page 1069 of 1094
FINANCE AT A GLANCE
•Maintain and recommend financial policies
•Cash and investment management of over $150 million
•Debt management
•General accounting for city operations
•Biweekly payroll for over 850 employees and 1,000+ employees summer
•Weekly vendor payments
•Grant accounting assistance and grant monitoring of all city grants
•Accounts receivable management
•Auditing and reporting of the City’s financials
Page 1070 of 1094
•Analyze financial impacts of proposed legislative changes
•New Property Tax Legislation Proposed Eliminating Rollback
•Evaluate administrative policy and tariff impacts on purchased goods. Example,
predictions of vehicle cost increasing $3,500 to $12,000.
•Monitor grant issues and developments
•Recent Federal Fund Management Advisor Webinar:
◦“The blizzard of presidential executive orders and policy memoranda from the
Office of Management and Budget has been dizzying. This activity has been
followed by thousands of grant termination notices and scenes of federal
employees leaving offices with personal belongings.”
LEGISLATIVE
CHANGES/IMPLEMENTATION/CONCERNS
Page 1071 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Finance
•Successfully completed the Request for Proposal (RFP) process and negotiated a new
agreement for banking services.
•Enhanced oversight of city investments, resulting in earnings of over $4.8 million to
date.
•Achieved a successful implementation of the city-wide payroll and electronic time and
attendance system in its first year, resulting in streamlined operations and improved data
visibility.
•Conducted a comprehensive review of city leases, including a detailed billing analysis and
ongoing revenue evaluation.
Page 1072 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Finance
•Finalized the Fiscal Year 2024 audit in April 2025.
•Implemented new billing software for the Landfill, known as CompuWeigh.
•Revamped the internal process for property tax allocation and billing related to city facilities
and leases.
•Department-wide 7-week Dale Carnegie customized training course focused on
addressing conflict openly, minimizing trustbusters, world class customer service,
communication, and teamwork.
•CFO presented at Government Finance Officers Association National Conference in
Orlando, FL for two sessions: Recruitment and Retention and Utility Billing ERP
Implementation
Page 1073 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Finance
•GFOA Certificate of Achievement for the
FY23 Annual Certified Report -36
Consecutive Years!
City Years of Award
Des Moines 47
Cedar Rapids 44
Ames 43
Davenport 41
Urbandale 41
Iowa City 39
Sioux City 38
Dubuque 36
Cedar Falls 34
Bettendorf 33
West Des Moines 31
Ankeny 22
Waterloo 20
Council Bluffs 13 Page 1074 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Finance -Credit Rating
•January 2025, Moody’s Investor Services affirmed the Aa2 credit rating on general obligation
bonds.
•Rating reflects the city’s healthy economic base, which serves as a regional economic center
and the available fund balance will likely remain well over 45%, despite some planned draws in
fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025 to spend down federal funds from the pandemic.
•In July 2023, Moody’s Investor Service upgraded the City’s outstanding general obligation
bonds from Aa3 to Aa2, as well as the outstanding Sales Tax Increment Revenue bonds from
A2 to A1.
•These credit ratings are affirmation of the sound fiscal management of the mayor and city
council, put Dubuque in a strong position to capitalize on favorable financial markets, borrow at
low interest rate when necessary, and make critical investments in the community.
Page 1075 of 1094
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Page 1079 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Finance
•Implementation of Debt and Investment
Management Software
•Implementation of electronic strategic sourcing
procurement software
•Phase 2 of Tyler ERP Implementation:
◦Enterprise Asset Management
◦Employee/Manager Access
◦Advanced Scheduling
◦Employee Expense Reimbursement
◦Electronic Workflow Processes.
•Internal automated ACFR report creation.
Page 1080 of 1094
FY2026
RECOMMENDED
IMPROVEMENT
REQUESTS
1.Bilingual, self-service payment kiosk providing
residents with an around the clock bill payment
solution
Non-Recurring | $40,000
Recurring | $8,000
Net Property Tax Support: $0
Page 1081 of 1094
FY2026
RECOMMENDED
IMPROVEMENT
REQUESTS
2.Economic Development Financial and Project
Specialist position
•Projecting Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
revenue
•Preparing compliance reporting,
managing rebate payments
•Assisting with budget projections related
to TIF
•Collaboration with the Finance
Department and City Attorney’s Office
Non-Recurring | $4,590
Recurring | $86,215
TIF Funds | $68,104
Net Property Tax Support: $22,701
Page 1082 of 1094
UTILITY BILLING
•Water, Sanitary Sewer, Refuse, and Stormwater Billing
•24,000 Meters in Service
•Manage Customer Database
•Prompt and Courteous Customer Service
•Online Customer Portal
•Offset Program
•Parking Tickets
•Garbage Stickers, Yard Waste Stickers, Large Item Pick-up
Page 1083 of 1094
Online Customer Portal
Leak Alerts
View your water usage, check for leaks, and set -up
alerts
Paperless
Billing
Hate paper clutter? Get rid of it by enrolling in eBill
and have instant access to current and past bills.
Online Quick
Pay
Have real-time access to account information and pay
your bill in seconds with ease.
Auto Pay
Sign up for AutoPay to have your bill automatically
deducted from your bank account.
Cityofdubuque.org/utilitybilling
Page 1084 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Customers Enrolled In:
Feb 2025
# Customers
Feb 2025
% Customers
Feb 2024
# Customers
Feb 2024
% Customers
Paperless Billing 4,863 20 %4,661 19 %
Auto Pay 9,722 40 %8,788 36 %
Phone & Online Payments 8,509 35 %7,816 32 %
Portal Registered Users 12,565 51 %9,589 39 %
Utility Billing
*Total Customers 24,604
Page 1085 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Customers Enrolled In:
Feb 2025
# Customers
Feb 2025
% Customers
Feb 2024
# Customers
Feb 2024
% Customers
Stormwater Reduced Base Fee 570 2 %590 2 %
Refuse Reduced Base Fee 551 2 %578 2 %
Water Reduced Base Fee 569 2 %593 2 %
Sanitary Sewer Reduced Base Fee 570 2 %592 2 %
Utility Billing Reduced Base Fee
*Total Customers 24,604
Page 1086 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Utility Billing
Marketing of Income Qualified Reduced Base Fee:
•City website
•Back of every utility bill distributed in City
•City Newsletter (distributed with City Utility bills)
•Dollars and Cents brochures (distributed with City utility bills)
•CityChannel Dubuque
•City social media channels
•Housing Department includes application in information provided to clients
•Landlords are informed of the program and provided applications annually
•HACAP receives updated applications annually for distribution to clients
•Provide to customers when they request payment plans
Page 1087 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Community Impact Service Program
Partnership with Office of Community Impact
•Community Impact Service Program
◦Offers individuals chance to address fines and fees through service opportunities
and professional development
•Program began 1/1/25
•Census Tract 5 -Central Ave from 17th St to Aquin Avenue
•Length of program service varies per Utility Billing Balance, not longer than 6 months
•4/1/25: 17 active residents in program & 5 residents completed program
•$4,586 has been applied to city utility accounts using this program
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FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Utility Billing Assistance
Assistance Type
# Accounts
Assisted $ Paid Timeframe
Payment Plans 181 $58,918 February 2024 -February 2025
Community Impact Service
Program 25 $4,586 January 2025 -April 2025
Other Agencies 29 $7,108 January 2024 -January 2025
Total Assistance 235 $70,612
*53 Completed and 84 Active Payment Plans
Page 1089 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Utility Billing
•Water disconnects for nonpayment were ceased July 2023 when transitioning to new software
and were reinstated in January 2024. Late Fees were reinstated in February 2024.
Page 1090 of 1094
FISCAL YEAR 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Utility Billing
•Area Agencies Including HACAP/LIHWAP Programs -worked with various agencies to
provide financial assistance to customers behind on their utilities bills
•Process Improvements -Attach utility bill to email for paperless billing customers
•Utility Billing Tyler Munis Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) –Went live August 1,
2023. Billing continued as schedule. Water disconnections and charging late fees were
put on hold from July 2023 –January 2024 to allow customers time to become
acquainted with new bills and payment options.
•Property Tax Lien and Collection Agency-Process unpaid utility bills
Page 1091 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Utility Billing
•Continued training for Utility Billing Module of New
Enterprise Resource Planning System
•Continue to reduce delinquent utility balances:
◦Financial Assistance Programs
◦Payment Plans
•Improve processes, reporting, and time management
with new Tyler software
•Implementation of payment kiosk for after hours and
off site in-person payments
Page 1092 of 1094
FUTURE
INITIATIVES
Utility Billing
•Increase marketing efforts of the reduction of base
fee for low income qualified (Sanitary Sewer,
Stormwater, Water, & Refuse)
◦Posters in Jule Buses
◦City electronic signage
•Continued staff development
•Implementation of a tablet to help residents apply
for service online at cashiers’ windows
•Revisit non-sufficient funds (NSF) policy to
eliminate multiple payments returned
•Continue to promote Community Impact Service
Program
Page 1093 of 1094
THANK YOU
www.cityofdubuque.org/Finance
www.cityofdubuque.org/Utility-Billing
www.cityofdubuque.org/Budget
Page 1094 of 1094