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Lincoln City Council
Lincoln City Council addresses tax levy, community pavilion updates
[December 18, 2025]
The Lincoln City Council met in
regular session Monday evening, Dec. 15, at City Hall, calling the
meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. All members were present.
Following roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, the council moved
on to the consent agenda, which included payment of bills and
approval of minutes from recent Committee of the Whole and regular
council meetings
One of the first items addressed under ordinances and resolutions
was the continued tabling of an ordinance that would create Section
3-27 of the Lincoln City Code. The ordinance has been discussed at
multiple meetings and will return to a future Committee of the Whole
in a simplified form.
“I think we should just leave it tabled for now and then we’ll bring
it back up when it’s ready,” Mayor Tracy Welch said, with council
members expressing agreement.
The council next approved an ordinance allowing for the annexation
of a specified parcel into the city, followed by consideration of
the city’s annual tax levy ordinance for the fiscal year beginning
May 1, 2025, and ending April 30, 2026. The levy passed with one
dissenting vote after roll call. Welch noted that the levy is a
routine but necessary step to ensure the city can continue funding
day-to-day operations and services.
Several resolutions were also
approved to abate taxes for the 2025 tax year related to previously
issued general obligation bonds. During discussion of one bond
series, Alderman Kevin Bateman asked about the remaining balance,
prompting City Treasurer Chuck Conzo to provide additional context.
“We’re now in our eighth year of this,” Conzo said. “Our annual
payments on this are about $280,000 to $285,000 per year, and we’ve
got about five more years to pay on it.”
Welch confirmed the bond was tied to construction of the Lincoln
Police Department, to which Conzo responded, “Yes, it is.”
Bateman briefly discussed future infrastructure planning, noting
that he would like to begin thinking ahead. “It’s never too early to
start thinking,” he said, while acknowledging that additional
discussion would be needed at a later date.
Conzo later presented the November 2025 financial report, offering a
detailed overview of the city’s general fund and revenue sources. He
noted modest increases in several areas while emphasizing the
importance of long-term financial planning.
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“It’s a healthy
fund balance, but it isn’t as good as we would like it,” Conzo
said. He explained that the city’s goal should be to maintain
approximately 12 months of revenue in the general fund. “That
would give us about 12 months of expenditures, assuming there
was no other revenue coming in during that period of time,” he
said. The
council also approved an amendment to Work Order No. 11 from
Crawford, Murphy & Tilly for the Community Pavilion project, not to
exceed $5,000.
Alderman Stan Anderson expressed concerns about communication
related to additional costs. “In the future, I’d like to have better
communication,” Anderson said, adding that he would like more
information earlier in the process when changes are anticipated.
Welch acknowledged the concerns and accepted responsibility on
behalf of the Parks Committee. “It’s our responsibility to keep you
updated as the council as well,” he said.
Later in the meeting, the council approved the mayor’s appointment
of Chris Harding to the position of Deputy Fire Chief, with an
effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.
During announcements, Welch thanked those involved in organizing the
city’s Christmas parade, calling it “a pretty beautiful night out,
all things considered,” and recognizing city staff and volunteers
for adapting plans due to weather conditions.
Additional announcements included recognition of local girls’
basketball teams for recent postseason success. Alderman Stan
Anderson highlighted the achievements of area students, saying it
was “good representation from Lincoln.”
With no further business before the council, members voted to
adjourn the meeting.
[Sophia Larimore]
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