March 29, 2024

Council to consider $1.5M tax rebate for DMACC

A $1.5 million tax rebate to DMACC for the former Maytag headquarters will be discussed at the city council meeting on Monday.

The new rebate comes as an extension of a former rebate that expired when the headquarters were donated to DMACC in October.

In 2012, the city approved a redevelopment agreement with Newton Enterprises, helping the company acquire the former Maytag campus. The agreement included a series of partial property tax rebates if certain development performance standards were met.

When the ownership changed due to the property being donated, the agreement did not transfer and was formally canceled in November. At that time, there were more than $1.5 million in potential property tax rebates for future years that were foregone.

DMACC is now asking for assistance as it pursues new tenants and maintains the facility. The assistance will not be used for operational expenses, DMACC specified.

Also on the agenda is a public hearing for the potential sale of the property at 224 N. Third Ave. W. and 224 W. Third St. N., the land on where the former Newton Seed Store was located. In September, city council approved a preliminary development agreement with Miller-Valentine to support its tax credit application to build an apartment complex. As a part of the agreement, the city committed to sell the land to the company.

As a part of the potential sale process a public hearing must be held. The property would be sold for $350,000.

The council will also look to award a contract for miscellaneous Americans with Disabilities Act improvements to parks throughout the city. Current needs include ADA accessible walkways and parking stalls for shelter houses and bathrooms in Maytag Park and Woodland Park and repairs to the hike and bike trail in the children’s forest and Agnes Patterson Park.

Finally, several ordinance will go before the council for the first time to address uncontrolled intersections and update parking in various sectors of the city.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com