It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Samuel and Emma A. Ranshaw House gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in North Liberty, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable Caregivers who helped me to take care of my loved one for several years. They are highly trained and managed well the daily routines and activities like bathing and dressing. Caregivers of always best care is dependable and passionate to their work. I am satisfied and so glad that I chose their service. Highly recommend whoever needs their caregiving service!”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Centennial Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Tin Roost or visit Cornerstone Nature Area, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in North Liberty, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in North Liberty, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in North Liberty, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
New look, menu aims for cohesion, consistencyElijah Decious The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.IOWA CITY — A growing chain of coffee shops across Johnson County is brewing something fresh under new ownership.Coffee Emporium, purchased by North Liberty resident entrepreneur Alex Nelson ...
New look, menu aims for cohesion, consistency
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
IOWA CITY — A growing chain of coffee shops across Johnson County is brewing something fresh under new ownership.
Coffee Emporium, purchased by North Liberty resident entrepreneur Alex Nelson in July 2024, will have a new name starting March 29: Midnight Coffee.
With a new look, a revamped menu and new local food partners, a different experience awaits new and loyal customers in Iowa City, Coralville, Tiffin and North Liberty.
“We’re focused on getting all the shops to be similar,” Nelson said. “Before, it was operating like four completely different shops. We don’t want it to be franchise copying and pasting, but there should be some brand consistency.”
Midnight Coffee, previously known as Coffee Emporium, has four locations across Johnson County:
925 E 2nd Ave, Coralville
301 E Market St, Iowa City
710 Pacha Pkwy, Unit 6, North Liberty
1100 Andersen Place, Tiffin
One of the biggest changes with the rebrand will be upgrades to the menu.
“We want (customers) to think the same great coffee, but new name, new brand and higher quality,” Nelson said. “Our food is going to be a lot better than it was — it hadn’t been changed in a long time.”
Milk for beverages will now be supplied by Dan and Debbie’s Creamery in Ely, pastries are already being supplied by The Eat Shop, and Andy’s Pastry Shop in Tiffin will offer vegan and gluten-free options.
The food menu, which will undergo much greater changes than the coffee menu, will offer salads and a robust selection of sandwiches in the coming days.
In the future, Midnight Coffee hopes to bring back unique signatures to each location. Cocktails, previously available at Coralville’s Coffee Emporium, may make an appearance in Iowa City. Ice cream is envisioned for the North Liberty location, which previously served gelato.
With the same beans as before from Capanna Coffee Roasters, the new coffee menu will focus on quality through simplicity.
“We want to highlight just having great coffee,” Nelson said. “The bigger brands are geared toward the crazy specials with syrups and foams and sugary drinks.”
Iowa City and North Liberty, the older Coffee Emporium locations, have undergone the most renovations to give a new look consistent with the brand’s theme.
Iowa City’s Northside location has been refreshed with new sets of Edison bulb fixtures, all new tables and chairs, and a relocated fireplace between couch seating.
The location, 301 E. Market St., has a long history of coffee shop tenants. Before Coffee Emporium, it served as The High Ground Cafe and T Spoons.
The North Liberty location’s walls have been torn down for a more open concept complemented by fresh paint, new chairs and a redone fireplace.
Overall, Nelson aimed for a mood that’s darker, moodier and inviting enough to linger — a departure from prevailing trends in other large coffee chains. With new furnishings, Midnight Coffee plans to establish an aesthetic that is less secondhand looking than the average local café.
Coffee Emporium’s four locations in Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty and Tiffin were sold to Nelson by Abby Ochs. Nelson owns The Midnight Gem wedding venue in Swisher and Little Gems Baby Boutique in North Liberty with his wife, Jordan Nelson.
The sale and rebranding follows rapid growth under Ochs’ ownership.
She purchased the original Coffee Emporium location in downtown Cedar Rapids in January 2021. Later that year, she opened a Coralville location, before taking over High Ground Cafe in April 2023 and opening two more locations in Tiffin and North Liberty by the end of 2023.
Ochs also closed the struggling Cedar Rapids location, which first established the brand in 1991.
She has since moved to Texas, where she has started a family and hit substantial growth in her human resources consulting firm, Gro Consulting.
“Life has picked up in Texas, and the team deserves (local management),” Ochs told The Gazette in August 2024.
After spending time in the hospitality industry, the new owner hopes to use Midnight Coffee as an easy entry into an even more community-oriented business.
Over time, his vision includes expanding the brand with more locations outside of Johnson County, like the Des Moines metro or Cedar Rapids.
“We saw there was a good opportunity, a loyal customer base, and great coffee,” he said.
Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or [email protected].
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NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (KCRG) - Conditions in Eastern Iowa are dry, meaning there’s a real risk of grass fires starting. The North Liberty Fire Department helped TV9 demonstrate just how quickly a small field fire can become so much bigger.Tina Humston is the training captain with the North Liberty Fire Department. She used a match to light a small patch of dry brush on fire.“The match can easily represent a cigarette coming out of a car window or even a spark from hot brakes from a Semi,” Humston said.She...
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (KCRG) - Conditions in Eastern Iowa are dry, meaning there’s a real risk of grass fires starting. The North Liberty Fire Department helped TV9 demonstrate just how quickly a small field fire can become so much bigger.
Tina Humston is the training captain with the North Liberty Fire Department. She used a match to light a small patch of dry brush on fire.
“The match can easily represent a cigarette coming out of a car window or even a spark from hot brakes from a Semi,” Humston said.
She said field fires can start small and be pretty unassuming, but before long...
“It can spread pretty quickly,” Humston said.
Within 30 seconds, the dry grass around the fire catches. Thanks to a gust of wind, the fire grows and spreads even more in just a few minutes.
It’s not until then that the fire and smoke may become visible from far away.
“You figure if it’s two minutes before someone notices it, it’s probably another minute for dispatch to process the call, another minute of two for us to get out the station and anywhere from four to 10 minutes for us to get on scene, it’s already gotten a lot bigger in that short amount of town,” Humston said.
She recommends keeping brush off properties to prevent a fire from moving closer to a house.
“Even a patch of grass in a neighborhood. Some landscaping and it spreads to one house and it starts on the outside and you have vynal siding, wood decking, some of those things that really get going really quickly, combust really quickly, then it’s getting up into the eaves, along the attic and into houses, then we have a field fire and a house fire and we have a lot of problems,” Humston said. “It does not take long for exterior fires to turn into interior fires given the building materials and the things we find on everyday houses.”
If a controlled burn gets out of control, call the fire department without hesitation.
This warning comes as several fires have been reported in eastern Iowa due to the dry conditions.
In Cedar Rapids alone, there have been at least 13 outside fires the Cedar Rapids Fire Department has responded to in the last three days
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
The University of Iowa Health Care medical campus in North Liberty, Iowa—the first newly constructed hospital facility away from UI Health Care’s university campus—will welcome its first patients to the medical center’s orthopedic clinics and operating rooms, orthopedic injury walk-in clinic, and emergency department on Monday, April 28, 2025.Located at the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 in North Liberty, the campus joins UI Health Care’s university and downtown campuses, providing greater ac...
The University of Iowa Health Care medical campus in North Liberty, Iowa—the first newly constructed hospital facility away from UI Health Care’s university campus—will welcome its first patients to the medical center’s orthopedic clinics and operating rooms, orthopedic injury walk-in clinic, and emergency department on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Located at the corner of Forevergreen Road and Highway 965 in North Liberty, the campus joins UI Health Care’s university and downtown campuses, providing greater access to patient care services for the community, state, and region. The North Liberty location will serve as the new home for the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, which includes UI Sports Medicine. An emergency department with a Level 4 trauma center, plus 24-hour drive-thru pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, and clinical lab services also will be available.
“This is a historic moment for UI Health Care,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “We know more Iowans want access to our care and expertise. This new campus will make it easier for patients to receive nationally recognized, comprehensive orthopedics care, emergency treatments, and other services closer to where they live here in the community and surrounding areas. Patients from across Iowa with orthopedic care needs also will have greater access and convenience at our North Liberty location.
“We think patients and families will be impressed—and excited—about the facilities and, ultimately, their care experience at North Liberty,” Jamieson adds. “We’re eager to share what we’ve built for Iowans and how it will increase access to our patient care services while also advancing medical research and education.”
Community open house set for April 12
UI Health Care staff and the public are invited to an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Tours of the new North Liberty medical center will be available. The campus green space around the facility will feature autograph sessions with select Iowa Hawkeye athletes, food trucks, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities for kids, and games and demonstrations for all ages. In case of inclement weather, select outdoor activities will move inside the medical center.
The North Liberty campus will provide a full range of musculoskeletal care—surgery and inpatient care, outpatient clinic services, advanced diagnostic imaging, and a walk-in clinic specifically for acute orthopedic injuries—all under one roof. The North Liberty medical center also will serve as the primary location for UI Sports Medicine services.
Patient flow within the North Liberty medical center will create a seamless experience for patients. Diagnostic imaging is integrated on each clinic floor, for example—orthopedic patients will be able to get a scan and then proceed directly to their clinic exam room.
For patients receiving orthopedic surgery, an on-site anesthesia clinic will offer same-day preoperative care. Outpatient orthopedic surgery and outpatient follow-up care after discharge also will be available at the North Liberty medical center. And with pharmacy and physical therapy/rehab services also on-site, orthopedic patients will be able to get their medication prescriptions and rehab after their clinic appointment or procedure before leaving the campus.
“We’ve always provided the most comprehensive treatments and follow-up care for orthopedic patients—from the routine to the most complex and challenging musculoskeletal problems,” says J. Lawrence Marsh, MD, chair of the UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. “With our new hospital, we’ll be able to provide even greater care and service to patients in our community and from across the state. In terms of size and scope of services, there isn’t another center like this in Iowa.”
The 60-acre campus holds a three-level hospital and five-level medical office building with outpatient clinics and space for clinical research and teaching activities. The 469,000-square-foot facility includes:
Providing greater access and convenience for patients at the North Liberty campus will help meet increased demand for musculoskeletal care as Iowans age and need complex, coordinated care.
The relocation of orthopedics and rehabilitation services also will create available space for other care services, medical education and training, and clinical research at the university campus, notes Brad Haws, MBA, CEO of UI Health Care’s clinical enterprise.
“Space at our university campus is in high demand—nearly all of our clinical departments can use additional space to treat patients, teach students and trainees, and conduct clinical research,” Haws says. “We will be intentional in planning how to renovate newly available space and determining what services may move or expand at our university—and downtown—campuses.”
At the Feb. 27 meeting of the Iowa Board of Regents, UI Health Care leaders received permission to proceed with planning for multiple renovation projects at the university campus over the next decade.
Past property tax legislation may lead to future financial pressuresMegan Woolard Why you can trust The Gazette The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.NORTH LIBERTY — Officials with the city of North Liberty are proposing a balanced budget for next year that includes an increase in both...
Past property tax legislation may lead to future financial pressures
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
NORTH LIBERTY — Officials with the city of North Liberty are proposing a balanced budget for next year that includes an increase in both property taxes and utility rates.
Under a proposal presented last month, North Liberty’s total budget would increase $1.2 million from the current fiscal year, to $19.9 million in Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2026.
While the city has not been able to capture all of the growth in its tax base due to property tax reform passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, it has experienced more than $1 million in growth in the general fund. Some of that growth has come through Iowa’s Monies and Credit Tax, thanks to the location of GreenState Credit Union’s headquarters in North Liberty.
“I wasn't sure what the revenue situation would look like, especially given some of the property tax law changes that occurred last legislative session. But overall, things look fairly promising for this fiscal year,” City Administrator Ryan Heiar said at a recent budget work session.
While Heiar said the outlook for next fiscal year is positive, he cautioned that the city may face more financial pressures in the coming years
The city has general fund reserves of a little over $6.7 million.
The proposed property tax levy for next year is $11.87 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, up 32 cents from $11.37 in the current fiscal year. The city said the proposed rate increase is related to debt service, in part due to capital projects such as construction of a new City Hall.
Additionally, water rates would increase 6 percent under the proposed budget, for the first time in four years.
North Liberty’s general fund revenues experienced growth of a little more than $1 million last year, due to increased demand for services such as permits, and an increase in revenue collected through the Monies and Credit Tax from GreenState Credit Union.
Under Iowa Code, state credit unions are taxed a portion of each dollar in legal or special reserves funds managed by the credit union. Thirty percent of that tax goes to the city’s general fund. In Fiscal Year 2025, the city already has collected $650,000, up $250,000 from the previous fiscal year.
“The unanticipated revenue bump has made balancing the general fund a bit easier than expected going into the budget season,” Heiar wrote in a memo to the city council.
In 2023, Iowa lawmakers passed legislation that limits the amount of tax revenue local governments can capture from a growing tax base.
Because of this, North Liberty and other growing cities across Iowa have had to scale back what can be captured by the general fund levy, if valuation growth exceeds the caps set by the legislation.
For the current fiscal year, North Liberty’s general fund levy was reduced from $8.10 to $7.86, Heiar said. The city’s total taxable value grew by 6.6 percent last year, but the city was only able to capture 3.5 percent growth in property tax revenue.
Heiar said the general fund levy could have brought in an additional $275,000 in Fiscal Year 2025, had the levy been $8.10 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, but because of the cap, he estimates a loss of around $575,000 for fiscal year 2026.
“It's real money, and we'll have some real consequences, I believe, down the road,” Heiar said at a recent budget work session.
Two separate public hearings are required before the budget can be approved. The first one will be held April 8, followed by a second April 22, after which the city council will vote on the proposed budget.
Comments: [email protected]
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This is the 55+ Connections weekly update. If you would like to sign up to get more updates from the city go to northlibertyiowa.org/subscribe.55+ Connections: Tuesday GatheringTuesday, March 410:30 AMNorth Liberty Library – Meeting Room CDIt is once again board game/card game week! We’ll have an assortment of games to pick from, but you are welcome to bring one of your own t...
This is the 55+ Connections weekly update. If you would like to sign up to get more updates from the city go to northlibertyiowa.org/subscribe.
Tuesday, March 4
10:30 AM
North Liberty Library – Meeting Room CD
It is once again board game/card game week! We’ll have an assortment of games to pick from, but you are welcome to bring one of your own to play if you’d like!
Join us each week for a social gathering full of activities and friendly conversation – board games, crafts, puzzles, book discussions, and more! No registration required. You can choose which events you would like to attend and are not obligated to go weeks when the activity is not of interest to you.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Mar 4 – Apr 18
10 – 11 AM
North Liberty Recreation Center – Upper Aerobics Room
The Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease Program is a community-based physical activity and self-management education program. While walking is the central activity, Walk With Ease also includes health education, stretching and strengthening exercises, and motivational strategies. The program includes a guidebook and a walking schedule to get you safely moving toward better health. These classes meet three times a week for six weeks. This is an evidence- based program that has been proven to improve the quality of life of people with arthritis, but anyone who wants to add regular activity into their lives can benefit. We will walk on the indoor track at the North Liberty Rec Center and potentially outdoors if the weather is inviting. Click here to register or call 319-356-5220.
Wednesdays
11:15 AM – 12 PM
North Liberty Recreation Center – Upper Aerobics Room
Qigong, sometimes called the grandmother of tai chi, is the basic exercise system within Chinese medicine. It focuses on opening the places in your body where your circulating energy is blocked, allowing your life force, known as qi, to flow freely. As a slow moving, peaceful, meditative form of exercise, qigong can be practiced by people of all ages and abilities. We will use a mix of videos from the Great Courses to lead our routines. The movements in this course are slow and simple, and always carefully modeled and explained. The practice of qigong, time-tested over thousands of years, has the potential to improve your physical fitness, free your mind, and energize your life with renewed vitality. Click here to register or call 319-356-5220.
Wednesdays, March 5 – 26
3 – 4 PM
Iowa City Senior Center – Room 302
The 2025 Barbara Schlachter and Ann Christenson Memorial Lecture Series is a partnership between the Iowa City Senior Center and 100 Grannies for a Livable Future. For over 10 years, this team of women has been working to inform and activate communities by drawing attention to risks to our environment. Meet some of the leaders who help move us to action, discuss priorities you care about and what you can do to support these efforts. Click here to register or call 319-356-5220.
Mar 5: David Cwiertny – Clean Water in Iowa
Mar 12: Kristin Shevis – Reducing Plastic Pollution
Mar 19: Glen Merzer – Food is Climate
Mar 26: Dr. Jerald Schnoor – Climate Change, Wildfires, and Hurricanes: Where are we heading?
Thursday, March 6
6:30 PM
North Liberty Library – MR BCD
Who doesn’t love a good battle of the brains? Invite your friends to join us for a night of trivia, snacks and small prizes! Teams can be made up of five people or fewer, but you don’t have to bring a team. Individuals can work together or separately.
Friday, March 7
11:30 AM
North Liberty Rec Center – Rooms 3&4
Somehow, we’re already in March! If you register on a monthly basis, don’t forget that this is the first Friday of the month and you may need to call and check to make sure you’re signed up. This week, we’ll have turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy from Hy-Vee for lunch. After lunch we’ll play BINGO!
Registration for lunch is $5 and required for all who attend lunch. Participants must register before noon on Thursday, March 6th. Call the Rec Center to register (319)626-5716 or go online to your RecDesk Account and register yourself.
Friday, March 7
2 PM
Iowa City Senior Center – Room 302
Come to the Senior Center to watch a movie and eat popcorn!
March 7th: Sideways (2004)
Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment embark on a week-long road trip through California’s wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.
Friday, March 7
2- 3 PM
North Liberty Library – Study Room 1
Bring in your device that you need help with or any tech question(s) you have and get assistance! No appointment necessary!
Help with devices/technology is not limited to this event, but it’s an open space where we’re guaranteed to be present and available. For any questions (or if you’d like tech help outside of this event), email Nick at [email protected]
877-292-2126
