In brief … At a special meeting Monday, April 26, the Kimball City Council voted 2 to 1 to approve a tax abatement for improvements made at A.M. Maus & Son in Kimball. Karla Davis and Steve Edwards voted in favor, DeWayne Orbeck voted against, and Andy Maus and Micky Fischer abstained. The car dealership plans an expansion of its facilities. Under the tax abatement, it will pay yearly taxes on the existing property plus new taxes assessed on the improvements. The city will refund them that portion of the tax above the current facility. A 5-percent annual increase on current taxes to be paid is built into the agreement. The abatement is for a period of eight years, with a cap of $80,000. The council plans to put together criteria for future tax abatement projects. They believe tax abatement can promote business growth in Kimball, but want to make sure it is available and implemented fairly. Things the city will look for in future tax abatement requests include cost of the proposed project, and the number and quality of jobs to be added in the city.
