Dubuque Times

Maquoketa Mayor Tom Messerli gave the annual State of the City address during a recent City Council meeting.

He opened by acknowledging the changes made to the City Council's membership. He thanked Brent Good for his service as a councilman and welcomed incoming 3rd Ward Councilwoman Caroline Ehlinger, who was appointed in December.

2023 is expected to be an important year for Maquoketa's infrastructure. The city received $3.2 million in Iowa state funds to pay for improvements to water and wastewater infrastructure. Some additional money will come from other grant and funding sources to minimize the impact on residents' utility rates.

While tax rates remained fairly consistent over the last few years, many city residents are expecting some change in that area, as Maquoketa takes on larger projects on both the east and west sides of the city. Maquoketa also received $700,000 from a Destination Iowa Grant to improve Prairie Creek Park alongside Jackson County, adding amenities such as disc golf equipment and camping facilities.

Messerli urged residents to become more involved in their community and local government; he reminded them of the City Council meeting schedule's online availability. He also encouraged residents to come to any city meeting if they wished to speak about concerns they feel strongly about. Messerli welcomed a new police chief and two new officers to Maquoketa. He thanked them for their service, then ended the address by reminding the audience of the city's official phone number. He asked residents to not be afraid to call the city government or visit in person with any possible questions.

"2022 has had its challenges and successes, and we are looking forward to 2023 and anticipating it will provide the city of Maquoketa more good things for our citizens," Messerli said.