Last year was another progressive year for the City of Jefferson, and 2018 is shaping up to be even better.

In 2017, 13 buildings in the downtown square underwent some renovations, as part of the $1 million Community Development Block Grant revitalization project. Mayor Craig Berry liked the project and explains how the City was paying for their $250,000 portion of the project.

“The City’s portion of the grant was to use TIF (Tax Increment Financing) funds, which came from the increase in the value of the building facades. We have got a TIF debt that is coming off fairly quickly now, and we thought about using that. Of course that doesn’t affect the property taxpayers, when we are using TIF money.”

There’s even been interest in doing a second phase of the project to include more buildings in the downtown area, planned to possibly start this year. Another major project, slated for 2018, is asphalt overlaying Highway 4 from Lincoln Way to Highway 30 in Jefferson. Berry describes part of the construction plans to improve another section of town.

“There’s been a little bit of change from what I understand right now, I believe we’re going to run a sidewalk all the way out to Highway 30. And then there’s a little section of curb cut that’s down by the Central Christian Church, and I think they’re going to eliminate that.”

That project will be let through the Iowa Department of Transportation, and construction is scheduled to begin this spring.