The Indianola City Council has given direction to city staff on budget items for 2019 to add additional employees to the Indianola Police and Fire Departments. City Manager Ryan Waller tells KNIA News in addition to further studies on the city hall and public safety building space, the city needed more members in each department.

“The key items are the addition of two police officers and three firefighters. We are understaffed by four in the police department, and six in the fire department. Our chiefs did a great job of putting together a phasing plan, so this budget includes those additions plus a member of the clerical staff at the police department this year.”

Waller also said that a property tax levy rate is published with the public hearing on the budget, which can be found on the city website.