The budget approved by the Pella City Council this week for the next fiscal year includes two potentially large financial undertakings for the community.

In the financial plan, $300,000 has been set aside for Pella Ambulance to support the service that is struggling financially to keep up with increased call volume and a lower reimbursement rate for those patients. Since the group currently functions as a non-profit organization as opposed to a government-operated facility, they are not eligible for some grant reimbursement through the State of Iowa. The council will discuss options regarding the future of the service later this summer, with some council members indicating support for turning Pella Community Ambulance into a city-operated service.

Approximately $800,000 has been also allocated for engineering services for facilities projects, including the potential new Rec Center near the Pella Sports Park, upgrades to the Pella Community Center, and renovations to the Pella Memorial Building. The Pella City Council has not made any formal determination on details for those projects, with decisions potentially coming as soon as April.