
Holiday Lake Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ) is a local watershed government body formed in 2010 under Iowa Code Chapter 357th. The Rural Improvement Zone Is legislated to use diverted property tax dollars to make improvements in water quality, Erosion Control, and sediment removal. There are five RIZ zones in Iowa as follows, Lake Panorama, Sun Valley, Sundown, Diamondhead, and Holiday Lake.
The Holiday Lake RIZ is managed by volunteers, five-member board of Trustees who are full time residents and are elected to 3-year terms. The current trustees are Brad Storm, President; Rick Happe, Treasurer; Todd Eiler, Clerk; Tom Dvorsky and Cliff Rhoads. Chelse Beumer is the administrative assistant. The holiday Lake Riz is half-way through its 20-year charter and may be eligible for renewal based on needs, providing the population of Poweshiek County remains less than 20,000.
The Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ) is a version of Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) for watershed areas needing improvements in rural counties. When our RIZ was first started in 2010, the Holiday Lake Zone property valuations from 2009 were used as the base for calculating RIZ revenue. All increases in zone valuation (incremental value) is what the levy is calculated on for RIZ revenue. All county, city and school debt service levies are excluded from the incremental levy. Each year we certify our projects/ indebtedness by December 1st. Last year or projects/indebtedness totaled $320,956.00 and this is the amount that will be collected with the 2020 valuations and payable in September 2021 and March 2022.
The Holiday Lake RIZ does not increase any taxes against your property but diverts in incremental property taxes over the base year back to the RIZ to repay certified indebtedness. If RIZ is not renewed in 10 years, your property taxes would not decrease.
This past year we allocated $143,231.00 for the sediment removal (dredging) project for Andy's pond, $131,179.00 for 30 erosion control projects, $18,601.00 to pay for 50% of the lake’s chemical treatment cost, $20,094.00 interest, and $7851.00 administration expense.
The trustees current focus is on removing sediment that has accumulated in the lake. Mapping Network was contracted last year to perform a high-resolution hydrographic survey to determine the location and volumes of sediments. The survey results have shown that the previous erosion control projects i.e., silt ponds, have slowed the rate of sedimentation significantly. They recommend the removal of approximately 27,000 cubic yards total which are largely in the ends of the coves.
We will be developing our next steps for sediment removal over the next several months. Ideally, we would like to be removing sediment in the spring before Memorial Day and in the fall after Labor Day.
If you would have an idea for Holiday Lake Riz project that improves erosion control, water quality or sediment removal, please email us.
Sign up to hear from us about project coming up or to bid on a special project!!
We love our Lake, so feel free to visit any Riz Meeting.
North Lakeshore Drive, Brooklyn, Iowa 52211, United States