Discussion and Review of Tiffin Municipal Code Revisions — City Staff Updates

AGENDA ITEM # WS-F AGENDA INFORMATION TIFFIN CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION DATE: October 1, 2026 AGENDA ITEM: Discussion and Review of Tiffin Municipal Code Revisions – Proposed Updated from City Staff, City Attorney & Sheriff’s Department ACTION: Motion Background As part of the current codification review, City Staff, the City Attorney, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office have reviewed the draft Code of Ordinances and identified several proposed updates for Council consideration. The following summarizes the recommended changes and items requiring further discussion. City Staff & City Attorney Recommendations Chapter 7 – Fiscal Management, Section 7.08(2): Annual Financial Report • Remove the specific years currently referenced in the ordinance so the provision remains applicable to future reporting periods. • The language would be updated to reference the Annual Financial Report published by December 1 and fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, without identifying a specific year. The current draft contains references to December 1, 2025, and July 1, 2024. Chapter 18 – City Clerk, Section 18.05(2): Manner of Publication • Update the locations where required notices may be posted to: o City Hall o City website • Remove the references to The Depot and Morgan’s Service as designated posting locations. The current provision identifies additional physical posting locations that staff is recommending be removed. Municipal Fine Schedule Staff reviewed municipal fine schedules utilized by other Iowa communities, including the City of Davenport, as a potential model for addressing certain code violations. Davenport establishes scheduled fines for specific municipal infractions, with fines increasing for subsequent offenses. For example, its animal ordinance establishes scheduled fines ranging from $20 to $750 depending on the violation and number of offenses. Davenport's nuisance provisions also provide for scheduled fines of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $750 for a third or subsequent offense. Staff is seeking direction from the City Council and law enforcement regarding whether a similar scheduled fine structure would be appropriate for Tiffin and, if so, which violations should be 1