The city of Shenandoah has the lowest property tax rate in Montgomery County, and it is about to see a slight reduction for the 2015-16 fiscal year. Meanwhile, average home prices rose nearly $110,000 from 2013 to 2015.

Currently, the property tax rate is 24 cents per $100 valuation, but the City Council wants to lower it for the next budget year to 0.2399 cents, Finance Director Jennifer Calvert said. The council approved the new rate Aug. 26.

One reason for lowering the property tax rate includes not financially overestimating what the city needs to operate, City Administrator Greg Smith said.

“We always want to lower the property tax for our residents and businesses, but we need to do it smartly,” he said. “So this year we lowered it to below 24 cents. We only want to collect the necessary taxes to do our job and provide the services. So when you look at what it costs to operate the city and you look at the increases in the taxable value in both new properties and the revaluation, it was determined that the rate of 0.2399 [cents] met the council’s desires and needs to fund the budget and continue to look to the future.”

In addition to city operational expenses, such as police, sewer and water, Shenandoah plans to buy new Christmas decorations for the Lighting of the Angels, the city’s annual Christmas gathering. Also, the police department will purchase replacement vehicles as well as active shooter gear, which is full-body gear police officers wear when they are responding to an active shooter call, Calvert said.

Shenandoah Mayor Gary Watts said prolonged concerns about people with guns and related casualties have prompted the need for more protective police apparel.

“With the number of people traveling through our city, combined with schools in our city limits and in our [extraterritorial jurisdiction], I feel we need to be ready to respond and we need to protect those who have pledged to protect us,” Watts said.

The city will also include automated meter readers in the 2015-16 budget.

“These will pay for themselves with the savings in labor by minimizing time and personnel costs, eliminating personnel walking through yards and improving accuracy and data management for utility billing,” Watts said. “It’s a 21st century upgrade, and many cities have had them in use for a long time.”

Additionally, Shenandoah will soon build a toddler park on land it owns north of Sawdust Road, Calvert said. The Park Committee approved the conceptual plan in March.

“My mantra has always been walkability, green space and parks,” Watts said. “This will be a pocket park within the neighborhood, farthest away from the city park and pool, and just another enhancement for the residents. The park will have            age-appropriate features, seating areas and plenty of shade.”

Calvert said additional items the city could purchase include landscaping at Vision Park and I-45 and renovations to the Visitors Center.