Des Moines-The Iowa State Appeal Board this Friday will meet and determine the tax levy at Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City. The meeting will be held at 12 noon tomorrow (Friday) at the State Capitol Building in the Iowa Department of Management Office,Room G14. On June 9th, there was a formal fact-finding public hearing at the Hamilton County Courthouse. Representatives from both the petitioning citizens and the management of Van Diest Medical Center present arguments before the Appeal Board. The protest from citizens concerned the proposed capital improvement levy for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The opposition from petitions argue that the levy based on the hospital’s past performance and current balance sheet. The defense from the hospital administration and its Board of Trustees argue that the funding is necessary to safely operate the hospital. The Van Diest Medical Center previously lowered its countywide tax ask from $2.10 to $1.90 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation in an effort to compromise. It will be up to the State Appeal Board that is made up of the Iowa Auditor of State, State Treasurer and the Director of the Department of Management to make a determination at the Friday noon meeting. The meeting is open to the public however no further public comments will be accepted during the final decision meeting.