PIONEER, Iowa (AP) — A tiny city in northern Iowa is edging toward unincorporating as its population dwindles, but first it must figure out how to spend its healthy reserve fund. The Messenger reports that Pioneer City Clerk Janet Berte recently met with the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors to discuss the formal process of unincorporating. Berte says the last census found that the city had a population of 23. Officials say that the city soon won’t be able to meet the official requirements of being a city as its citizens age.

Berte says one obstacle to unincorporating is the city’s good financials. She says most cities unincorporated when they run out of money, but Pioneer has about $150,000. Berte says the City Council doesn’t have a set timeline for unincorporating.