Companies that fix roads, sewers and water mains may be busy in Fort Dodge during the next few years as the result of an ambitious improvement plan introduced to the City Council Monday.

It calls for investing about $96 million in infrastructure between 2010 and 2015.

The plan doesn't include any spending on projects to support a proposed casino near U.S. highways 20 and 169. The council has already agreed to extend water and sanitary sewer service to that site if a casino is approved by state regulators.

That work will be added to the plan if a casino license is awarded by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission next spring, according to City Manager David Fierke.

''If it comes to be, we'll put together the project and go with it,'' he said.

Money from the 1-cent local option sales tax, bonds, water and sewer bills, and the storm water utility fee would pay for all the work now in the plan. Work for the casino would be paid for with property tax revenue generated only by the casino.

City officials will have less local option sales tax money to work with, however.

It was previously estimated that the city would take in about $3.2 million annually from that tax.

Fierke said Monday that the state Department of Revenue has cut that estimate to $2.5 million annually.

Barbara Barrick, the city clerk and finance director, said that reduction reflects the national recession.

Councilman Matt Bemrich said he believes that's a good reason to invest in the eastern area of town that has become the retail hub.

''The only way to do more work is to keep retail sales up,'' he said.

General obligation bond issues in which the city borrows money and pays off the debt with property tax revenue are planned to help pay for infrastructure work.

A $9.7 million bond issue is planned for next year, with a $2.7 million version anticipated in 2011.

Under state law, the city government can borrow a maximum of $50 million, according to Fierke. He said the city has now reached 55 percent of that limit.

Mayor Terry Lutz said those bond issues would add $68 to the property tax bill of a typical Fort Dodge homeowner.

''I think we're on track with getting the community fixed up at a cost that is reasonable,'' he said.

According to City Engineer Chad Schaeffer, special assessments added to property taxes would be used to pay for about $200,000 worth of sidewalk and storm sewer work.

About $120,000 to $150,000 of those assessments would be charged to owners of property on the south side of 10th Avenue North, east of 32nd Street, to pay for a new storm sewer.

The plan includes projects that are already under way, such as improvements at the wastewater treatment plant, 1801 Ave. B. And the $8.9 million cost of constructing the aquatic center at 32nd Street and 10th Avenue North accounts for much of the proposed $13,270,000 of spending on buildings and grounds.

The council took no action on the plan Monday. Multiple council votes would be required before any project envisioned in the plan could be done.

Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net