A storm spotter class will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Iowa Central Community College East Campus, 2031 Quail Ave. The class will be conducted by the National Weather Service and Webster County Emergency Management.
The ban on open burning in Webster County has been lifted, according to Webster County Emergency Management. However, open burning, other than small fires in fire pits or fire places, remains illegal in Fort Dodge.
Older bridges on two rural Webster County roads will be replaced with culverts under a project approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Peterson Contractors Inc., of Reinbeck, was hired to do the work. The company will be paid $331,133.25 to replace a bridge on Madison Avenue over Buttrick Creek. It will be paid $194,764.75 to replace a bridge on Itaska Avenue, at the far north end of the county, that crosses Deer Creek. County Engineer Jamie Johll said both bridges will be replaced with reinforced box culverts.
A maximum property tax rate of $20.96 per $1,000 of taxable value is being considered by the Fort Dodge City Council for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The council held a required public hearing on the proposed property tax rate Monday. The City Clerk’s Office received one written comment and one oral comment on the property tax prior to the hearing. Both were opposed to any property tax increase. There were no comments during the hearing. The council can reduce the proposed rate but cannot increase it.
Fort Dodge will hold a second archery hunt for deer from Sept. 21 to Jan. 10, 2025. The hunt will be conducted under strictly controlled conditions, mostly in wooded areas on the fringes of the community. The city’s first hunt from Sept. 16, 2023, to Jan. 10, resulted in 43 does being harvested, police Capt. Steve Hanson told the City Council Monday. He said no problems related to the hunt were reported to the Police Department.
The annual Easter Egg Hunt conducted by the Fort Dodge Moose Lodge will be held Saturday at Dodger Stadium. The hunt is for children aged 18 months through fourth grade. Admission is 50 cents per child. Registration begins at 10:45 a.m. Saturday. Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion. No pets will be allowed at the event. Smoking is prohibited. For more information, contact the Moose Lodge after 4 p.m. at 515-573-7371 or Ann Machovec at 515-570-5475.