New trails

Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Fort Dodge, pairing and coordinating the use of grant funds from the MIDAS Council of Governments and the Iowa Department to Transportation to improve trails in the area.

Fort Dodge was awarded a $350,000 transportation alternative grant through MIDAS and the IDOT to construct a new trail along 170th Street (County Highway D14), starting near BHJ Corporation on North 15th Street.

Webster County was awarded the same amount through both entities to construct a paved trail circumnavigating Badger Lake at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, much of which is currently gravel.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious Docks around Badger Lake in John F. Kennedy Memorial Park allow for recreational opportunities, in conjunction with a system of trails.

The agreement approved Tuesday delegates to the city modification of the existing Regional Transportation Improvement Plan in order to allow the county to utilize the city’s funding for paving the trail around Badger Lake, in addition to providing the county with up to an additional $225,000 match that was required to procure the larger grant from MIDAS and IDOT.

The trail will be paved starting near the park’s eastern entrance, providing full pavement to the campground, by November 2021.

The other trail from the north end of the existing Nature Trail, near BHJ Corporation on 170th Street, to the intersection of 160th Street and Oates Avenue will be called the Nature Trail Extension and is planned for completion by November 2022.

With a two-year window to complete the Badger Lake trail loop, the Soldier Creek trail and Kennedy Memorial Park will soon be connected by pavement for bicyclists and other recreational users, according to Matt Cosgrove, director of Webster County Conservation. Both projects together will utilize up to $925,000 in funds.

As trail pavements continue to progress in the county, Cosgrove told The Messenger that the county has a long-term vision of eventually connecting Fort Dodge to Badger with a bike trail.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
A new funding grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation, approved by the Webster County Supervisors Tuesday, will help pave a bike trail around the perimeter of John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. The trail, mostly gravel right now, allows for dog walking, biking and other recreational activities with a scenic view of Badger Lake.

Board of Adjustments

Supervisors approved three applicants to fill vacancies on the Board of Adjustment for county planning and zoning. The vacancies were created by a new state law adopted on July 1 that started requiring all Board of Adjustment members to reside in unincorporated areas of the county.

Ernest Kersten, of Fort Dodge, was approved for a term expiring at the end of 2022. Kersten is an attorney, business owner and mineral rights owner.

Jon Flattery, of Fort Dodge, was approved for a term expiring at the end of 2024. He is a farmer, realtor and appraiser.

Kent Pliner, a farmer and compliance officer for Iowa Select Farms from Otho, was approved for a term expiring at the end of 2025.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Badger Lake at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park is shown here.

Secondary Roads purchases

The Secondary Roads Department received supervisor approval for the following purchases:

∫ A 2020 Palmer triple-axle pup trailer for $62,992, an item budgeted for 2021. It was purchased from Hiway Truck Equipment, of Fort Dodge.

∫ A 2015 Mack semi-tractor for $46,000, replacing one involved in an accident and paid with insurance funds. It was purchased from Rees Truck and Trailer, of Fort Dodge.

∫ A 2020 Mack dump truck for $129,373. It was also bought from Rees Truck and Trailer.