People reporting for jury duty when a major trial is looming in Webster County may find themselves spending some time at the fairgrounds.

The main building at the fairgrounds south of Fort Dodge will be the location for the jury selection process when a large number of potential jurors are summoned.

The Webster County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement Tuesday with the Webster County Agriculture Association to make that possible. The county government will pay the association $50 a day when the site is used for jury selection.

County Attorney Darren Driscoll told the board that in order to comply with COVID-19 precautions such as social distancing, a bigger space is needed to assemble potential jurors. The bigger space will make it possible to keep everyone at least 6 feet apart.

The county had been using the Fort Dodge Community School District Central Office for that purpose. Driscoll said the agreement that allowed the county to use that building ends this month. He described the county’s agreement with the school district as ”fantastic.”

Also on Tuesday, the board approved the purchase of a Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle for the Sheriff’s Office from Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota for $31,372.