Three polling places will be open today in Fort Dodge so that voters can weigh in on proposed utility franchise fees that would pay for hiring eight more police officers.

Those polling places will be:

• First Covenant Church, 201 Ave. H.

• Fort Dodge Community School District Administration Building, 109 N. 25th St.

• Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.

Citizens can vote at any one of those polling places.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The proposed franchise fees must be approved by a simple majority of those voting to go into effect. If they are approved today, the fees will most likely be implemented in January.

The fees would be 5 percent levies added to the electric and natural gas bills of MidAmerican Energy customers.

The fees would generate about $1.8 million a year, according to figures provided by the city.

They are estimated to cost a typical household $6.85 per month.

That includes $3.70 added to the electric bill and $3.15 added to the gas bill.

If the fees are approved, the 1 percent local option sales tax now levied on gas and electric bills will be dropped.

The Police Department currently has 40 officers who respond to about 31,000 calls for help a year.

If the fees are approved, one more officer will be added to each of the four patrol shifts. Those shifts would then have eight people assigned to them, including a lieutenant, a sergeant, and six patrol officers.

Adding eight officers would also enable the creation of a three-member Community Action Team. That unit would be a hybrid of patrol and investigations.

“The idea is that while shift officers and detectives are responding to calls for service they will continuously identify opportunities where a sudden increase in law enforcement focus and attention is needed,” said Police Chief Dennis Quinn. “The CAT can quickly respond, gather intelligence, insert manpower behind emerging problems, and ultimately change the course of criminal activities.”

These officers would be assigned their workload and hours based on a needs assessment of where they can make the biggest impact in the community. This includes interacting with the community and building positive relationships with community members. Quinn said it might look like checking in with business owners to see how their area is doing or even attending a local Neighborhood Watch meeting.

Adding eight officers would also enable the creation of one more general crimes detective.