The proposal would add 5 percent franchise fees to the electric and natural gas bills of MidAmerican Energy customers.

Those fees would generate an estimated $1.8 million a year, which would be used to pay for hiring eight more police officers.

There will be just three polling places open. Those locations are:

• First Covenant Church, 201 Ave. H.

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

• Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.

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

The proposed fees 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.

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 will also enable the creation of a three-member Community Action Team. That unit would be a hybrid of patrol and investigations. It would be deployed wherever needed to supplement the current patrol and investigations staff.

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