As 2026 began, the Humboldt City Council members passed a strategic plan with six broad elements to be pinpointed in the upcoming months. The council also appears poised to create a multi-year Capital Improvement Projects plan, which was where so many projects came from dating back over the last half-decade.

Humboldt City Administrator Cole Bockelmann said that sort of intentionality led to the notable projects on main thoroughfares, recreational pieces and for business expansion.

“That was super crucial to our success over the last few decades. … Now that we are sort of done (with the recent batch of projects), we are restarting our planning,” Bockelmann said.

Summarizing the scope of the town of 4,700 people, he added: “We have a really good, strong, vibrant identity. We have some distinctive things for a town of our size. We really stand out with a strong, high-quality way of life.”

Summarizing some of those 2024 (which involved $10 million in CIP spending) and 2025 projects, the one finished at the end of last year was the $2.2 million Eagle Ridge Nature Trail. That endeavor extended Cottonwood Trail and added an eye-popping pedestrian bridge across the West Fork of the Des Moines River.

“It turned out even better than I thought, both the bridge and the trail,” Bockelmann said.

Eagle Ridge Nature Trail was in part paid for with a $950,000 grant. Bockelmann said people were anticipatory about that trail addition, but the final look exceeded expectations for many people.

“Most of the reactions are generally positive. They like having another outdoor amenity,” Bockelmann said.

He praised the serene feel to the trail, which moves through a wooded area and has elevation changes.

While the Eagle Ridge Nature Trail work is done for now, future years could see the addition of a new trailhead. Additionally, some people want to hook Sheldon Park, which is one of a dozen city parks, to the trail, although the land between those two areas is currently not city-owned land.

Bockelmann, who has been in the city administrator position for four years, said Humboldt now has a much more modern wastewater treatment plant, after a $3.7 million makeover. He said that infrastructure improvement was needed after some 2019 damage to a lift station, plus much of the other equipment had reached the end of its useful life.

Of the $3.7 million cost, $2.6 million for the wastewater plant improvements carried out in 2025 came from grants.

Back in 2024, Sumner Avenue, a primary street through Humboldt, was resurfaced over its entire length and more decorative lighting pieces were added, at a cost of $1.7 million.

As two more reminders of the 2024 work, which each cost $3 million, there was an overlay rehabilitation of the entire runway at the Humboldt Municipal Airport, while a project was carried out at Three Rivers Industrial Park.

In Phase One of a public-private partnership of the city with the Partnership for Economic Growth of Humboldt County, infrastructure was placed on four commercial lots in Three Rivers Industrial Park where businesses can locate with ease.

Returning to the planning that lies ahead for pinpointing even more projects, Bockelmann said the City Council and other leaders recognize the value of “positioning us for a growth mentality.”

He said the strategic plan adopted in January sets six goal areas. Those are community identity and image, organizational capacity, infrastructure and maintenance, housing, recreation and economic vitality.

When it comes to infrastructure within that strategic plan, which is titled, “A small community at its best,” more specificity will come in the future. Bockelmann said one area of focus will be where Iowa Highway 3 and U.S. Highway 169 converge.

“We are going to be focusing on the highway corridor,” he said.