bshea@messengernews.net
An investigator will be added to the staff of the Webster County Attorney’s Office this summer.
The investigator will assist the Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Department, the Dayton Police Department and the Gowrie Police Department.
With no discussion, the Fort Dodge City Council on Monday approved the agreement that will create the position. Councilmen Andy Fritz and Jeff Halter were absent from the otherwise unanimous vote.
The Webster County Board of Supervisors approved the agreement on April 27.
Under that agreement, the city will pay 60 percent of the investigator’s salary.
The county will pay 40 percent of the salary and the employer’s share of health insurance and other benefits.
bshea@messengernews.net
An experienced investigator may soon be added to the staff of the Webster County Attorney’s Office.
The investigator would assist the Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Dayton Police Department and the Gowrie Police Department.
County Attorney Darren Driscoll said the individual would assist ”anyone who comes into a major crime situation and needs an experienced investigator.”
He told the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday that the new position has been discussed for about two years. Fort Dodge Police Chief Roger Porter and, recently, new Sheriff Luke Fleener have been part of those discussions, he said.
bshea@messengernews.net
The Fort Dodge City Council is expected to award some contracts for street and trail work when it meets tonight.
The council’s activity will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an annual report from Main Street Fort Dodge, the organization that works to develop the downtown with a focus on historic preservation.
The council’s regular business meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
That’s when the council will consider awarding the infrastructure contracts.
One of those contracts is for the complete reconstruction of a couple blocks of streets on the city’s south side. The planned project would rebuild South 21st Street between 14th and 15th avenues south, plus 15th Avenue South between Oleson Park Avenue and South 22nd Street.
bshea@messengernews.net
A proposed broadband utility and plans for the downtown area near the Des Moines River will be considered by the Fort Dodge City Council this evening.
The council will have a workshop beginning at 5 p.m.
During that session, the elected officials will receive the latest data on the planned municipal broadband utility, which is to provide a fiber optic connection to the internet for every home and business that wants it.
City voters gave the local government the authority to pursue such a system during a November 2019 referendum, with 71.6 percent of them voting yes. Since that referendum, the city staff has worked with private companies to plan the system.
-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
The road that will one day become Second Avenue South is taking shape at the Crossroads Mall site. -Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Dirt work continues at the Crossroads Mall site on Wednesday. The developers for the site are working on recruiting nationally known retailers when the new shopping center emerges.
-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
The road that will one day become Second Avenue South is taking shape at the Crossroads Mall site.
A booming shopping and entertainment venue that features nationally known retail stores is part of the vision for the Corridor Plaza development.