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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.
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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.
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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.
Webster County Sheriff Luke Fleener acknowledged concern on Wednesday about a local resident who is on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry while being active in his
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Gov. Kim Reynolds’ move to scrap measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will have no impact on the mask mandate in Webster County, according to County Attorney Darren Driscoll.
“Our’s is independent of the governor’s,” Driscoll said Friday evening.
He said it will remain in place until it’s repealed by the Board of Supervisors.
The county mandate requires masks or face coverings to be worn at all times in most indoor public locations. It also requires masks or face coverings to be worn outdoors when six feet of distance cannot be maintained between people.