Story County voters set to decide on their first conservation bond issue

Residents in nearly 60 Iowa counties will vote next month on various projects that would be financed by bond issues. One of the biggest votes is in Story County in central Iowa, where $25 million in bonds would go to fund conservation and recreation projects.

Nancy Franz, a member of the Story County Conservation Board, says some of the money would go toward creating more ADA-compliant trails at Hickory Grove Park.

“For me, it’s about everyone having access to outdoor and outdoor experiences. Everyone has the right to this, and this link will help make this possible for more people,” says Franz. “So it’s about recreation, education and preservation related to the natural resources of Story County.”

If passed, officials say county property taxes for a median household would increase by less than $3 per month. Franz handed out bonding pamphlets to parents at a recent trick-or-treating event at Hickory Grove Park. She says the park is a destination in central Iowa, but water quality is a challenge.

“The geese love our swimming beach because they can sit there and watch 360 degrees without being attacked by a predator,” explains Franz. “When they do that, they leave their feces and their feces washes into the beach and into the water.” The bond would help fund the construction of grassy terraces to deter geese.

The money would also be used for things like completing the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail, restoring wetlands and reducing erosion along the Skunk River, as well as building a nature center at McFarland Park.

This is Story County’s first attempt at adopting a conservation measure. Johnson County passed one in 2008 and has a new $30 million conservation bond on the ballot this November. To pass, both measures require a supermajority with at least 60% of the public vote.

(By Rachel Cramer, Iowa Public Radio)