T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall, front, addresses the Marshall County Board of Supervisors while TRAILS Inc. President and At-Large Marshalltown City Councilor Jeff Schneider, back, looks on during Wednesday morning’s regular meeting at the courthouse. The board did not take action on their $1 million funding commitment request for the Iowa River’s Edge Trail but did agree to schedule a special meeting for next Wednesday to revisit the matter.

TRAILS Inc. President and At-Large Marshalltown City Councilor Jeff Schneider came before the Marshall County Board of Supervisors to request a $1 million financial commitment that would go toward the paving of the Iowa River’s Edge Trail from the Marshalltown city limits to Albion during Wednesday morning’s regular meeting, but the supervisors asked for more time to review their budget and look for potential funding sources before making a decision.

The supervisors previously pledged $2 million toward the project contingent on a successful federal Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) application that would have provided $12 million toward the paving from Steamboat Rock to Marshalltown. That application was denied back in January, but as Schneider noted, there were no real winners as the grant funds have been frozen since President Donald Trump took office.

“We continue to have opportunities for getting this trail built with different grants. All the grants really like to see community support, city support where applicable (and) county support,” Schneider said. “So what I’m here today to ask for is for the supervisors to publicly declare some amount of money that you would support the trail with to get to Albion. That is our next achievable phase.”

To do that, the entities behind the project intend to apply for a Destination Iowa (DI) grant, which has a pre application deadline coming up in about two weeks, to cover paving from the current trailhead location north of the railroad tracks to the Iowa River’s Edge Trail and northwest to Albion. A $1 million commitment, Schneider said, could open doors to other grants in the future even if the DI application is unsuccessful, and the city of Marshalltown will be applying for another round of funding within the next few weeks.

“It’s just a lot easier to get these grant applications done if we have a standing commitment from the county. The city has contributed quite a bit of money in the past to getting to the city limits. We’d just really love to see the county support,” he said. “There’s a lot of reasons we need to build this trail — economic development reasons. We need to stop the brain drain from Marshall County. We need people to make their homes here, raise their families here. We really think the trail can play a big part in that.”

Schneider offered the board flexibility in making the commitment if it needed to be spaced out over multiple years, and cash payments wouldn’t be requested until construction phases are done. Supervisors Chair Carol Hibbs asked about the cost of the trail from the Marshalltown city limits to Albion, and Schneider pegged the figure to be between $5.7 and $5.8 million.

Bids for recent city construction projects, he added, have actually been coming in under the engineer’s estimates lately, citing the example of a pavement repair bid that was 33 percent lower than the estimate.

“With county support of $1 million, there may even be some opportunities that we can do this without external grant funding with just cash that TRAILS has raised and some pledges and some other funding sources that we’re applying for — state rec trails grant, federal rec trails grant, TASA (Transportation Alternatives Set Aside). We might be able to do it piecemeal to get to Albion at this point, especially with these low construction costs,” Schneider said.

In response to another question from Hibbs, Schneider said there are eight bridges still in need of work, and the next four are set to go out to bid in June with the biggest ones looming. The bridge crossing the river, he noted, is in “really good shape” and will primarily require cosmetic repairs and environmental work on the north shore — at a cost of about $800,000, according to an engineer’s estimate.

Supervisor Jarret Heil asked about the timeline, and Schneider said the Destination Iowa pre application is due in about two weeks while adding that “the stars would have to align” to make it happen. If it doesn’t, they could always reapply next year or pursue other funding avenues.

Hibbs wondered if the current DI projects in Marshalltown would have any impact on another application, and Schneider said Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Director Debi Durham “really wants to see” the trail get done.

“It all depends on where the projects are and what the quality of the projects are, but yeah, there’s no detriment to us because we have an existing project. In fact, I think that was appealing because (the other projects) went well,” Schneider said.

Supervisor Kevin Goodman asked if surveys had been conducted on the top amenities needed to reverse the brain drain phenomenon, and Schneider welcomed Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall forward to speak on the matter.

“I wouldn’t say that we have hard and fast surveys about amenities that are being pursued. What we can reference are a series of different studies that have been done around the economic impact of trails,” Hall said before referencing a study commissioned by the Iowa Bicycle Coalition that the Chamber helped to sponsor, which includes data specific to Marshall County. “Time and time again, we see the reflection of the economic impact. What I’ll say is that I don’t know that it’s as much about what folks say they’re looking for when it comes to amenities as it is what we can market to people as they’re considering their opportunities. They want to see more amenities. They want to see a variety of amenities, and we know that trails and biking is one that appeals to a broad audience because of the versatility of different ways that people can access and use trails.”

Trails, Hall said, appeal to runners and cyclists from hobbyists to hardcore riders, and they help to attract tourism dollars as well. He also noted that trails don’t typically fall under the purview of the DI grant, but connecting the existing projects such as the trailhead in Marshalltown to an “incredible amenity” like the Raymon Veterans Park in Albion present a golden opportunity with Durham offering her support for allowing the application.

He felt time was of the essence as Durham is expected to leave her position once current Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is not seeking re-election, completes her term at the end of 2026. According to Hall, Durham has also referenced the value of county involvement.

“She’s routinely referenced the value in seeing the county at the table, whether it was our first Economic Outlook Breakfast, she noted that both the city and the county were in the room. She has noted (it) time and time again because that doesn’t happen in every community, and frankly, that hasn’t always happened here,” Hall said. “But she fully understands and appreciates that, and I think the story we can tell with the city’s investment in the trailhead and the county investment into the trail itself extending all the way up to Albion is an incredible story that she wants to see echoed across the state… Director Durham’s been a great champion of our county and of not only recovery efforts, but then new opportunities that we are getting to pursue.”

Schneider added that the application would “most likely” be for $5.7 million, and he reiterated the ability to be flexible with the financing even if it was stretched out over five years. After Hibbs noted that he was making “a significant ask,” Heil wondered if any amount less than $1 million would be acceptable.

“The million is what we need. The previous ask was $2 million, and this is roughly half the project that we have remaining in Marshall County,” Schneider said.

Marshall County Conservation Director Emily Herring also touted the importance of developing recreation in rural areas and highlighted a recent study showing that every dollar the county puts into its conservation budget brings back $10 in economic development.

“I know it’s a big chunk, and I know you guys have a lot of budgeting you have to consider and think about. I do think it’s a great way to help Albion and help our rural communities, so I’m glad I’m not you,” Herring said.

Hall told the board that in order to move forward with the pre-application, 65 percent of the project total has to be committed or raised, which jumps to 80 percent for the full application and then 95 percent at award time. In order to make the pre-application this year for the trail project, it would require between $1.3 and $1.4 million.

The board opted against taking any official action but discussed holding a special meeting next Wednesday to allow the supervisors time to consider the request and explore budget options.

“We’ve got some moving parts and some budget stuff as well right now. I just want to make sure that… I’m very supportive of this project, I really want it to be done. We’ve just gotta make sure that we have a fiscally sound way we go about this, and we want to make sure we do that,” Heil said. “We’re gonna cross our t’s and dot our i’s, and let’s touch base next Wednesday.”

Hibbs added that she felt the project would provide a boost for Albion and catalyze growth in the community of about 450 residents.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the use of county property for an upcoming Rev Up Downtown event, a collaboration between the Marshalltown Central Business District (MCBD) and the Marshalltown Speedway, on May 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. It will feature cars, a live band and food trucks.

• Approved an alcohol license renewal for the Lincoln Valley Golf Course.

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

• Recognized Breanna Nelson for five years of service to the Marshall County Attorney’s Office.

• During the public comment period, Hall introduced the Chamber’s new Marshall County Economic Development Director Alex Ferneau, a West Marshall alum who currently resides in the Wolf Lake area just south of Marshalltown.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.