Conservation director: Bright Creek disc golf, trail work advancing but drainage, permits and funding remain unresolved

Nathan Jones, Jackson County conservation director, updated the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 26 about multiple conservation projects at Bright Creek and on county facility planning, saying the disc golf course is in use but the north-end trail and a proposed shop building require further work and funding decisions.

Jones told the board the concrete pads for the Destination Iowa disc golf project are installed and baskets should be placed within weeks. "I can't believe how many people are actually playing," he said, adding the course already has heavy daily use. Staff plan a ribbon-cutting on one of the last two weekends of October tied to water-quality outreach.

Why it matters: the Bright Creek work is funded in part by a Destination Iowa grant and county funds; drainage and floodplain concerns could generate change orders or require redesign, affecting the schedule and local costs.

Construction and drainage: Jones said crews will likely rent a pulverizer attachment for the skid loader to smooth portions of the new trail but that recent rains left standing water along the north section for more than a week. He said contractor Schrader and county staff have identified possible elevation errors and drainage problems near Jacobson Drive that could require change orders. "We're going to see some change orders expected in this project to try to fix some of these problems before it actually is totally made," Jones said.

Engineering and agency conditions: Jones said the Iowa Department of Transportation is requiring a new pedestrian bridge near an existing mill bridge to meet clearance and emergency-vehicle access standards; the DOT set the crossing about 15–20 feet offset from the existing bridge. He also said county staff are negotiating with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on floodplain elements of a separate water-quality workstream; DNR has expressed concern about several water crossings and elevations, and county staff expect to adjust grades or move crossings to meet DNR standards.

Contracting and schedule: Jones said crews expect to pour asphalt after grading, but that asphalt placement could be months away and could be affected by fall weather. He said Destination Iowa funding for the project does not allow an extension; his staff and a county colleague who manages grant reporting believe the project can be completed within the current funding window, but cautioned weather and the unsettled change orders could create schedule pressure.

Fundraising and shelter: Jones said the county raised roughly $130,000 of a $200,000 private-fundraising target for the pavilion and associated items; some grant decisions are still pending. He said the county expects to buy shelter materials locally and build the pavilion with county crews, and that materials are roughly two weeks out once ordered.

Campground staffing: Jones also warned the board that the campground host at Spruce fractured his back and the county may not have a host for upcoming holiday weekends; staff plan to cover gaps with two rangers and limited hours but cautioned there may be coverage holes.

County shop and storage planning: Jones and Jayden (county secondary-roads staff) walked the board through conceptual plans for a new conservation storage building at the county farm. Jones said a slab-on-grade design would require roughly 8,600 cubic yards of fill — about 720 typical 12-yard dump-truck loads — to bring the building pads to grade. The county is also exploring a building with drive-under storage (a garage under the slab), which would reduce earthwork but require structural design and detailed contractor bids.

"We asked to get a cost-figure difference from pouring a footing and then pouring walls so you could drive under," Jayden said. Jones said the department would likely need structural engineering plans and a competitive procurement (RFP) for either approach.

Site constraints and next steps: staff noted setbacks, right-of-way lines and an existing drainage swale between grain bins and an adjacent barn will constrain building placement. County discussion also touched on possible joint facilities with secondary roads and other county departments; Jones said board members are exploring land-purchase options and cost-sharing if a joint site can be found. No formal board action was taken; staff said they would continue due diligence, refine cost estimates and prepare procurement documents once a preferred site and design approach are chosen.

Ending: Conservation staff asked the board to remain available for decisions on site selection, change orders and grant reporting as needed; Jones and Jayden said they would return with more specific cost estimates and draft procurement documents when those items are ready.