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Benton County holds hearing on $750,000 CDBG tree replanting project in Atkins Roundhouse area
Summary
County staff and the grant administrator reported on progress for a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster-recovery contract to remove stumps and replant trees in the Atkins Roundhouse area; work on stump removal is complete and planting is ongoing, with monitoring and maintenance required through the grant end date.
Benton County officials held a public hearing to review the status of funded activities for the Benton County Conservation tree replanting project in the Atkins Roundhouse area, a project assisted through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery award of $750,000 (contract 20DRI025). Melissa Comer, environmental specialist for the Central Iowa Council of Governments and the grant administrator for the project, read a prepared statement summarizing progress and expenditures.
Comer said a release of funds was issued on April 22, 2024. Stump removal work proceeded after a preconstruction meeting on Nov. 18, 2024; the contractor began work Jan. 28, 2025, and completed stump removal March 27, 2025. A preconstruction meeting for replanting was held Aug. 25, 2025; planting began Oct. 8, 2025, and Comer told the board that planting work was ongoing at the time of the hearing.
Comer provided a funding summary and invoicing through Oct. 20, 2025: $33,441.25 has been invoiced and paid for project delivery services and newspaper publications; $237,203.85 has been invoiced and paid for project costs, all using CDBG funds. She said remaining work includes weekly watering, site maintenance and required monitoring and site visits by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Comer also noted the project is on schedule to be completed before the grant end date in September 2026.
Board members asked procedural and maintenance questions, including whether tree watering services were prepaid; Comer said watering is part of the contract. Commissioners and attendees who had visited the site commented that the newly planted trees were visible along trails and that a range of tree sizes and heights had been planted.
The hearing was informational; no formal policy action was taken at the hearing. The board confirmed it will continue to monitor progress and compliance with the CDBG grant requirements.
The county listed the project timeline, spending to date and the grant termination date for public record at the conclusion of the hearing.
