The Hamilton County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to grant $180,000 in Local Option Sales Tax Funds to help pay for the restoration of the first Hamilton County Courthouse, which is now a part of the Wilson Brewer Historic Park complex in Webster City.

The money will be administered by the Enhance Hamilton County Foundation, and the project will go forward under the direction of the Wilson Brewer Historic Park Historical Commission and the City Council of Webster City.

The supervisors also approved pay for county election judges at $9 an hour for workers and $10 an hour for a precinct chairman.

They set Nov. 8 as the time of a public hearing on the vacation of a portion 280th Street in Independence Township that aligned with Beaver Bridge.

The board also set Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. as the date of a public hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget.

In a nod to Halloween, Brian Lammers, county conservation director, reminded the public that Saturday, Oct. 29, is trick or treating night at Little Wall Lake Park. It will last from 4 to 7p.m.

He said perhaps as many as 750 kids attended the recent Briggs Woods Park trick or treat night. He expects similar numbers at Little Wall.

“These are quickly becoming one of our largest events of the year,” Lammers said.

In other news, Lammers said the new county conservation employees’ training session by the Iowa Association of Conservation is being held at the Briggs Woods Convention Center.

“This is the first time that this is being held outside of Des Moines,” he said.

In other news:

Hamilton County Auditor Kim Schaa said there were 120 absentee ballots at the auditor’s window Monday and that the auditor’s office will be open at regular hours and open Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for absentee balloting.

County Recorder Kim Anderson reminded pheasant and deer hunters not to trespass on private property or discharge a firearm within 200 yards of a residence.

Sheriff confirms elk,

mountain lion sightings

in Hamilton County

Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Timmons said there is a wild elk that has been roaming around the county.

He reminds residents that it is illegal to shoot the elk. If someone does shoot the elk, that person will be arrested, and their weapons and vehicles will be confiscated.

Timmons also confirmed that there is a mountain lion roaming the area.

It is legal to shoot a mountain lion, but Timmons predicted the animal will be leaving the area soon.

They are interested mainly in deer, he said, and Hamilton County has a lot of deer.