Floyd County Board of Supervisors getting ready for RAGBRAI

By Mitchell Hanson, mhanson@charlescitypress.com

The Floyd County Board of Supervisors has brought back an ordinance used the last time RAGBRAI rolled through the county to provide guidelines for the return visit planned for this summer.

The board started the process at its meeting Monday evening to approve the ordinance to work with the city to govern road closings, food vendors and other issues when the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa spends the night in Charles City on July 28.

The ordinance is “to control safety and well being of the public” during the event, which will require significant municipal road closings and other measures to control the influx of an expected 15,000-plus cyclists and other visitors.

The ordinance places stipulations on vendors expected to set up shop to accommodate RAGBRAI participants with food, beverages and other goods. The document states that vendors must obtain a commercial booth permit no later than July 13 in order to sell food, beverages, services or merchandise in incorporated and unincorporated areas of Floyd County.

The supervisors set a public hearing for Monday, June 13, at 5:15 p.m. for discussion and first reading of the RAGBRAI Commercial Booth Sale of Food and Other Merchandise Ordinance.

Applications for commercial booth permits may be obtained from the official Charles City RAGBRAI website at charlescityragbrai.com and from the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce at 401 N. Main St. in Charles City. Applications can also be obtained by submitting in writing to Charles City RAGBRAI Vendors, 401 N. Main St., Charles City, IA 50616, by Wednesday, July 13.

Vendors applying for a permit are required to show proof of valid insurance and possession of all necessary licenses and permits. Food and beverage vendors must comply with all laws and regulations as stipulated by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals relating to and governing the sale of food consumption.

Commercial booths will be required to pay a fee to the Vending Committee accompanying their application. The fees are used to cover expenses to the city and Floyd County for hosting RAGBRAI. Applications will be reviewed by the Vending Committee along with the county engineer, county planning, zoning administrator and county sheriff to ensure compliance with all safety issues.

Also at the meeting, supervisors approved the use of Floyd County Courthouse grounds for the Rotary Club of Charles City, which intends to use the location to host a freewill donation fundraiser and photo op for RAGBRAI riders as they pass through.

The group plans to use a tractor as a backdrop for the photo op – “one hopefully made here in Charles City,” noted Supervisor Linda Tjaden with a smile.

The supervisors also discussed the current state of the renovation/building project at the Floyd County Courthouse. Dean Snyder Construction had proposed to the board to install new drywall over the existing walls on the third and fourth floors of the building, and the project was approved at an estimated cost of $76,571.

The board members were also happy to note the certificates of substantial completion for the courthouse’s new fire sprinkler system and Paulsen Electric’s accomplished rewiring of part of building’s electrical systems where renovations are taking place.