Webster City will see a lot of traffic on July 27 as thousands of cyclists ride through town during RAGBRAI.

The Webster City City Council approved a host of street closures to accommodate the bicycle traffic during Monday’s meeting. The closures will affect much of the downtown Webster City area. The majority of the closures are expected to be in effect on July 27 from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. A small number of closures will start around 6 p.m. on July 26 and end at 2 p.m. the next day.

The council also approved requests from two groups to block off part of a street to set up a beer garden. The council approved both the street closures for the requests, as well as the outdoor service and transfer of liquor licenses for each.

Seneca Street Saloon is going to have a beer garden outside its location on Seneca Street, between the alley and Bank Street. The American Legion’s beer garden will be on Des Moines Street, between the alley and Second Street.

Wrapping up the RAGBRAI business, the council passed a resolution to enter into an official agreement with RAGBRAI organizers to host as a pass-through town this summer. Lindsay Henderson, community vitality director, explained that the agreement was necessary because the city will be reimbursed for up to $10,000 of associated, approved expenses for hosting RAGBRAI.

In other business, the city council also approved a new five-year agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for the maintenance and repair of primary roads. This is an agreement that is entered into every five years and does not transfer jurisdiction of any roads.

A first reading of a new city ordinance adding two stop signs at the intersection of Grove Street and Elm Street was completed. The stop signs will be placed so all vehicles traveling on Grove Street will have to stop at Elm Street. During the meeting, Ken Wetzler, public works director, said there have been two collisions at that unprotected intersection already.

The city council also approved the purchase of a new insulated indoor swimming pool cover for the pool at Fuller Hall. The cover now being used was purchased in November 2010 and was expected to last eight to 10 years, but is now in year 11.

The new pool cover will be purchased for $28,251 from Alta Enterprises, of Alta, Wyoming.

“It’s a no-brainer,” city councilman Brian Miller said, noting the energy cost savings the insulated pool cover provides the city.

In its final order of business, the City Council rescinded its resolution from Nov. 2, 2020, that had required the use of face masks in all public buildings and by city employees when interacting with the public, citing COVID-19 rates decreasing and vaccine rates increasing as reasons to rescind the resolution.