CONTRIBUTED PHOTO — The Marshall County Conservation Board hopes to attain a REAP grant for the Mann Wetlands acquisition project bordered on the south by the Iowa River and the west by Highway 330.

During a special meeting on Wednesday at the Grimes Farm Nature Center, the Marshall County Conservation Board (MCCB) approved submitting a REAP grant application for the Mann Wetlands acquisition project, which could add over 200 acres of land to the board’s portfolio.

Along with Executive Director Mike Stegmann, participants in the meeting included MCCB administrative assistant Tami Krough as well as board members Tom Deimerly, Rich Naughton and Steve Armstrong.

The MCCB is in the process of attempting to acquire 216 acres just south of Albion bordered on the south by the Iowa River and to the west by Highway 330. Currently, they have about a third of the dollar amount needed to make the purchase. The grant for the acquisition needed official board approval for submission, and they hope it will help them reach an ample amount of funding. With this grant, the MCCB will be able to pay back the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation who stepped in and secured the property from a private landowner until funds are raised.

Primarily, the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program is a funding source at the state level, and the MCCB can apply for various projects. Typically their land acquisition projects are scored highest. It is said to be a very lengthy and competitive process as last year, there were 17 applicants requesting roughly $5 million, and there was just over $1 million available.

This year, the available amount is similar, and there will be more applicants and requests than funds available because there are so many projects that MCCB is trying to work on.

“It’s just hugely competitive. Last year, out of the 17 applicants, we ranked seventh, and that was with a really quickly slapped together grant request. So I think this year with the tweaking of the grant that we made… We’ll just have to see what our competition is,” Stegmann said.

As the meeting officially commenced, the grant application was the only item on the agenda.

“With the submittal of the REAP grant, we had done some financial changes on our request, and so the motion that was made and approved at the July meeting, I need to have you make a different motion and just basically approve the submittal of the REAP grants for Mann Wetlands acquisition project,” Stegmann explained. “We do have the funding requests finalized now, but I just wanted the approval of the grant itself not with the dollar figure attached.”

When asked if there were any questions for Stegmann, Naughton replied jocularly, “Nope. He knows what he’s doing.”

Previously, this motion was approved including specific dollar amounts, but there were some changes due to interest rates. The motion was unanimously approved and will be submitted on Friday, getting ahead of its due date on Monday.

Stegmann also mentioned his appreciation for County Naturalist Emily Herring and Park Ranger/Maintenance Technician Jeremiah Manken, who have been scrutinizing the text of the grant and ironing out the details. The MCCB also finalized the video to accompany the grant, and it looks professionally done thanks in-part to Tyler Renze, an on-staff narrator.

“Everybody played a huge role in this. So the goal is not just to score, but to score number one in the rankings this year,” Stegmann said.

The next regular MCCB meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 12.

Marshall County Conservation is located at 2349 233rd St., Marshalltown, IA 50158, and for more information, call 641-752-5490 or visit their website at mccb@marshallcountyia.gov.