2026 Roadside Conference
2026 Conference Information
The 39th annual roadside conference will be held at the Carrollton Inn in Carroll, Iowa; the conference is hosted by Guthrie County with Audubon County participation as part of the field tour. The conference room rate is $111-$119/night. Call 712-792-5600 to make a reservation. The conference agenda is below. All events are at the Carrolton Inn unless otherwise noted.
Register online for the conference here
Wednesday, October 7th
Noon-4:30 pm Networking Event — Golf @ Carroll Municipal Golf Course, 2266 N. West St., Carroll. Sponsored by Van Diest Supply Company, Stormwater Supply, and RAMY Turf Products. Email Chris Henze at chenze@johnsoncountyiowa.gov if you would like to sponsor the tournament.
5:00 pm Association for Integrated Roadside Management Fall Business Meeting
6:00 pm Dinner on your own
Thursday, October 8th
8:00 am Registration / Breakfast / Exhibits
9:00 am Welcome and introductions
9:15 am From Conservation to Secondary Roads: Changes in the Guthrie County IRVM Program. Brad Halterman, Guthrie County Conservation Board, Director
10:00 am Break and exhibits
10:15 am A Roadside Program Reimagined. Josh Seburn, Guthrie County Secondary Roads Department, Engineer
11:00 am Rooted in Progress: Highlighted LRTF Grant Projects. Tara Van Waus, Iowa DOT, Living Roadway Trust Fund and IRVM Plan Coordinator
11:45 am Lunch Buffet and Exhibits
12:30 pm Board bus for afternoon field trips to tour
12:40 pm Depart for field tour
4:30 pm Return from field tour
5:00 pm Social hour
6:00 pm Evening dinner buffet and award ceremony
Friday, October 9th
7:00 am Hot Breakfast Buffet / Exhibits
8:00 am Living Roadway Trust Fund Updates, Tara Van Waus, Iowa DOT, LRTF and IRVM Plan Coordinator
8:15 am Roadside Program Updates, Kristine Nemec, University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center, Roadside Program Manager
8:30 am Roadside Departments from the Perspective of a Former Roadside Manager/Current Supervisor, Kent Grabill, Audubon County Board of Supervisors
9:10 am State and County Living Snow Fence Programs, Rachel Harris, Iowa DOT, Chief Landscape Architect, and Griffin Cabalka, Black Hawk County Secondary Road Department, Roadside Manager
10:00 am Break and Exhibits
10:15 am An Introduction to Prescribed Fire, Jason Walker, Iowa DNR, Fire Program Supervisor
11:00 am The Biology of Seed Price: How Plant Traits Help Determine the Cost of Native Species, Justin Meissen, University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center, Research and Restoration Program Manager
11:45 am Lunch Buffet and Door Prizes
