The weekend clean-up from last week’s blizzard cost Wright County more than $70,000. The board of supervisors heard a report from County Engineer Adam Clemons Jan. 15 on the efforts to clean up rural areas.
Clemons said snow plow drivers were out Tuesday and Wednesday until 5 p.m., and then on Friday until the plows were pulled from roads due to deteriorating conditions. Clemons said plowing on the weekend cost the county $35,687 each day. An estimated that $15,000 went to wages, while the rest was allocated to equipment and fuel costs. He added that the excavator and blower will be out this week to continue the clean-up.
Clemons noted that three miles of 290th Street southwest of Dows was “pretty much impassable” due to snow drifts as high as six feet. That road was opened Sunday afternoon.
The board heard from Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, a nine-county non-profit group. The chairperson of the board is Andrea McLoughlin of Wright County. McLoughlin and Director Andrea Evelsizer requested the supervisors allot $1,000 in county funds for the group’s activities.
Evelsizer said the Clarion Food Pantry has received over $22,000 of fresh food over the past two years. That food includes produce, eggs, yogurt, cheese and honey from Iowa producers. She said Healthy Harvest has also been a part of the Clarion and Belmond farmers market events.
Evelsizer said the group would also like to make connections with local schools to provide education and tastings. Healthy Harvest has received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for marketing and education.
The supervisors said the request would be considered during the budget process.
In other business, the board:
—raised the pay for township trustees from $30 to $50 per meeting;
—and appointed Todd Buseman, a realtor from Belmond, to the Eminent Domain Commission.
There is still one opening on the commission.
