by Amanda Rink, Editor
The Wright County Board of Supervisors met Monday morning, to address an agenda covering employee health insurance plans, financial requests, and updates from the Supervisors.
County Employee Health Insurance
Ryan Berven from Assured Partners provided an update on health insurance for county employees. Employees can now access counseling services—up to six sessions—either online or locally, without tapping into their insurance or incurring out-of-pocket costs. Berven also shared that health insurance rates for the county are decreasing by 3% this year.
UDMO Annual Update
Julie Edwards, Executive Director of Upper Des Moines Opportunity (UDMO), presented the organization’s annual update and request for funding. Edwards painted a picture of impactful services that have touched nearly every corner of Wright County. UDMO supported 2,361 individuals across 1,000 households in the last year.
UDMO offers a wide variety of services like:
Assisting residents with heating, water bills, and furnace repairs, providing food through a pantry, distributing coats, mittens, and gloves for children, helping families secure affordable housing, and offering payment for outdoor work for senior citizens not to exceed the amount of $100 for things like snow removal or painting. The program also funds shoes, activity fees, and birthday celebrations for kids.
Edwards acknowledged a decrease in population in Wright County that seems to have affected the number of people UDMO serves. She also cited overlapping services from other nonprofits that support community programs. Deposit the decrease, she emphasized the continued need for funding for UDMO’s diverse support systems.
In other updates, the board heard:
- Supervisor Kluss is coordinating with Attorney Eric Edey of Ames for drainage district issues.
- The Wright County Sheriff’s Office revenue for December was reported at $1,519.68.
- Crisis Intervention Services in North Central Iowa sent a letter requesting $1,000 for their operations in Wright County.
- Fourteen secondary road updates were completed last week.
The next Wright County Board of Supervisors meeting will take place on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 9:00 A.M. You can stream this meeting and others at youtube.com/@WrightCountyIowaOfficial8312.
