At their Monday meeting, the Wright County Board of Supervisors heard the update on the Wright County Annual Audit from CPA Elizabeth Thyer with Gardiner + Company. The company found that the county has sound financial practices. Thyer highlighted a few notes included in the audit. These include so-called questionable expenditures such as the county providing meals at meetings or gift cards. Thyer explained that State Auditor Rob Sand has raised the issue in the last few years of whether those practices are for public purpose. This is also the reason the county must now establish 28E agreements to give funds to non-profits. Other notes included were regarding proper documentation and practices surrounding closed sessions.
Assessor Shari Plagge addressed the board and said that assessment rolls for the county were mailed out last week. She noted that values of homes have gone up tremendously in the last year. She hopes that it will level off in the next year or the Assessor’s office will have to adjust assessments. If she does not do this, the state Department of Revenue makes adjustments in the process of equalization. Plagge emphasized that the recently mailed assessment will affect taxes paid in September of 2023. (State rollbacks announced in October and next year’s budgets also affect these taxes). She added that the recent mailing explains what property owners can do if they want to appeal or protest their assessment. They can contact her office. The informal review period is between April 2 and April 25.
In other board business, they held the final reading of an amendment to an ordinance naming voting precincts and adopted it. According to the ordinance, there will be ‘voting centers’ available in Dows and Woolstock for those in the southeast corner of the county for school, city and special elections, though they will still have to go to Dows for primary and general elections. Ellis said she plans to work with the Woolstock city clerk to help make voters aware of absentee ballot options for the primaries and generals. The board also signed a 28E agreement with Homeward, Inc., an organization that assists rural Iowans with housing needs.
Public Health Director Sandy McGrath was present to give the now monthly COVID update. The county’s overall COVID number is 3,611 though McGrath doesn’t feel that’s very accurate with all the at-home testing now. She added that the county has had 63 COVID-related deaths overall, including nine since January. Wright County is at a 56.9% vaccination rate. Second booster doses are available for those 50 and older at special clinics planned around the county in the next few weeks. McGrath also noted that the county is continuing to monitor avian flu. As of early this week, there are twelve outbreaks recorded across Iowa, but no cases have been detected in Wright County.
