(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday (Today), received an annual report and funding request from West Central Community Action (WCCA) Executive Director Wendy Mueller, and a weekly report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken. They also voted to deny a probationary period performance-based pay raise for an employee of the Cass County Treasurer’s Office. In her report to the Board, Wendy Mueller said WCCA is asking for the same amount of funding the County provided for their services, last year.

The Board took the request under consideration.

Wendy Mueller

Mueller said for Fiscal Year 2023 West Central served 582 households in Cass County, consisting of over 1,200 individiuals, which was a small increase (32) over last year.

She said 53-percent of the households they serve in Cass County, rent their home. West Central, she said, provides many services in the County, including Head Start, which promotes school readiness for children ages 3-to 5 for low income families, by offering a variety of services.

They also have Early Headstart, which provides support to low income infants, toddlers and pregnant women and their families. They also offer a home-based option in Cass County. Over the past year, WCCA served a total of seven children in Early Headstart. The organization also offers Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R),

She acknowledged there has been a continued loss of child care programs in the area. Nine-percent, she said, have been lost over the past 5-years in Cass County alone. That trend is nationwide, as well. Other programs WCCA handles include the Child and Adult Care Food Program (197 children were enrolled in the program over the past year in the County), and Weatherization for low income households to help increase energy efficiency and reduce fuel costs. Eight homes were weatherized, which was double the number from last year, at a cost of $272,000 worth of services. For more information on West Central Community Action, see this LINK.

The Board discussed at length, approving a wage change for Cass County Auditor’s Clerk Hannah Richter. The proposed increase, which Auditor Kathy Somers and the Board agreed in a prior meeting, would be $1.00, from $19-to $20, following a probationary period and positive performance evaluation. The Board, Tuesday (Today), made several motions, including one to give her a 3% raise now, and a 3% raise on July 1, 2024, and, a proposed One-dollar increase on that date, instead of now.

Supervisor Mark O’Brien said he was opposed to the “Tiered probationary period…needs to go away.”

Kathy Somers said…

The Board voted 3-to-2 to delay the raise until the start of the new Fiscal Year on July 1^st. Supervisors Wendy Richter and Steve Green were opposed to that action.