Wright County

Supervisors hear from auditing firm

Published by editor on Wed, 04/06/2022 - 8:46am

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.

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Supervisors hold second reading of voting precinct amendment

Published by editor on Wed, 03/30/2022 - 7:40am

At a short meeting of the Wright County Supervisors Monday, the board held the second reading of an amendment to an ordinance naming voting precincts. Due to the county being split into two house legislative districts, precincts in the southeastern part of the county had to be refigured. According to the ordinance, there will be ‘voting centers’ available in Dows and Woolstock for those in that corner of the county for school, city and special elections, though they will still have to go to Dows for primary and general elections.

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Prices going up at landfill

Published by editor on Wed, 03/30/2022 - 7:28am

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Supervisors accept pay raises

Published by editor on Wed, 03/23/2022 - 6:32am

During Monday’s Supervisor meeting, the board voted to accept the recommendations of the Wright County Compensation Board for pay raises for various elected officials. As has been previously published, this included a 4% raise for county supervisors, 22.5% raises for the auditor, county attorney, treasurer, and recorder and a 36% raise for the sheriff.

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A look at the county budget

Published by editor on Wed, 03/09/2022 - 7:27am

It is once again budget time in Wright County. City and of course county officials have been hard at work in budget workshops, preparing for hearings that will give the ok for the next fiscal year’s budgets. With that in mind, a glance at the Wright County budget is in order. Though much of the proposed budget was published in the Monitor’s legal notice section a couple of weeks ago, a few highlights may be helpful.

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Supervisors discuss past drainage issues

Published by editor on Wed, 03/02/2022 - 6:49am

During the Monday meeting of the Wright County Board of Supervisors, they dealt with a few drainage issues from days gone by. They moved to correct a discrepancy that county drainage clerk Courtney Morris found in a past drainage action. During an October hearing regarding work to DD #107, there was a verbal motion made that included a different assessment percentage than was referred to on a report. No landowners were in attendance at the hearing and no one had objected but the board moved to correct the numbers for the record.

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Supervisors hear from Trails Committee

Published by editor on Wed, 02/23/2022 - 8:38am

At the Wright County Board of Supervisors meeting held on Tuesday, Raejean Chapman gave an update from the Wright County Trails Committee. She discussed the goal to extend the trail around Belmond and Lake Cornelia through the rest of the county and also connect to trails from Mason City. The committee has received some grants, including $35,000 from the Jacobson Foundation. They have also started soliciting funds. Chapman noted that acquiring land for the trail is the biggest obstacle.

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County pay scales

Published by editor on Wed, 02/23/2022 - 8:28am

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County tax changes explained

Published by editor on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 8:56am

There has been a lot of discussion the last few weeks about increases in the county’s maximum property tax dollars. A public hearing was held last week, February 7, at the Wright County Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss the levy.

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Declining COVID cases, pipeline talk at Supervisors

Published by editor on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 8:46am

At a short Monday Wright County Supervisors meeting, Public Health Director Sandy McGrath shared some good news on the COVID-19 front. In the last week, there were only 27 new cases. This is a drastic decline from over 170 in one week last month. She added that the county now sits at 3,574 overall cases. The vaccination rate is 56%. McGrath said that public health has given over 17,600 doses of vaccine. She still encourages people to get vaccinated or boosted.