(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors tentatively approved $50,000 from the County’s ARPA (Government provided Covid Recovery) funds, for the Anita Child Care Center. Gabrielle Wahlert, Board member for the Center had requested $60,000 for safety and other improvements, security features, along with basic office supplies, etc.

The center is currently located within the Anita Elementary School.

The Director has been there for 14-years, the lead teacher has been at the facility for about 10-years, while another has served for about a year. The rest of the staff are part-time. The Supervisors were of the opinion office supplies and that sort of thing should be included under the Center’s operating expenses, just like any other business. The Board will take formal action on a Resolution for appropriating the funds during their next meeting.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon appeared on behalf of the Cass County Fire Association, which represents the eight fire departments in the county. He requested 15,000 per department ($120,000) from the County’s ARPA funds, for upgraded hand-held 700 megahertz radios, that will function with the ISIC’s system (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System).

Kennon said a grant the Association received helped to pay for new mobile radios in the various pieces of apparatus. The grant did not cover the cost of paying for the radios.

The ARPA funds would be used for three radios in each of the eight fire departments in the County. The Board will formalize their approval of the funds during a Resolution in their next meeting on May 31st.

In other business, the Supervisors adopted a Resolution authorizing $65,000 for the Anita Fire Department from the ARPA funds. During their meeting last week, Anita Fire Chief Eric Steffensen requested the use of ARPA funds to purchase two new AED’s and a Stair Chair Pro totaling $65,000. Steffensen explained that fundraising is how the department raises funds for these types of items, yet the past 2 years those type of activities have not been held due to COVID.

They also adopted a Resolution allowing for the transfer of funds from one area to another on the budget. And, the Board, at the request of County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes, approved the re-appointment of Roger Barbero to the Veteran’s Affairs Commission.