(Atlantic) The Cass County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on funding the County has received for COVID-19 response this morning.
The County, working with Cass County Food Policy Council, SWITA, County Food Pantries and Public Health plans to increase capacity of the food delivery system and food access in Cass County through a Community Development Block Grant of $86,580.
Alexsis Fleener, with Southwest Iowa Planning Council, said as a result of everything going on with COVID-19 Cass County communities need to expand meal delivery services.
“The county has planned for the marketing and organization of a grocery delivery service for all. The county is partnering with Cass County Public Health, ISU Extension, Cass County Food Policy Council, local food pantries and grocery stores to implement the project in using the public transit services from SWITA. No local match is required but may be used to supplement the program if needed in the future, but it is not required and not planned at this time,” explained Fleener.
Fleener said the service will run for approximately four to six weeks. The project will benefit all who need the services, especially vulnerable populations and those that need food assistance and benefit from the food supplementation services such as food pantries within the county.
“A lot of times those people are low to moderate income populations so this grant is targeted to serve low to moderate income households, but it is also open to anyone who needs to stay at home but also needs groceries and food delivered to them,” said Fleener.
There were no written or oral comments during the public hearing. The Supervisors approved the resolution adopting certain policies, rules and regulations during the performance of a Community Development Block Grant; the sale of service contract with SWIPCO/SWITA; and the Cass County ISU Extension COVID-19 Mobile Food for All Contract.
The plan is to get this program rolling as soon as possible.
In other activity, the Supervisors approved the low bid from Cunningham-Reis from Van Meter in the amount of $75,900 for a bridge replacement project at 700th and Independence Road. Four total bids were received (A.M. Cohron & Sons – $83,153.70; Cunningham-Reis – $75,900; Murphy Heavy Contracting – $110,800.10; and Nelson & Rock Contacting Inc. – $169,400).
