Washington Co. delegates General Assistance to HACAP

WASHINGTON — County officials have delegated the duties of a department which provides help to residents paying for groceries, burials, rent and utilities to a local community action program.

Washington County Board of Supervisors Chair Richard Young said the local government would pay HACAP $1,200 a year to run the general assistance department, on top of the branch’s operating budget, but would ultimately save taxpayer dollars.

“If you just take the salary from general assistance and benefits … we’re going to save around $11,000, — somewhere around there — just off the top of my head,” he said.

Hawkeye Area Community Action Program CEO Jane Drapeaux said the approach was an intuitive way to reduce county spending, and ensure Washington County residents in need of aid could access it.

HACAP already provides the region with food bank access, energy bill relief, and some affordable housing options. Drapeaux said residents working with the group were thus often the same ones who could benefit from county-funded general assistance.

“Some of these people that are asking for general assistance haven’t been to HACAP, and could be eligible for a service that we’re already providing,” she said. “So if we can put a comprehensive package together to help them become more self sufficient, it’s better for everybody.

It was not immediately clear how the change would affect HACAP’s budget writ-large.

The organization has asked for an allocation of $120,000 next fiscal year from Washington County — the same amount it’s requested and received for the last several budget seasons — to help pay for its services in the community.

The county has not yet finalized any appropriations for fiscal year 2025, but decision-makers have signaled a potential reduction in payments to nonprofits like HACAP, as state mandates reduce the local government’s tax revenue.

At, Tuesday’s meeting, Supervisor Marcus Fedler said he was optimistic about the new plan’s potential to lower government spending, even if the change appeared on paper as a $1,200 larger allocation to the group.

“One of the things we’ve been asking these organizations to do … is to come up with a way to reduce their asking,” he said. “This seems like an opportunity to maybe simplify things in the county, but maybe potentially save the county a little bit of money in the interim.”

The vote to transfer responsibilities to HACAP beginning July 1 was a unanimous 5-0.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com