In its first official public meeting for 2018, the Polk County Board of Supervisors today elected Angela Connolly, 2nd District supervisor, as its new chairperson and Tom Hockensmith, 4th District supervisor, as vice chairperson. Connolly succeeds Supervisor John Mauro as chairperson. 

“We accomplished a great deal under Supervisor Mauro’s leadership in 2017, specifically regarding the Partnership for Hunger Free Polk County initiative,” Connolly said in a release. “I would like to continue this work and also focus our efforts on mental health. We need to work on advocating for a better mental health system and we need to do a better job of letting people in our community know what services are already available to help them.” 

The focus on mental health will include work on a Data Driven Justice Initiative that will help multiple sectors of the community, such as police, jail, emergency rooms and EMS, better work together to identify individuals who might benefit from case management, mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment, the board said. In addition to its work on social services, the Board of Supervisors said it will also continue its involvement with economic development in the metro area.

“In addition to all of these important issues, we look forward to continued success at the Iowa Events Center that will be accelerated by the opening of the Iowa Events Center Hilton Hotel in March,” Hockensmith said. 

The Polk County supervisors hold regular weekly public meetings every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in Room 120 of the Polk County Administration Building, 111 Court Ave., and on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. as needed.