Randy Hoover, director of Freedom Point, told the Webster County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that his organization — a community mental-health program — did not receive a renewed state contract and is transitioning services.

"We are a mental health program," Hoover said during citizens’ opportunity. He told the board the program serves local families and described outreach work in the community. Hoover said the program previously provided services to "33 families" and said the organization records about "1,500 people a month" in contacts; he told supervisors the program did not receive a new contract from the state and must "redesign" to continue operations.

Hoover used his speaking time to invite the board and community to a free public trivia challenge he is organizing as a community-building fundraiser. He proposed a multi-team elimination format, suggested possible venues (Iowa Central, the Opera House) and said organizers hope to schedule events in the next two to three weeks on a weeknight. Hoover said he was seeking teams such as the Fort Dodge police and the Webster County sheriff and hoped the event would include audience participation and small prizes.

Why it matters: Freedom Point is a locally based mental-health and community program that, according to Hoover, provided outreach across the county. The loss of a state contract may change how services are delivered; Hoover asked for local engagement and offered a low-cost community event to bring people together.

Discussion and next steps
Hoover said he had already discussed the idea with the Fort Dodge city council and a police chief, and that community partners had shown interest. He asked supervisors to consider participating or supporting the event; no formal board action or funding decision was recorded. The record includes no grant or contract details, timelines for state action, or confirmations from other agencies.

What the record does not show
The transcript does not include details of the state contract (contracting agency, reason for non-renewal, or the date services ended). The program’s client counts and financial details were stated by Hoover and were not independently verified in the meeting record.