Black Hawk County proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month, approves courthouse pinwheel display

Black Hawk County supervisors on March 4 read a proclamation declaring April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month and approved a request from the Allen Child Protection Center to place blue pinwheels on courthouse grounds.

Katie Stroup, clinic administrator at the Allen Child Protection Center in Waterloo, told the Board the center serves 27 counties in northeast and north-central Iowa and works with law enforcement and Iowa Department of Health and Human Services on abuse investigations and dependent adult assessments. Stroup read the proclamation on behalf of the center and asked the board for permission to arrange a pinwheel display at the courthouse to mark the month.

The proclamation, presented by Tavis Hall, chairman of the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, cites research on adverse childhood experiences and calls for community prevention efforts and partnerships among families, schools, law enforcement, health providers and faith-based organizations. Stroup said partner agencies such as the police department, sheriff’s office and local mental health organizations have participated in prior years.

The board voted to allow the pinwheel display after a brief procedural exchange about notifying the county facilities director. Stroup said she had not yet contacted facilities director Roy Gebbing and that the center sought the board’s permission first; the board motion carried. Stroup offered to supply magnetic blue ribbons for supervisors’ vehicles and said she would drop materials at the auditor’s office.

The proclamation and the pinwheel display are symbolic actions the board approved; no funding or operational directives were attached to the vote.