Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs requests status-quo county funding as federal compensation rises

Yolanda Loveless, Director of Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs, told the Board of Supervisors the department is not requesting an increase in county funding for FY26 and highlighted rising federal compensation going to local veterans.

Loveless said the state provides $10,000 for outreach and the office averages about $22,000 in donated funds; together those revenues reduce reliance on county dollars. She told the board the county’s veterans office records about $3.4 million in monthly federal compensation now, up from about $2.4 million in June 2021. “Our veteran population is dwindling down, but the compensation coming in from the VA is going up for our county,” she said.

Loveless said the office served about 2,009 veterans and surviving spouses who receive compensation monthly, and that participation spiked in 2023 when the PACT Act increased claims related to burn-pit and other exposures. She described staff focus on outreach and on helping veterans obtain benefits, and said the office tries to help veterans become gainfully employed rather than rely on benefits alone.

Colonel Polk, identified in the presentation as chairman of the Black Hawk County Commission, said the county recently raised the donor-funds eligibility threshold to 300% of poverty to allow more rapid use of donated funds. Supervisors praised the office’s work and noted broader economic benefits of increased federal dollars flowing to local households.

Loveless also described outreach to dependents who may be eligible for dependent indemnity compensation after a veteran’s death. The department’s FY26 request shows stable revenues and expenses and no requested increase in county support; staff said the request reflects current revenue streams and the office’s staffing level, including a recently filled office specialist position.