Wright County supervisors unanimously approve resolution clearing juvenile detention lawsuit

The Wright County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Sept. 15 to approve Resolution 2025-30, which endorses a compromise settlement agreement involving the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center.

The resolution, described to the board by a county official participating by phone, would accept terms that effectively revert membership to a prior 28E agreement while allowing certain counties temporary member privileges until they reapply. The agreement is intended to end ongoing litigation brought by Hardin County challenging approvals and membership for the detention center.

“Basically, Hardin County is saying they’ll settle this lawsuit if we roll the clock back to a former 28E agreement,” a county representative said during the meeting. The official told supervisors that the Central Iowa Commission previously voted 22–5 in favor of the settlement and that most counties have already passed similar resolutions.

There is no payment to Hardin County under the settlement and the agreement contains no admission of guilt or damages, the official said. The board approved the resolution by roll call vote, with Chair Rasmussen, Lynn (last name not specified in the record), Rick (last name not specified), Ashley (last name not specified) and Dean (last name not specified) recorded as voting “aye.”

Board members asked no substantive questions before the vote.

The resolution was described as part of a coordinated effort among the participating counties to resolve the dispute without further litigation.