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State WIC supervisor tells Fremont County she will end county agreement; asks to retain office space
Summary
Michelle Balestrieri, State Supervisor of the WIC Program, told the Fremont County commissioners April 7 that the state plans to end the county WIC agreement effective July 1, 2026 as administrative staff transition to state employment and requested to retain the county office space; county asked for a formal letter by June 30, 2026.
Michelle Balestrieri, State Supervisor of the WIC Program, joined the Fremont County Board of Commissioners via Zoom on April 7 to outline a proposed administrative change that would shift WIC payroll and budget responsibilities from the county to the state.
Balestrieri told commissioners the change would take effect July 1, 2026, when WIC administrative positions move to state employment. She said that shift would eliminate the county's need to process payroll or manage the WIC program budget, and she asked to retain the current county office space used by WIC staff.
Michael Jones, speaking for the Building Security Committee, said the county requires a formal application to permit outside entities to use county-owned space. Chairman Larry Allen asked the state supervisor to provide a written summary of the proposed changes and timeline by June 30, 2026 so county staff can process any needed approvals.
County Clerk Julie Freese provided the board with related budget and policy drafts during the meeting; the minutes record that the county is reviewing procurement and personnel impacts connected to several departmental proposals but show no formal vote on the WIC office request. The commissioners did not take immediate formal action to grant continued use of the office; they requested the state submit the requested documentation for administrative review.
What happens next: the county will expect the state’s formal letter by June 30, 2026; county staff indicated an application would be required to authorize continued use of county-owned space. No statutory citations or funding commitments were included in the minutes.
