Cerro Gordo County Veterans Affairs (Director Paul Beatty, CVSO, and Sean Gillam, CVSO) in the Courthouse Basement, Mason City

The office. "Cerro Gordo County Veterans Affairs, 220 N. Washington Ave., Mason City, IA 50401, 641-421-3085, 641-421-3092 (Fax). Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m." The team: "Paul Beatty, Director" ([email protected]) and "Sean Gillam, CVSO" ([email protected]). The department's compensation page adds a second line for claims - "Contact our office at 641-421-3069 to file a claim for compensation" - and names both officers' accreditation: "We have 2 Accredited County Veteran Service Officers: Director, Paul Beatty CVSO; Sean Gillam CVSO." The state's own listing (dva.iowa.gov) prints the office in the "Courthouse, Basement" with [email protected]. The commission. "Jessica Reith, Army, Term Ends: 6/30/29, Term Length: 3 Years. Richard Ochoa, Air Force, Term Ends: 6/30/27. Cindy Davis, Air Force ..." - with Cecil Foell and Daryl Johnson (the secretary who signs the minutes) the other members. The commission meets monthly at 9:00 a.m. (the January 26, 2026 and May 18, 2026 minutes; the next-meeting lines put the 2026 meetings on the fourth Mondays, moved for holidays). The office's own year, from the commission's minutes. January 26, 2026: "the challenge coins which had been ordered have arrived. All members were complimentary of how nice they looked. The Director had also purchased Thank You cards to go along with the coins." And: "Director Beatty lead an extended discussion regarding Governor Reynolds' proposed Bill to modernize the veterans' benefits system. The proposal is to incentivize the current $10,000 State fund that each county receives. The top one third of the counties would receive $15,000 annually and the bottom one third would receive $5,000 from the fund. It is unclear what measurement will be used, but by one measurement, Cerro Gordo County would be ranked 14th in the state." Also: tree seedlings "to veterans on Earth Day, April 22nd"; "there are currently 29 open claims which includes 11 new claims. There are six claims on appeal"; and the posts' changes - "Steve Howell has resigned as Commander of American Legion Post 101 due to ill health. Vice Commander Peter Bieber is Interim Commander. Dave Gilbert has stepped back from the Mason City Honor Guard due to continuing ill health." May 18, 2026: "The commission donate $1,000.00 to Stand Down again this year"; "the SALT Forum held on April 28 was a huge success. He estimated there were 300 in attendance and he received 3 Health Claim Referrals from attendees"; "there were 18 submitted this month with one to the Iowa Trust Fund and one from Mitchell County. Currently, there are 38 open claims"; and "Commissioner Foell announced the new leadership team for VFW Post 733. Curt Quam is the new commander. Terry Reams will be the First Vice Commander, Brian Samson will be Second Vice Commander and Randy Solsaa will continue as Quartermaster." The Legion Auxiliary's poppy sales and the Mason City Honor Guard's Bandfest parade lead are in the same minutes. The county's own pages. The department's County and State Services page walks veterans through the Iowa DOT's veteran designation ("bring your current driver's license and your member 4 DD214 to our office. We will complete Iowa DOT form 432035"), the military exemption ("in order to qualify for the exemption, you must have your DD-214 recorded in Cerro Gordo County"), the 100% permanent-and-total tax exemption, and the VA 21-686c for adding dependents. The Home Base Iowa page is the county's veteran-recruitment programme, and the Veteran's Monument page keeps the county's memorial. Chapter 35B requires every Iowa county to keep a commission of veteran affairs and section 35A.16 pays each county $10,000 a year for it (the State entries carry the statutes); the commission's minutes treat the state grant as the "Other Services Account" the board funds.