The Mid-Iowa Development Association (MIDAS) region includes Calhoun, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster and Wright Counties, and the local governments therein. MIDAS Council of Governments, organized in 1972, is an intergovernmental agreement (28E and 28H) created in response to common interests of governments and the need for cooperative approaches to solve area-wide issues. This cooperative venture is intended to help local governments improve their capacity to implement services by defining regional issues, problems, and opportunities; setting priorities and formulating policies, plans and programs to deal with them; and achieving efficient and effective action on area wide matters through communications, coordination, and cooperation.