Latest news with #28E
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stop the Airport group files ethics complaint against Drost, Krutzfelt
OSKALOOSA — A city council member's proposed appointment to the Southeast Regional Airport Agency triggered an ethics complaint from a citizens' group. In its ethics complaint, Stop the Airport targeted Councilmember Bob Drost, Mayor David Krutzfelt and Musco Sports Lighting general counsel Jim Hansen. Hansen is the chairman of SCRAA. Drost and Krutzfelt are recommended to be appointed to SCRAA by the city council. Specifically, the group said in its complaint that Drost's employment by Musco — which, along with Pella Corp. had been a primary advocate for the airport — coupled with his position on the city council, made it "impossible for Mr. Drost to make impartial decisions on behalf of Oskaloosa residents." The complaint also singled out Drost's vote on Dec. 16, 2024 to approve an amended 28E agreement with Pella that kept SCRAA alive, even if just barely. Drost voted in favor of the agreement, which passed 4-3. Had it failed, it would have effectively ended SCRAA. Drost shouldn't have voted at all, the complaint alleges. "Mr. Drost has already voted on critical related issues concerning the airport, including the 28E agreement, without recusing himself," Alicia Helm, a member of Stop of Airport, told the city council at its Monday meeting. "His continued involvement, and now this proposed board appointment, raises serious ethical and possibly legal questions." Helm asked the city council to pause Drost's appointment to the board. She also asked for an independent legal review and for the city to withdraw from SCRAA. 'This isn't political. It isn't personal," Helm said. "It's about the principals of transparency, fairness and public accountability. It's about ensuring that city leadership serves the citizens of Oskaloosa, not corporate interests.' Krtuzfelt tabled the item to appoint Drost and himself to SCRAA. Two council members — Charlie Comfort and Joe Caligiuri — were absent from the meeting and Krutzfelt said he wanted all members' input. Drost later denied he has acted unethically. 'I take my position as a city council member of Oskaloosa very seriously," Drost said. "And I treat that position with a lot of respect. And I will not jeopardize my employer or my family to do something unethical. 'My official response to the ethics complaint is there's no merit,' Drost added. Krutzfelt declined to comment. He said the complaint was still being evaluated by the city attorney. SCRAA was tasked with securing land for the regional airport and then building it. Last July, SCRAA announced it was unable to get enough land for the project and that it was on indefinite hold. Pella, and then Oskaloosa — the two entities that make up SCRAA — revised the 28E agreement governing SCRAA, effectively stripping it of decision-making powers unless both Pella and Oskaloosa agree to them. In effect, SCRAA's main function is to manage the 379 acres of farmland it already owns for the proposed airport. The group sent the complaint to the Iowa State Ombudsman, Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, Iowa State Auditor, Mahaska County Attorney and the Iowa Attorney General. Bert Dalmer, the senior deputy ombudsman, said his office receives thousands of complaints each year, several dozen of which are ethics complaints. The office has 11 investigators. But filing the complaint is one thing. Getting results is another. 'Anyone can file a complaint. The act of filing a complaint doesn't necessarily mean there's merit to it," said Mahaska County Attorney Andrew Ritland. "There could be merit to it.' Dalmer confirmed on Wednesday that his office has received the complaint, but said it has not been assigned to an investigator. "It's not even on anyone's plate yet. It's sort of in a holding pattern.' Dalmer said before investigating a complaint, they try to determine whether it meets certain thresholds — namely, has the filer tried to resolve the issue before making the complaint, and is there a chance for a viable solution. 'We don't investigate every complaint that we get,' Dalmer said. Mahaska County Attorney Andrew Ritland said his office doesn't investigate ethics complaints unless there's a suspected crime involved. In its ethics complaint, Stop the Airport also opposed Krutzfelt's nomination to, and Hansen's position on, SCRAA because it created a conflict of interest. In Krutzfelt's case, the complaint stated it's because Krutzfelt's responsibility as mayor is to protect the public interest of Oskaloosa residents, and that may not always be compatible with SCRAA's interests. In Hansen's case, the complaint cited Iowa law which prohibits board members from taking part in decisions where there is a financial or organizational interest. The SCRAA board is made up almost entirely of elected officials or representatives from Pella Corp. and Musco. Kevin Gaul is the director of operations at Pella Corp. and vice-chair of SCRAA. Pella Mayor Don DeWaard and Pella Councilmember Mark De Jong also sit on the board.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County approves VA 28E agreement, more to come
OTTUMWA — The Wapello County Board of Supervisors approved a 28E agreement that will allow the county to share a Veterans Affairs director on an interim basis, but more agreements are likely to follow. During Tuesday's meeting at the courthouse, the county and Jefferson County made official a sharing agreement for Raymond Chambers, the Jefferson County Veterans Affairs Director. Under the agreement, Chambers will still be fully employed by his home county, but receive hourly pay from Wapello County for work solely on Friday. But, four more days will need to be filled Monday through Thursday, and that help will likely come from four separate counties. "The other counties will come in to try to get the office back in order," said veterans affairs commissioner Rick Hindsley. "Jefferson County will be here on Fridays to set up appointments with veterans and work on their claims. The other counties will be coming in to get the pile straightened out and getting the office organized." Nothing has been made official as of yet as 28E agreements must still be approved between Wapello County and boards in Cedar, Davis, Lee and Monroe counties. "This is just temporary until we get somebody to fill the position," board chair Darren Batterson said. "I know we've had several applicants." The veterans affairs commission has been scrambling to fill the role since it fired veterans services officer Rachel Dolley last month for what it called "incompetency and misconduct," claiming there were boxes of files on veterans stuff in a box under Dolley's desk. Three veterans spoke out in Dolley's defense at a recent supervisors' meeting, saying Dolley worked in a hostile work environment, but the board was not allowed to reverse the commission's decision. In other business: — The supervisors approved a resolution to make an intrafund loan of $1,701 to the county conservation campground development fund. The loan is part of a series of transfers the county has made toward the project, which received a $600,000 Destination Iowa grant. Essentially the county has loaned money to the campground fund because cash flow from the grant has been slow. The first transfer was made in October, with others in November and December. "Destination Iowa actually sent one of their refund checks, and it was $162,000 over. We'd deposited that, but had to refund it because they gave us too much," Batterson said. "They (the campground) had to spend another $10,000 for what they were registered for for the grant," Batterson said. "So they had to come up with some things to buy, but stuff they could buy at Menards is a no-go. They have to take bids on stuff instead of buying it themselves. "It's been kind of a tedious process because (Destination Iowa) has asked for different stuff than what they originally asked for, so we're having to constantly go back and change things," he said.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
County to enter 28E for VA director
OTTUMWA — The Wapello County Board of Supervisors during Tuesday's meeting is expected to approve a 28E agreement with Jefferson County to share a veterans affairs director. The counties will be sharing Jefferson County VA Director Raymond Chambers, who will continue to receive his salary and benefits from Jefferson County, but will take in an hourly wage and IPERS, but no other benefits, from Wapello County. The agreement did not indicate what rate Chambers would be paid by Wapello County, but the agreement comes after the veterans affairs commission fired Rachel Dolley as its veterans services officer last month for "incompetency and misconduct," which was laid out in a resolution and approved by the supervisors. Dolley was fired despite three veterans coming to her defense and saying she was overworked and that there was a toxic work environment at the VA office. When discussing the firing to the supervisors, VA board chair Rick Hindsley did not offer many details, but said there were "boxes of files for 2024 under her desk, which is a gross violation of HIPPA." "Numerous other VSOs offered to help her, and she turned them down," he said. "We've never said she didn't help some veterans. And the ones she's helped, she's done a good job from what we understand. But there's a lot more she didn't help that she could have, and that's where the problem is." The supervisors in Jefferson County have already approved the agreement, so it is simply waiting for the Wapello County to do the same. The duration of the agreement is either 90 days, or until Wapello County fills that position. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the third-floor courtroom/board room of the courthouse.
