13 May 2025

Debris in Davenport Is Gone, but the Secrets Remain: May 15 Iowa Public Information Board Might Hear County Attorney Request to Keep DCI Report on 324 Main Street Collapse Hidden

By Randy Evans

As we approach May 28, the second anniversary of a tragedy that shocked the people of Davenport and brought national attention to the issue of building safety, secrecy continues to cloud public confidence in their government officials.

07 Mar 2025

We All Owe Diercks, Holst, and Meloy Gratitude for Enforcing Iowa Open Records Law: Citizens Seeking Elected Office Via Appointment to a Vacated Seat Are Not Exempt from Public Disclosure

By Kathleen McCarthy
Scott County Iowa Vacancy Appointment Committee 2022 Tompkins Knobbe Vargas

In 2023, Dr Allen Diercks and former Scott County Supervisor Diane Holst enlisted Attorney Mike Meloy's expertise in a lawsuit to force transparency on the part of of our elected public officials with respect to the people's representation. I can't encourage and urge people enough to read the case documents for a great lesson in how government service is supposed to work according to law, but how said service often goes awry.

05 Mar 2025

Iowa Supreme Court Rules Applications for Scott County Supervisor Board Appointment to Fill a Vacated Board Seat Must Be Made Public

By Clark Kauffman
Iowa Supreme Court Case No. 23–1729 Oral Arguments - Mike Melloy for Plaintiffs Diercks & Holst w Kr

The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a lower court decision and ruled that the public should have access to county-supervisor applications maintained by Scott County. (Full ruling available at IowaCourts.gov/courtcases/21492/embed/SupremeCourtOpinion.) The case involves the Scott County Board of Supervisors, which experienced a midterm vacancy in December 2022 when one member resigned.

23 Feb 2012

Bill Adding Teeth to Iowa's Open-Records Law Gets New Life

By IowaPolitics.com

A six-year battle in the legislature to create an Iowa Public Information Board has renewed life because of a new floor manager for the bill with a "strong desire" to move it forward.

"I think the time's come for this bill to move forward. Six years is long enough," state Representative Walt Rogers (R-Cedar Falls) said February 22. "Iowans that I've talked to talk about transparency in their government. ... I think the common, everyday Iowan needs one place to go to find out some of their answers."

The board would add teeth to the state's open-records law.

Under Senate File 430, the state would create a seven-member board that would address people's questions and problems about access to government records and meetings, and seek enforcement of the state's open-records and public-meetings laws.

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