Date:
03/20/2025
Subject:
Brian Thomas/Jefferson County Board of Supervisors - Informal Resolution Report
Opinion:
The Iowa Public Information Board
In re the Matter of: Brian Thomas, Complainant
Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, Respondent | Case Number: 24FC:0070 Final Report
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On August 13, 2024, Brian Thomas filed formal complaint 24FC:0070, alleging Jefferson County Board of Supervisors (Board) violated Iowa Code chapters 21 and 22.
IPIB accepted this Complaint on October 17, 2024, finding the following potential violations.
Supervisor Discussion as a Meeting
A quorum of the Board was audio recorded having a conversation about the topics upon which it exercised decision-making. Even if the conversation did not rise to 'deliberation' between the supervisors, it is difficult to find that there was no intention by the supervisors to avoid the purposes of the open meeting requirements.
Records Requests
Thomas made a request regarding documents related to Thomasβ employment situation. It was not possible to determine whether all public records have been provided, whether documents not provided were properly withheld as confidential, and what efforts were taken by the Board to respond to the request for communications between the supervisors and others.
Procedure
IPIB accepted this Complaint on October 17, 2024. Upon acceptance, the parties worked toward an informal resolution agreement.
Brian Thomas approved the Informal Resolution on December 13, 2024.
The County approved the Informal Resolution on December 13, 2024.
The IPIB approved the Informal Resolution Report on December 19, 2024.
All terms of the Informal Resolution have been met. IPIB staff recommends this Final Report be adopted and the complaint be dismissed as resolved.By the IPIB Executive Director
Erika Eckley, J.D.