24FC:0092 Aubrey Burress/Pleasant Grove Township Trustees - Status Report

Date:
03/20/2025

Subject:
Aubrey Burress/Pleasant Grove Township Trustees - Status Report

Opinion:

The Iowa Public Information Board

Complaint 24FC:0092 was opened on October 21, 2024, and accepted by the IPIB on November 21, 2024. An Informal Resolution was adopted on December 19, 2024. Since the Informal Resolution, additional issues have been raised. This Status Report is developed to update the Board on the status of the complaint. 

Background

The Pleasant Grove Township Trustees (Trustees) and clerk to the Trustees have presented allegations showing the Trustees are unable to effectively conduct business due to internal conflict. This is not a new issue as the IPIB received a similar complaint in 2023. The information presented to IPIB from two Trustees and the Clerk demonstrates concerns with the following:

• Providing notice of meetings
• Posting meeting agendas
• Interruptions at and during meetings
• Cancelling meetings due to internal conflict
• Not sharing relevant documents between and amongst all Trustees

Based on information presented, the citizens of the Pleasant Grove Township are left with questionable timing and posting of agendas, shifting meeting times and locations, and Trustees plagued with internal conflict.

An Informal Resolution was agreed to requiring the following steps be taken:

• The Informal Resolution will be formally approved at a meeting of the Trustees.
• All Trustees, and anyone serving as clerk to the Trustees, will complete training related to public meetings and records.
• The Trustees will develop policies or procedures to address postings of agendas, scheduling of meetings, and providing agendas and materials in advance of meetings.

The Informal Resolution was scheduled for approval at a Board meeting in December. While awaiting the meeting, continued arguments occurred over actions taken by the Trustees without notice, meeting, or involvement of all Trustees. At one point, a member of the Board of Supervisors entered into the disagreements and voiced concerns. The December meeting was ultimately canceled due to weather.

A second meeting was scheduled in December. This meeting was also canceled because a Trustee was unable to attend at the last minute. As stated by another Trustee, it was not necessary to cancel the meeting as quorum still existed to hold the meeting.

The Informal Resolution was finally approved in January and IPIB presented training to the Trustees on February 7. IPIB staff departed the meeting on February 7 and two events occurred immediately thereafter:

• The Clerk stated at the meeting that he obtained approval and paid for two items by calling two of the Trustees. There was no notice or meeting for this action.
• An individual showed up at the meeting for a presentation and was not included on the agenda.

Present Concerns

These recent events appear to be a continuation of facial violations, with recent facial violations occurring on the same day and immediately following IPIB’s training. IPIB staff remain concerned the Trustees are unable to meet the terms of the Informal Resolution, even if policies and procedures are implemented.

Based on these concerns, IPIB staff outreached to the Marion County Attorney’s Office. IPIB staff expressed concern with the status of the Trustees, the ongoing conflict, and continued compliance concerns with Chapter 21.

IPIB staff is providing this update to the Board and seeking guidance in addressing this matter. Options discussed to address this complaint include moving directly to a contested case or taking additional steps to ensure the Trustees are complying with the law.

By the IPIB Deputy Director, 

Kimberly M. Murphy, J.D.