An alleged violation of Iowa’s Open Meetings Law by the Red Oak Community School District won’t be resolved any time soon. The Daily NonPareil reports the Iowa Public Information Board directed its staff Thursday, to work with the Red Oak school board and three complainants to resolve concerns about the alleged violation of state open meetings law in an effort to bypass a formal process.

The IPIB received reports at its regular meeting that recommended probable cause be found for violations of state law by the Red Oak school board for its April 10 and April 14 meetings. Margaret Johnson, the deputy director of the IPIB, said the school board’s president and its attorney asked during a teleconference Tuesday to explore an informal resolution. The school board had previously rejected negotiating a settlement because it maintained closed sessions that drew two of complaints were properly conducted.

The Red Oak school board currently is defending itself in three cases before the IPIB: a complaint filed by former Red Oak High School principal Jedd Sherman on May 5 about meetings in April and May, a complaint filed by resident Don Rogerson on May 15 about a meeting in May; and a complaint filed by resident Margaret Stoldorf on July 9 about a meeting in June.

Johnson said the cases are being treated separately but “there’s some intertwining” with the shared subject of the complaints. The board decided to give Red Oak one more month, asking a report to be brought back for its October meeting. Separate votes were held on each of the complaints, although the IPIB discussed all three at the same time and referenced elements of the different cases.