The Iowa Supreme Court has sent a former state administrator’s lawsuit against former Governor Branstad back to district court. In 2006, Christopher Godfrey was appointed Iowa Workers Compensation Commissioner. Godfrey was confirmed by the state senate to serve in that role through 2015. Shortly after Terry Branstad was reelected governor in 2010, he asked Godfrey to resign. Godfrey refused and Branstad reduced his salary by $36,000.

The Supreme Court’s ruling upheld a lower court’s dismissal of Godfrey’s claim that Branstad and his staff violated the Iowa Constitution by targeting Godfrey because he is gay. Godfrey says his claim Branstad violated the Iowa Civil Rights Act by discrimination based on sexual orientation is still pending. Branstad and his aides have denied they targeted Godfrey because of his sexuality. The opinion also directed a district court to hear Godfrey’s argument that he is owed money because he was “falsely accused of poor work performance” and his salary was docked for “partisan reasons.”

Godfrey resigned nearly three years ago to take a federal job. The attorney representing former Governor Branstad, Governor Reynolds and four other Branstad administration officials says he’s confident the case will be “disposed” in Branstad’s favor. Godfrey’s attorney says there’s still a long way to go, but the court’s decision protects Godfrey “and all other Iowans from having their constitutional rights trampled on by Iowa governments.”

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down as unconstitutional a portion of Iowa’s drunken boating law that allows officers to seek alcohol breath tests declaring the law coercive.

A divided 4-3 court concluded Friday that the portion of the law that requires individuals suspected of drunken boating to pay a fine of at least $500 if they decline a breath test violates the state constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The justices awarded Dale Dean Pettijohn Jr. a new trial during which the results of his breath test cannot be used. He was stopped by an officer while driving a pontoon boat on Saylorville Lake northwest of Des Moines in August 2013 and asked to take a breath test. He exceeded the legal limit and was convicted of drunken boating.

One person died and another was injured during a fiery collision this (Friday) morning, in Carroll County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 61-year old Debra Renee Kock, of Carroll, who was wearing her seat belt, died at the scene, after her 2011 Toyota RAV4 was struck by a 2011 Jeep Wrangler that ran a stop sign.

The accident happened at around 8:18-a.m. at the intersection of Kittyhawk Avenue and 170th Street, a couple of miles northwest of Carroll. The driver of the Jeep, 17-year old Kizer James Brockman, of Lincoln, NE. was injured in the crash and also transported to the hospital.

The patrol says immediately after the Jeep hit the Toyota, both vehicles landed in the east ditch and the Jeep caught fire.The accident remains under investigation. The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by deputies with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, along with Carroll County Fire and EMS.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Friday) announced appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions. The appointments are effective Saturday, July 1st, 2017, are unpaid and are not subject to Iowa Senate confirmation.

Among those she has appointed is:

• Kevin Blair, of Griswold – to the Council on Agricultural Education.
• Casey Alber, of Glenwood & Haley Tryon, of Griswold  – to the Iowa Council for Early Access.
• Blake Michelsen, of Guthrie Center – to the Iowa Council on Homelessness.
• Monalisa McGee, of Council Bluffs – to the Statewide Independent Living Council.
• Brandi Jensen, of Earlham – to the Medical Assistance Advisory Council.
• Mike Dickinson, of Logan – to Rural Health and Primary Care Advisory Committee.
• Kimberly Carter, of Council Bluffs…Heidi Lowthorp, of Sidney…Janell Leinen, of Panama…and James Holwegner, of Redfield – to the Southwest Regional STEM Advisory Board.
• Jerry Mathiasen, of Council Bluffs – to the Terrace Hill Commission.
• Kris Ranney, of Council Bluffs – to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service.

The Cass County Boards of Supervisors this (Friday) morning, held a public hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation County Purpose Loan Agreement, and to borrow money in a principal amount not the exceed $4.5-million, with regard to infrastructure improvements for the Elite Octane, LLC ethanol plant currently under construction. There were no comments received from the public.

Afterward, Auditor Dale Sunderman said the County’s financial advisors said there’s good news with regard to interest rate and that the county may not need to seek the maximum $4.5-million previously discussed. That’s thanks in-part to a RISE (Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy) Grant the County has received from the State.

He said with the RISE grant and the low bid on the construction project, the County may need to only borrow $2.76-million General Obligation. Also, with projected interest rates at 1.72- to 2.53%, the County will be able to pay off the loan in 10-years.

The $2.76-million does not include the greywater installation from the City of Atlantic’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, the bid for which won’t be available until July 21st. It would include the road projects we’ve previously mentioned (Echo, Buck Creek and Glacier Roads). It would also not include any contingencies, which is why the Supervisors provided their verbal approval to enter into the agreement. The agreement will be formalized soon after the greywater bids are received, and that part of the project awarded to a contractor.

Regardless of the actual final amount of the G-O loan request, it will be paid for through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) derived from future taxes paid by the ethanol company, Elite Octane, LLC.  The tentative timeline for the project and financing are as follows:

July 20^th – Bids for greywater construction project received; July 24^th – Borrowing amount finalized; August 9^th – Final terms and bond purchase contract presented to the Supervisors for approval.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors approved the renewal of a 28-E cost sharing agreement with the City of Anita for mutual aid law enforcement support provided by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The current four-year “Uniform Patrol Service Agreement,” as it’s known, expires June 30, 2017. The renewed price for the service is $67, 547 with a three-percent per annum increase. The County has a similar agreement with the City of Griswold for law enforcement support.