County EMA approves settlement proposal

Union County Emergency Management accepted a settlement proposal Jan. 15 from the Iowa Public Information Board based on a complaint of a meeting violation filed by former management employee Bonnie Castillo.

Approving the settlement prevents the Iowa Public Information Board from continuing legal action on the management for having a closed session meeting last year without appropriate prior notice. Management board member Dennis Brown said Friday the public information board had accepted the approval.

According to the information board Dec. 19, 2024, former Union County Emergency Management employee Bonnie Castillo alleged Feb. 2, 2024, the board had a closed session called by the county attorney on Jan. 24, 2024, that was not published on the agenda or announced prior to the start of the closed session. The county attorney interrupted the regular meeting, asked all but emergency management members to leave and held the closed session.

Management director Jo Duckworth stated the board held a closed session that was not on the meeting agenda because the attorney did not tell her about it. She said all in attendance except for board members were asked to leave to hold the closed session. The Iowa Public Information Board accepted the complaint on April 18, to address the improper closed session.

Under the terms of the settlement, the Union County Emergency Management Agency would have to acknowledge that a de facto closed session had been held at a meeting held on Jan. 24, 2024, in violation of Iowa Code. Those minutes would need to be provided to the public information board.

The Union County Emergency Management Agency would need to develop policies and procedures to ensure compliance of Iowa Codes dealing with meeting notices, setting agendas, recording minutes, closed sessions, response to public records and the maintenance of existing policies. The full settlement agreement would also need to be presented, reviewed and approved by the Union County Emergency Management Agency.

The Public Information Board had said they will go through with a contested case against the UCEMA if the agency did not approve the settlement agreement and if the settlement terms were not fulfilled by Feb. 7.