News : Benton County Auditor files lawsuit against Benton County Supervisors

Benton County Auditor, Hayley Rippel, has filed a lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors. The lawsuit appears to reflect the same complaints filed to the Iowa Public Board of Information concerning the closed session on October 31, 2023. During the closed session, the Auditor whose job it is to record minutes of all meetings, was asked to leave the room during what was considered a job review. 

The meeting was recorded and minutes taken by the employee whose job was being reviewed. The IPIB determined that part of this meeting was outside the scope of what is considered a legal closed session. 

In a request for a statement concerning the lawsuit, Rippel said, "As the current Auditor of Benton County and beginning my 26th year in the county, I am a dedicated servant to the public. I filed the lawsuit to attempt to receive information that I believe was improperly closed from the public and to pursue accountability for situations which I do not believe have been sufficiently addressed. 

The lawsuit is in its very early stages and I do not know what to expect with the process but I do believe that in the meantime the public should feel free to attend Benton County Board of Supervisors meetings or watch them at 05-28-24 Board of Supervisors Meeting (youtube.com) and ask questions as part of a continued system of public accountability."

In the lawsuit, Rippel is asking for the following:

a. This Court's review of the October 31, 2023 meeting and specifically the unsealing and in camera review of the audio recording of the "closed" portion of that meeting;

b. Disclosure of the October 31, 2023 "closed" meeting to Rippel in full;

c. Production as a public record of the audio recording of the "closed" meeting of October 31, 2023 from which Rippel was impermissibly excluded, and/or public disclosure of such portions of that "closed" meeting which were impermissibly and illegally closed to the public;

d. An order enjoining Defendants from engaging in any further conduct that violates Chapter 21;

e. An order voiding any actions taken within the October 31, 2023 "closed" session in violation of Chapter 21;

f. Attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs as permitted by Iowa Code § 21.6(3)(b);

g. Fines to Defendant Primmer to the maximum amount allowable pursuant to Iowa Code § 21.6(3)(a); and

h. Any other relief the Court deems just and appropriate under the circumstances.

Filing on behalf of Rippel is Megan Flynn, attorney of Flynn Law Firm, P.L.C.