IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – An Iowa City Community School District board member is resigning after a tense public work session, citing board “dysfunction” and expressing doubt that the district can regain the public’s trust amidst a financial crisis. Jayne Finch announced her plans to step down following a disagreement with fellow board member Lisa Williams during a Wednesday board work session. The district’s financial struggles were made public earlier this year. Following years of poor bookkeeping, the district developed a several-million-dollar budget deficit, over-hired staff, and moved $38 million between internal funds without required board approval. The cash flow crisis forced the district to take out short-term loans just to meet payroll. The situation brought the district before the state’s School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in June. Under state law, the SBRC is a financial oversight board with the authority to recommend state intervention or eventual takeover of a local school district if financial benchmarks and corrective action plans are not met. During Wednesday’s session, tensions flared when board member Mitch Lingo warned that if the district “keeps saying yes,” it risks a state takeover. Williams pushed back, calling the warning “alarmist” and dismissing the state oversight committee. Finch then asked for a recess, stating she was having a “hard time focusing after that outburst.” Finch and Williams had another tense exchange during the break. Following the recess, Finch announced her decision to step down from the board, concluding in her letter that under the board’s current climate, regaining the public’s trust is unlikely.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – I-380’s southbound roadway was blocked at the Cedar Rapids S-curve Sunday morning as emergency crews responded to a crash. TV9 observed two damaged pickup trucks at the scene. The Cedar Rapids Police Department confirmed the drivers had been injured but wouldn’t share details about their condition. Police say the accident happened around 2:23 a.m. between 1st Street NE and exit 19-B. It is currently not clear what caused the crash. The roadway was blocked for about two hours as first responders worked to clear the area, diverting traffic off the interstate.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A patient at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital is accused of causing $50,000 worth of damage to hospital equipment. According to a criminal complaint, officers arrived at St. Luke’s Hospital Friday for reports of a male breaking a computer and needing to be restrained by security staff. The complaint said 37-year-old Cory Hogan of Waterloo was upset with hospital staff for attempting to make him stay as an inpatient. The complaint said Hogan then completely damaged two Bio Med computer systems by punching one and throwing the other to the ground. The estimate for the cost of the two computers is $50,000. Hogan is charged with Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree, a class C felony.
CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – The Coralville city council will consider a motion to censure mayor Laurie Goodrich at its meeting on Tuesday. It comes after residents raised concerns earlier this month when public comment was temporarily removed from the agenda. The dispute follows a previous council meeting where residents spoke critically about the salary and proposed raise for City Administrator Kelly Hayworth. Residents who spoke said Mayor Laurie Goodrich confronted some attendees after that meeting, and tried to take a resident’s phone, calling their comments “mean” and their behavior “child-like.” At the end of the meeting, Goodrich apologized to residents and acknowledged that she was angry during the earlier confrontation. Tuesday’s city council meeting is set to start at 6:30.
