Iowa Public Information Board has a new executive director – Iowa Capital Dispatch

The Iowa Public Data Board has a brand new government director.

Erika Eckley of Carlisle has crammed the emptiness left by Margaret Johnson upon her retirement earlier this month. Eckley is IPIB’s fourth government director within the 10 years for the reason that board was created.

“We’re excited to have Erika be part of the workers of the board,” board chairperson Julie Pottorff stated. “Erika brings various abilities that can make her an incredible asset.”

As government director, Eckley will advise the board and make suggestions on the disposition of circumstances. She obtained her regulation diploma from Drake College, her grasp of public administration from Iowa State College, and her undergraduate diploma from Grand View College.

In personal apply, she has labored as a workers legal professional for the Heart for Agricultural Legislation and Taxation at ISU, and as assistant basic counsel for the Iowa Hospital Affiliation.

The Iowa Public Data Board was created in 2012 with the intent of resolving complaints Iowans have with authorities companies’ lack of compliance with the state’s Open Conferences Legislation and Open Data Legislation.

The overwhelming majority of citizen complaints that come earlier than the board are dismissed with no enforcement motion taken. The board characterizes these tendencies as casual settlements that end result from a “negotiated compromise that satisfies each events, reduces neighborhood battle, and leads to elevated authorities transparency.”

In 2022, the IPIB workers processed 131 formal complaints and 130 casual complaints. The board didn’t provoke any contested circumstances in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

By regulation, the nine-member board is to incorporate not more than three representatives of the federal government and not more than three representatives of the media — with the remaining board positions crammed by public representatives.

For the previous 15 months, one of many positions that had been crammed by a public consultant has sat vacant, awaiting an appointment by the governor.

The board’s public representatives usually consist of the present or former authorities officers.  The three public representatives now on the board embrace E.J Giovannetti, who served as mayor of the Metropolis of Urbandale for 20 years and was as soon as thought of a authorities consultant on the board; Monica McHugh, an accountant who has served on the Jackson County Zoning Board for not less than 12 years; and Pottorff, who labored within the state legal professional basic’s workplace for greater than 30 years earlier than her retirement in 2013. As well as, one of many board’s two designated media representatives works for the Iowa Nationwide Guard.