Linn attorney investigating ethics charge against Marion councilman

MARION - Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden is investigating a Marion resident's ethics complaint against City Councilmember Nick Glew.

Mike Dricken's complaint filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board claims Glew violated state law when he made motions at City Council meetings to pay bills submitted by his employer, Anderson-Bogert Engineers. Glew is a communications specialist with the Cedar Rapids firm.

“It's unfounded,” Glew said. “We're not worried about it, but it's something people will have to spend time on, unfortunately.”

State law requires elected officials whose employers do business with local government “publicly disclose the existence of the conflict and refrain from taking any official action or performing any official duty that would detrimentally affect or create a benefit for the outside employment.”

In his letter to the ethics board Dricken submitted council minutes showing Glew made motions to vote July 7 and Oct. 20 on resolutions approving payment on a total of $5,404 worth Anderson-Bogert bills. Glew abstained from the subsequent votes .

The complaint was forwarded to Vander Sanden because the ethics board doesn't have jurisdiction over county and city officials, said Megan Tooker, the board's director and counsel.

Vander Sanden said the complaint is “under consideration.” He said he expects to make a decision next week.

Glew, an at-large council member, was defeated by Allen “Snooks” Bouska in last week's mayoral election.