Review committee lacks transparency

The Boards and Commissions Review Committee was created in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ extensive plan to reorganize state government. Committee recommendations released Aug. 29, 2023 only listed names of boards and whether or not they would be continued, reorganized, consolidated/merged or eliminated. There were five findings and eight recommendations, none of which included any data, rationale or facts as to how decisions were reached.

Chairman Kraig Paulsen created three, two member subcommittees allowing each to meet privately without violating Iowa’s open meetings law. Why would this law be deliberately avoided? Finding any documentation, resources or rationale used to make recommendations is difficult if not impossible, contributing to secrecy and lack of transparency. Supposedly recommendations were made based on which boards were effectively serving Iowans. Numerous comments made during a Sept. 6 public hearing spoke to the harm, risks to health and safety, and dangers these recommendations would cause Iowans if implemented. Apparently subcommittee members spent little time actually gathering facts and data, or talking to members, professionals and practitioners represented by these Boards.

Public comments submitted to a committee email, bcrcomments@iowa.gov, are great; however comments don’t seem to be publicly available. Why? Was the public hearing even recorded? Searching committee meeting minutes provides no information. I wonder how Paulsen and Reynolds can explain and justify all the secrecy and lack of transparency surrounding recommendations which will impact the professions, lives and safety of so many Iowans.

Diane Duncan-Goldsmith

Iowa City