Zwingle Republican named to Iowa Public Information Board

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed a Zwingle Republican to the Iowa Public Information Board last week, filling the nine-member board responsible for enforcing Iowa's open meetings and open records laws.

Monica McHugh will serve a partial term ending April 30. As a Certified Public Accountant and tax preparer, McHugh is a public representative on the board, which must include equal representation from the public, media and government. The board has five Republicans, three Democrats and one member without party affiliation.

McHugh is the daughter of the late John 'Jack” Nystrom, who served in the Iowa Senate from 1973 to 1991.

The board meets Thursday in Des Moines at which time members will hear an appeal by Burlington Police and the Iowa Department of Public Safety on whether they should be required to let an attorney working for the board review records from a Jan. 6, 2015, fatal shooting by a Burlington police officer.

Prosecutor Mark McCormick said he needs those records, or a list of what is included in the investigative file, before moving forward on a contested case against the law enforcement agencies. The board has charged the agencies violated Iowa's public records law by not releasing to the public details of Autumn Steele's shooting.

If the law enforcement agencies don't like the board's decision, they can appeal to the Iowa District Court.

The board, created in 2012, has authority to levy civil penalties of up to $2,500 for a knowing violation of public records or public meetings laws.

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