Iowa House Republicans have voted to dramatically reorganize the Des Moines Water Works Board of Trustees and dilute the influence of urban residents. Representative Jarad Klein, a farmer from Keota, says the board is “somewhat responsible for this” because it voted to sue officials in three northwest Iowa counties over management of farm chemical runoff.

Klein raises corn, soybeans and livestock on his farm in Keokuk County and he says the lawsuit is in “very poor form.”
Under current law, the five members of the Des Moines Water Works Board of Trustees are appointed by the mayor of Des Moines. House Republicans have voted to have the Des Moines mayor appoint just two trustees. Other three trustees would be appointed by the mayors of smaller Des Moines suburbs, as well as officials from Warren County and the Polk County Rural Water District. It means rural residents could hold the majority of board seats. Representative Brian Meyer, a Des Moines Democrat, says Republicans are trying to “punish” the Des Moines Water Works.

The C-E-O of the Des Moines Water Works called the move by House Republicans “gutter politics.” The proposal was included in a wide-ranging budget bill that is now the subject of behind-the-scenes negotiations at the statehouse.