Monona County supervisors vote unanimously to terminate county engineer’s contract

The Monona County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to terminate the county engineer’s employment contract for cause following a brief closed session.

Chairman Bo Fox presided over the special session in the Monona County courthouse boardroom in Onawa. Supervisors Tom Brouillette and Vince Phillips were present, and Deputy Auditor Tammy Blinde was in attendance. The meeting convened at 1:00 p.m.

The board first approved the meeting agenda on a motion by Supervisor Vince Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Tom Brouillette; the vote was recorded as Fox, Brouillette and Phillips voting in favor and no votes against.

At 1:03 p.m., the board voted to enter a closed session pursuant to Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i). The board recessed from public view and then reconvened at 1:08 p.m., following a unanimous vote to return to open session.

Immediately after emerging from closed session, Chairman Bo Fox moved — with Supervisor Tom Brouillette seconding — to terminate Engineer Bechtold’s employment contract for cause. The motion carried on a unanimous vote of the three supervisors. The transcript records the board’s action but does not provide further details in the public minutes about the reasons for the termination or any conditions attached to the contract’s end.

Following the personnel action, Fox moved and Phillips seconded a motion to adjourn; the board adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

The meeting minutes were signed by Chairman Bo Fox and attested by Deputy Auditor Tammy Blinde. The record lists the motions, seconders and unanimous vote tallies but does not include additional statements or public comment regarding the termination.