Iowa Republicans are bashing Governor Chet Culver for appointing Kate Gronstal to the I-JOBS board, which will decide how to spend $118.5 million of the $830 million in I-JOBS money. Kate Gronstal is the daughter of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal.
Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn slammed what he called “political nepotism”:
“I’m sure there are thousands of qualified engineers in this state that don’t raise the red flag that someone who is an immediate family member of a legislator in charge of ramming this through the Senate,” Strawn said.
Since Culver “declined to respond” to Strawn’s allegation, I want to lay out the case for putting Kate Gronstal on this board.
1. She is qualified for the position as a professionally trained structural engineer. It’s not as if the governor put a well-connected person with no relevant experience on the board.
2. By all accounts she is smart and highly capable. People born into political families have certain doors opened for them. I’m sure Marcus Branstad had a leg up on the competition when he was starting his career in Iowa Republican circles. Who cares as long as he is good at what he does?
3. Kate Gronstal’s presence on the board will subject its award process to a higher level of scrutiny. That’s good.
I supported the large infrastructure bonding package because Iowa’s debt load is not that high, interest rates are relatively low, and public works projects can improve the quality of life in the long term while creating jobs in the short term.
However, it is critically important that the I-JOBS money be spent wisely to benefit whole communities, not just a few wealthy developers.
Iowa Republicans never liked Culver’s bonding plan, and they’ll be watching for any mistakes that bolster their misleading talking points. With Kate Gronstal on the I-JOBS board, Republicans will use any unworthy project approved to highlight alleged Democratic nepotism and mismanagement.
I-JOBS has the potential to make Iowa a better place to live. Governor Culver has appointed a qualified board to administer the program. All the board members, and especially Kate Gronstal, have strong incentives to demonstrate that they can handle this responsibility.
After the jump I’ve posted the governor’s press release containing bios for all members of the I-JOBS Board and the Accountability And Transparency Board, which will “make sure Iowa meets or exceeds the accountability and transparency requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (also known as the federal economic stimulus bill).
Press release from the governor’s office, May 22, 2009:
Governor Culver Appoints Iowans To I-JOBS Board, Accountability And Transparency Board
Two New Boards to Help Oversee Economic Recovery EffortsDES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver today announced appointments to two new boards that will play a key role in Iowa’s economic recovery: the I-JOBS Board and the Iowa Accountability and Transparency Board. These two boards will play a role in the oversight of more than $3 billion of federal recovery funds as well as the state I-JOBS program.
“These community leaders and citizens will contribute their expertise to benefit our state and assure that we are on the right track to work our way out of this economic recession,” said Governor Culver. “The combination of President Obama’s recovery plan and our I-JOBS initiative presents Iowa with not only great opportunities but also a great responsibility to make sure we are making the best use of these funds in order to create jobs, recover from the floods, and strengthen our economy.”
I-JOBS is an $830 million initiative to recover from the worst floods in Iowa’s history, create and retain thousands of jobs, and strengthen the economy. The program, proposed by Governor Culver and approved by the legislature, will invest in roads and bridges, promote renewable energy, improve water quality, and upgrade facilities such as the Iowa Veterans Home and community colleges.
The I-JOBS Board will develop rules for the program, review applications, and make grant decisions. Jeff Pomeranz, city manager for West Des Moines, will serve as chair of the I-JOBS Board and Pat Baird, CEO of AEGON USA, will serve as vice chair. In addition to six members appointed by the Governor, the I-JOBS Board will include State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald and representatives of the Iowa Finance Authority, Department of Economic Development, Iowa Workforce Development and the Rebuild Iowa Office.
The Iowa Accountability and Transparency Board was created by Executive Order to make sure Iowa meets or exceeds the accountability and transparency requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Board will also review Iowa’s use of federal recovery funds in order to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Iowa is expected to receive more than $2.5 billion in federal Recovery Act funds.
Donald Timmons, a certified public accountant, will serve as chair of the board. The Governor appoints three public members to the board along with representatives of the Iowa League of Cities, the Iowa State Association of Counties, and the Iowa Association of Regional Councils. Other voting members of the will include State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald State Auditor David Vaudt and the Governor or their respective designees. Non-voting members include the Director of the Department of Management along with four members of the Iowa General Assembly.
Appointees to the I-JOBS Board
Jeff Pomeranz, Chair – Pomeranz has served as the City Manager for the City of West Des Moines since 1998. Prior to that he served as the City Manager in Port Angeles, Washington for eight years and as the City Manager in Del Rio, TX for five years. He is an executive board member of the Iowa League of Cities and is an Adjunct Professor at Drake University. He received a B.A. in Political Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1980 and an M.P.A from the University of Alabama in 1982.
Pat Baird, Vice-Chair – Pat Baird began his career at AEGON USA in 1976. He has served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Tax and was appointed to his current position in March 2002. Baird is a past Chair and now a member of the Kirkwood Community College Foundation, a Priority One Board Member, and a member of the Waypoint Board of Trustees. He received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa in 1976 and became a CPA in 1978.
Willard (Sandy) Boyd – Boyd is a Professor of Law and President Emeritus at the University of Iowa. He served as the President of the University of Iowa from 1969 – 1981, and as interim president in 2002-2003. Following his retirement he joined the U of I Law School Faculty, and in 2002, he founded the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center in Iowa City.
Joni Dittmer – Dittmer has served as a Training Manager for Kraft Foods in Davenport since 2001. In addition, she is a licensed social worker and has run a private counseling practice since 2002. She serves on the Health and Human Services Committee of Scott County, the Condemnation Appraisal Jury, Scott County Jail Committee, and was elected to the North Scott School Board in 2005. She received a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Iowa, and resides in Eldridge.
Kate Gronstal – Gronstal is a Project Engineer for HNTB Corporation in Omaha, NE. She also has experience as a bridge engineer with the Schemmer Associates Inc in Council Bluffs and the Kirkham Michael Consulting Engineers in Omaha. She is a member of the Iowa Humanities Board, the Generation Iowa Commission, the Iowa Engineering Society, the Bluffs Arts Council, and Leadership Council Bluffs. She received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2000, and an M.P.A in Public Administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2001.
Toi Sullivan – Sullivan has worked as an Architect for FEH Associates in Sioux City since 1999. She serves as a committee member on the Sioux City Design Standards Committee. She has also served on the Leadership Siouxland Board since 2001 and recently became the Board President. She received a B.S. in Architecture and Environmental Design from North Dakota State University in 1992.
Appointees to the Iowa Accountability and Transparency Board
Donald Timmins, Chair – Timmins is a Certified Public Accountant and has been a managing partner with Timmins, Kroll, & Jacobsen in Altoona since 1971. He received an Accounting Degree from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. Mr. Timmins will serve as a public member.
Lorie Bennett – Bennett is currently the City Administrator for the City of Humboldt and has been involved in local government for 15 years. She is a former member of the IPERS Investment Board, has been very active with the League of Cities, served as a member of the Humboldt County Community Foundation, Humboldt Area Arts Council, Humboldt County Development Association, and the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association. She received a BA in Finance and Management from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. She will serve as a nominee to the board for the Iowa League of Cities.
Denise Bulat – Bulat is the Planning Executive Director for the Bi-State Regional Commission. She has worked for the commission since 1984 when she began as a planning aide. She received a B.S. in Animal Ecology from the Iowa State University and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa. Ms. Bulat was nominated to serve as a representative to the board for the Iowa Association of Regional Councils.
Angela Connolly – Connolly has served on the Polk County Board of Supervisors since 1998, and is currently the Chair of the Board. In addition, she serves on the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, Metropolitan Planning Organization Transit Roundtable, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. Ms. Connolly was nominated to serve as a representative to the board for the Iowa Association of Counties.
Clarence Hoffman – Hoffman has owned and run the Hoffman Insurance Agency in Mapleton since 1964. He served for ten years as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives until his retirement in 2008. He received a BS from the South Dakota State University. Mr. Hoffman will serve as a public member.
Subhash Sahai – Dr. Sahai is a family practice physician with the Webster City Medical Clinic. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa, was recognized as the Person of the Year by the Iowa Asian Alliance in 2004, and initiated a weekly medical radio program “Dr. Dialog”. He served as a Lt. Colonel for the Air National Guard, Iowa 133rd Squadron from 1982-1998. Dr. Sahai received a BS in Biology from Punjab University, an MA in Biology from UNI and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Iowa. He will serve as a public member.