Mitchellville residents challenge city budget in rare state appeal hearing

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]IN THE FORECAST.

[00:00:01]I’LL BE BREAKING THAT DOWN COMING UP.

[00:00:03]ALL RIGHT JASON, THANKS SO MUCH.

[00:00:05]NEW TONIGHT.

[00:00:05]SOME PEOPLE IN CENTRAL IOWA COMMUNITY ARE FIGHTING AGAINST A BUDGET PASSED BY THEIR CITY LEADERS.

[00:00:12]KCCI AURORA EXPLAINS THEIR CONCERNS AND WHY A STATE AGENCY IS NOW INVOLVED.

[00:00:17]PEPPER, STACY AND BEN TONIGHT, ARGUMENTS CENTERED ON A PETITION ACCUSING MITCHELLVILLE OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT.

[00:00:24]THE DISPUTE HAS FUELED MONTHS OF POLITICAL TURMOIL AT CITY HALL, BUT NOW IT’S BEFORE A STATE APPEALS PANEL.

[00:00:31]THE STEP IS RARE, BUT SUPPORTERS SAY IT’S NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE CITY’S CONFLICTS.

[00:00:36]THIS IS NEGLIGENCE, A CHALLENGE TO MITCHELLVILLE 2026 2027 BUDGET IS BEING LED BY FORMER CITY ADMINISTRATOR GARY BROWN.

[00:00:45]BROWN, WHO WAS REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION LAST YEAR, ARGUES THE PROPOSED BUDGET RELIES ON INACCURATE NUMBERS FROM PAST FISCAL YEARS AND NEGLECTS AGING WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS.

[00:00:55]YOU CAN’T JUST KEEP BUILDING ON A HOUSE OF CARDS AND DISPLAYING TO THE PUBLIC THAT YOU’RE IN THE BEST FINANCIAL STATE AS YOU EVER HAD.

[00:01:04]THE STATE OF OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANTS ARE ON THE VERGE OF COMPLETE DISRUPTION.

[00:01:09]CITY ATTORNEY TOM HENDERSON PUSHED BACK, ARGUING MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DISPUTES, NOT ACTUAL BUDGET VIOLATIONS.

[00:01:17]MOST OF THE COMPLAINT IN THIS CASE DEALS WITH POLITICAL ISSUES AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES, WHICH ARE NOT RELEVANT TO OUR PROCEEDINGS, HENDERSON SAID.

[00:01:25]THE APPEAL PROCESS ITSELF IS UNCOMMON UNDER IOWA LAW.

[00:01:27]IT ISN’T A COMMON THING, SO IT IS KIND OF A SURPRISE WHEN YOU SEE IT FILED.

[00:01:31]ANDERSON SAYS.

[00:01:32]STAFFING SHORTAGES AND BOND PROCEEDINGS EXPLAIN THE CITY’S FINANCIAL NUMBERS, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE BOARD’S EXPERTISE.

[00:01:39]THEY SAY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.

[00:01:41]MITCHELL WILL ABIDE BY THAT RULING, AND THE BOARD WILL MAKE