Iowa Attorney General Bird visits Charles City water plant

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird visited Charles City for a tour of the city’s water treatment plant on Thursday, April 3.

As part of a 99-county tour, Bird said she is traveling the state to visit and learn about various aspects of local government that can inform her work as the state’s attorney general.

“There are more water issues that come up in my office than you’d think,” said Bird. “I just like to see how things work so I can see the practical effect a regulation can have.”

Water Superintendent Cory Spieker gave Bird a tour of the facility, joined by City Administrator Steve Diers, Sheriff Lt. Travis Bartz, Police Chief Hugh Anderson, and Mayor Dean Andrews.

“We’re very proud of our plant and Cory does an awesome job of running it out here,” said Diers.

From the water treatment operations to the newly installed million-gallon clearwell tank, Spieker showed Bird how the facility operates to provide water to Charles City homes and businesses while providing feedback about how to balance safety regulations, particularly regarding lead piping, to make sure that cities and property owners with safe water aren’t forced to make costly replacements.

Chief Anderson and Lt. Bartz also took the opportunity to discuss law enforcement policies with Bird, thanking her for her support of qualified immunity, sharing frustrations with the court’s use of plea deals and probations, and explaining the struggle recruiting and retaining officers as the state Legislature’s restrictions on property taxes impact city and county budgets.

“We’re feeling it in law enforcement,” said Anderson. “All of our wages for police and fire come out of our general fund.”