DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s open to discussing changes in public employee pension plans, sparking a discussion about whether a switch to a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k), would meet worker needs and better protect taxpayers.

Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald tells The Des Moines Register public employees in the state should be concerned about the potential to do away with the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, also known as IPERS. The system has 350,000 members. Fitzgerald says the problem with defined contribution plans proposed by some lawmakers and organizations is that they place the financial risk on employees who are stuck with high fees for investments.

The Iowa Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Iowans for Tax Relief and the Public Interest Institute in Mount Pleasant have endorsed shifting IPERS to a defined contribution plan.

The manager of the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System had expected the “silver tsunami” to hit a few years ago. But Donna Mueller — the system’s C-E-O — says many “Baby Boomers” in government jobs put off retirement because of the recessions that hit in 2001 and 2008. “So we’re having a little bit of an increase,” she says.

About six-thousand people who’ve worked in Iowa cities, counties, public schools or state government retired last year. That’s about a thousand more than retired five years ago. “Our workforce is aging,” Mueller says. “And many individuals did delay retirement.”

114,000 people are getting a pension today from the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System — often called IPERS. While pension systems in places like Detroit and Illinois have major problems, IPERS is “very stable,” according to the system’s C-E-O, and there’s “absolutely no problem” in paying benefits.

“It’s over 83 percent fully-funded,” Mueller says. “Anyone who’s currently receiving a pension and current members who are looking forward to receiving a pension should rest assured they’ll receive their retirement benefits.” More than half of the public workers who are in the system and still working are employed in schools. State employees account for 15 percent of IPERS “active” members. Sixteen percent of the future pensioners are employed by counties and another 14 percent work for one of Iowa’s cities.

Mueller met with Governor Branstad this (Tuesday) morning to discuss her agency’s budget and Branstad expressed confidence in the fund’s solvency. Branstad also made clear there are NO plans to offer early retirement incentives to public workers or he’s not advancing a proposal to change the benefit structure.

(Radio Iowa)

A bill sponsored by an Iowa congressman to address the plea of an Iowa veteran was signed into law last night (Monday) by President Obama. Congressman David Young of Van Meter sponsored the “No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act.” Young calls it “critical mental health legislation for our veterans and service members.” In a written statement. Young thanked members of congress and the president for getting the bill “across the finish line.”

The law requires the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to ensure calls made to its suicide hotline are returned in a timely manner. Young drafted the legislation after a veteran who had tried to call the hotline, but couldn’t get through, contacted a member of his congressional staff for help. Young says soldiers “who have sacrificed in defense of our freedoms deserve the best quality mental health care possible.”

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s Deputies investigating the distribution of methamphetamine in the Percival area, were involved in a pursuit early this (Tuesday) morning. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says the County’s K9 unit was investigating at around 5-a.m., when deputies came across Michael Frakes, of Nebraska City, NE. Aistrope said Frakes was already under investigation for distribution of narcotics.

Michael Frakes

When deputies tried to make contact with the man, Frakes took off, heading south through Percival. A high-speed pursuit ensued, during which Frakes lost control of the vehicle he was driving. The vehicle skidded across Highway 2 at the intersection with 195th Avenue, and entered the south ditch.

Deputies tried to apprehend Frakes, but he continued to try and elude them in his vehicle, which rammed the K9 Unit before heading west on Highway 2 toward Nebraska City.

Deputies followed Frakes into Nebraska City, where Officers with the Nebraska City Police Department were waiting to assist. Officers and Deputies with the two law enforcement agencies pursued Frakes through Nebraska City until he ditched the car in the 700 block of 5th Avenue, and took off on foot.

Nebraska City Police saw Frakes running into a nearby residence and were able to arrest him there. No injuries were reported during the incident.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), reports an infant has died following an apparent accidental drowning in a bathtub at a condominium located at Lake Panorama. Authorities say 21-month old Sawyer Madsen, of Lincoln, NE, was found floating in a tub in a rented Clover Ridge Resort condo at Lake Panorama, on Nov. 23rd.

Sawyer, and her four-year old sibling, were placed in the bathtub with running water, and left unattended for a period of time. The older sibling was not injured. Sawyer Madsen was flown by helicopter to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, where she died Thanksgiving Day.

Her parents were identified as Elena and Joshua Madsen, of Lincoln, NE. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says the parents and extended family from other states chose to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday at Lake Panorama, because it was a central location for members of the family. None present were from the immediate area.

An autopsy was performed on the girl. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation continue to investigate the circumstances of the death.

The second finalist announced in the search for a new University of Northern Iowa president knows his way around campus. The search committee announced that Jim Wohlpart, who is serving as the interim president at U-N-I, is the second of three finalists.  Wohlpart has been the school’s provost since May of 2015 and became interim president in July of this year after Bill Ruud announced he was leaving the position in Cedar Falls to become the president of a school in Ohio.

Wohlpart, was a professor of English before moving into administration. He will hold a public forum on campus Wednesday.  The first finalist, former Temple University president Neil Theobald, is holding a forum on campus today (Tuesday), while the third finalist will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday).

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Clarke County man was arrested Monday night at the Union County Jail. 34-year old Daniel Charles Clausen, of Osceola, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 4^th degree.  Clausen was being held in the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, the Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a convenience store in Afton sustained about $3,000 damage early this (Tuesday) morning, after it was hit by a pickup truck. 24-year old Kami Lee Kelly, of Thayer, was pulling into the Casey’s Store parking lot. When she tried to stop, her brakes failed, causing the vehicle to hit the side of the building and breaking the front, glass door. Kelly was not injured in the mishap. Her 1994 Ford Ranger sustained $500 damage.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, will continue discussion they had last week, with regard to an ethanol plant proposal/development agreement. Last week, the Board went over a request from Elite Octane, LLC ethanol plant representatives, for a financial assistance package from the County, but took no action. Instead they wanted lawyers for the County and Company to come together to present some solid numbers on what the County’s obligations would be.

Elite Octane wants to construct an ethanol plant in Cass County, and requests to use property tax revenues generated by the increase in valuation due to construction of the facility (Tax Incremental Finance) for the project. The Board, Wednesday, is also expected to schedule a public hearing on a development agreement with Elite Octane, and an amendment of the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area that would add Elite Octane site parcels, along with acting on a possible Resolution setting public hearing dates.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday, at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports a resident living in the 1100 block of S. Lincoln Street told authorities Monday, that sometime between 10-p.m. and Midnight, Sunday, someone entered his home and took several bottles of prescription pills and $380 in cash. The total loss was estimated at $580.

And, Monday morning, a resident of the 300 block of N. Walnut Street, in Creston, told police someone entered her vehicle while it was parked outside her home. Once inside the vehicle, someone took assorted loose change and cash. The loss was estimated at $175.

Both incidents remain under investigation.