Pottawattamie County supervisors deny employee grievance over hiring, 4-1

The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to deny a grievance filed by employee Josh Reynolds challenging a hiring decision and directed staff to issue a written ruling within seven calendar days.

The grievance revolved around a job posting that explicitly required a tanker endorsement; Reynolds told the board he later obtained the endorsement and said the lack of that credential was cited as a reason he did not get the position. Supervisors and staff debated whether the grievance should be limited to the original complaint or broadened into a wider critique of management practices, and they discussed how potentially sensitive documents submitted for the record should be handled under public‑record rules.

Reynolds, who filed the grievance after not being selected for the role, told supervisors he obtained the tanker endorsement after the interview to “prove how easy it was to get it,” saying he “made the appointment on a Wednesday, took it on a Thursday.” He said the endorsement requirement was listed on the job posting and that he was told both that another candidate was “more qualified” and that the lack of a tanker endorsement was a reason he did not get the job.

A county staff member told the board that the job posting clearly stated a tanker endorsement was required and that, by that standard, an applicant without the endorsement should not have been interviewed. The staff member also advised that after the hearing the board has seven calendar days to issue a written decision on whether the grievance is sustained or overruled.

Supervisors and staff described current hiring practices for internal applicants: supervisors said the county has generally allowed internal applicants to interview for positions above the truck‑driver/labor level to give employees experience, while staff clarified that licensure timelines differ by requirement. Staff said federal qualifications such as a tanker endorsement or a commercial driver’s license must be in place at hire, whereas other technical licenses identified in some job descriptions may be obtained after hire, typically within six months to a year. Staff also said the county has in some cases offered training to help employees move from a Class B to a Class A CDL.

Board members expressed caution about receiving documents in open session that could contain allegations harming others’ reputations. One staff speaker noted Chapter 22, which addresses public records, provides mechanisms to withhold documents if disclosure would justify a closed session; the board discussed reviewing submitted material for possible redactions and treating documents as confidential until reviewed.

A motion to deny the grievance was made and seconded; the board then voted, with Supervisor Balfe voting no and the remaining supervisors voting to deny the grievance. The tally recorded by the board was 4 to 1 in favor of denying the grievance. The board instructed staff to prepare and deliver the required written decision within seven calendar days.

The board also discussed, without taking separate formal action, continuing the county’s practice of interviewing internal applicants for experience while applying posted minimum qualifications for hire. Reynolds provided the board with documentation at the meeting and was told the materials would be reviewed and redacted as needed before any public release.

What happens next: staff will draft the written decision required by county grievance procedures and provide it to Reynolds; the board discussion left open the possibility of additional review if materials submitted in connection with the grievance raise confidentiality or legal issues.