Jasper County supervisors enter closed session on litigation request, authorize follow-up letter

The Jasper County Board of Supervisors on March 31, 2026 voted unanimously to enter a closed session at the request of Scott Nicholson to discuss litigation strategy under Iowa Code section 21.5(c). The motion to go into closed session was moved by Supervisor Talsma and seconded by Supervisor Cupples; the roll call recorded YEA votes from Chairman Thad Nearmyer, Talsma and Cupples.

After the closed session the board voted to come out of closed session. The board then approved a motion, also moved by Talsma and seconded by Cupples, authorizing the Auditor and the Board Chairman to send a follow-up letter regarding the subject discussed in closed session. The votes on both the motion to exit closed session and the authorization were unanimous.

The transcript identifies Scott Nicholson as the person requesting the closed session; the board did not disclose substantive details of the litigation strategy in the public minutes recorded here. The board’s actions were procedural: they invoked the statutory exception allowing private consultation with counsel about pending or imminent litigation and authorized administrative follow-up (a letter) but did not record any substantive public decisions about the underlying matter.

The meeting then recessed into a budget hearing workshop. No further public action on the litigation matter is recorded in these minutes.