For Immediate Release Contact: Kimberly Steenhoek
Wednesday, April 5, 2006 (515) 281-6571
Ward Calls for Termination of Top
Workforce Development Officials
DES MOINES – Sen. Pat
Ward (R-West Des Moines) this afternoon called for the immediate termination of
top Workforce Development officials, Deputy Director Jane Barto and Director
Richard Running.
Ward called for Barto’s
termination as deputy director in response to newly-released information that
Barto tried to call off a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into excessive
salaries paid to the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium
(CIETC). Iowa Workforce Development is charged with the oversight and
monitoring of CIETC’s spending.
“The attempt to stop a
federal inquiry into this matter is outrageous,” said Ward who is co-chair of
the Senate budget subcommittee that oversees funding for Iowa Workforce
Development. “I’ve lost trust in the department’s leadership and their
ability to responsibly manage taxpayer dollars. We need to put leaders in
place that will give proper oversight to spending taxpayer money regardless of
whether it is federal, state or local.”
On Tuesday, Ward and Sen.
Mary Lundby (R-Marion) sent a letter to Iowa Workforce Development Director
Richard Running asking that Barto be placed on unpaid administrative leave
until all investigations are complete. Running told legislators during a
meeting of the Government Oversight Committee today that he would not comply
and would leave Barto on the job.
Ward also called for
Running’s resignation as director of the agency. “There must be some
accountability, said Ward. “As director, the buck stops with Running and
he must be held accountable.”
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