For Immediate Release Contact: Kimberly Steenhoek
Monday, April 24, 2006 (515) 281-6571 or (515) 778-9795
Ward Asks Vilsack to Ensure Better
Oversight at Workforce Development
Senator
Pledges to Hold Economic Development Budget Bill in Senate
DES MOINES – State Sen. Pat
Ward (R-West Des Moines) today sent a letter to Gov. Tom Vilsack asking him for
assurance that new policies are being put in place at Iowa Workforce
Development to ensure better oversight at the agency. The senator, who co-chairs the budget
subcommittee that oversees funding for the agency, said she has concerns about
approving more money for Workforce Development
until she is confident these changes are taking place. Following is the text of her letter:
April 24, 2006
The Honorable Thomas J.
Vilsack
Governor of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Governor Vilsack:
The recent fiscal abuse at
the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium (CIETC) and the lack of
oversight by Iowa Workforce Development illustrate the need for state
government to become more accountable to the people of Iowa.
While I’m pleased that you
have appointed a new interim director at Iowa Workforce Development, I want to
be sure this action is not merely a band-aid solution for a much larger ailment.
As an agency that receives approximately
$500 million in federal funding and $12 million in state funding, Workforce
Development must have polices and procedures in place to ensure another scandal
such as CIETC never happens again.
As co-chair of the budget
subcommittee that oversees funding for Workforce Development, I have great
concern about approving another $12 million for the agency until I receive some
assurance that your administration has implemented policy and procedural
changes to ensure better oversight.
In addition, I would like to
know if your administration has conducted an assessment to determine if the
abuse of the public trust at Iowa Workforce Development was confined solely to the
CIETC contract.
In this time of growing
demands combined with limited resources, it is all the more important that
government operate efficiently and effectively.
Until I feel confident that Workforce Development is making the
necessary changes to ensure greater accountability, I will hold the economic
development budget bill in the Senate.
The people of Iowa and members of the
Legislature need assurance that state agencies are serving the needs of the
public rather than a privileged few.
Sincerely,
Senator Pat Ward
cc: Dave Neil, Iowa Workforce Development Interim
Director
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