The City of Decorah tells the Iowa Utilities Board the claim of an improved relationship between it and Alliant Energy "is unequivocally false"

The City of Decorah is asking that the Iowa Utilities Board takes action before next Monday night on the city's complaint about Alliant Energy's practices in negotiations over a franchise agreement.

In a letter sent to the IUB, the city responds to a letter sent to the IUB by Alliant by saying Alliant's letter implied "the relationship between (Alliant) and the City has improved and the issue at the heart of the City's complaint has been resolved."  The city's letter says the Decorah City Council has approved two readings of the franchise agreement only because it feels "enormous financial pressure to sign a new franchise agreement with (Alliant) or face exorbitant charges...for utility work related to the City's Locust Road Improvement Project."

The letter to the IUB says Alliant has not yet provided a detailed cost estimate for relocation of its electrical wires and equipment along Locust Road and instead has presented a generic estimate.  "The City has reason to suspect this estimate is intentionally grossed inflated by a factor of up to five."

The letter is signed by the five city council members voting in favor of sending the letter to the IUB: Emily Neal, Andy Carlson, Steve Luse, Johanna Bergan and Ross Hadley.