TOP STORY: Iowa Utilities Board asks Alliant Energy and the City of Decorah for more information about the issues concerning a new franchise agreement

The Iowa Utilities Board has given Alliant Energy and the City of Decorah a deadline of August 7th to send the IUB more information about issues involving a proposed new franchise agreement between the two parties.

IUB staff has reviewed the filings sent in by Alliant and the City of Decorah and "has identified additional information that is needed before closing our investigation and issuing a proposed resolution," in the words of the IUB e-mail to both sides.

The IUB staff in particular is asking Alliant to provide a detailed estimate of the relocation costs of the electrical facilities associated with the Locust Road project.  The IUB e-mail said Alliant's previous estimate "lacked specificity," citing lines in the estimate labeled as "material" and "labor," but didn't provide details.

The IUB staff is also requiring Alliant and the City of Decorah to send it all instances they are aware of in which a Franchise Agreement was "either misapplied or not applied."

The August 7th deadline set by the IUB comes four days after the Decorah City Council meets August 3rd to take a third and final vote on the proposed franchise agreement--which probably means the city council will postpone the vote for another two weeks.