The City of Postville gets a temporary injunction to halt the move of Upper Exploreland Regional Planning Commission to Decorah

The City of Postville has been granted a temporary injunction that prohibits Upper Exploreland Regional Planning Commission from buying the former Bruening Rock Products building on Washington Street in Decorah.

In a petition filed Monday in Allamakee County District Court, the city argued that a September 23rd meeting held by the UERPC board was conducted in violation of the state Open Meetings Law, since it included a secret ballot on the issue of buying the Decorah property.  The petition also claims the board failed to give proper notice to the public of the September 23rd meeting and of the closed session to consider buying the Decorah property.

Postville mayor Leigh Rekow said he was contacted after the vote about "irregularities in the vote taken at the September 23rd meetings."  Upper Exploreland officials then sent out written ballots to be signed and returned by all members of the UERPC board.  The petition claims this further action was also illegal.

A hearing on the issue will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday in Waukon.  The petition names Upper Explorerland Executive Director Aaron Burkes and the members of the UERPC board, which includes Decorah residents Dean Darling, Les Askelson and Randy Uhl.