Governor Vilsack intends to air ideas about revamping government in the open as he leads a 12-member panel that seeks ways for government to operate. But Senate Co-Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows says public meetings may be a mistake. Iverson contends secrecy may be needed in certain situations, and he cites his closed-door experience with writing new livestock regulations a couple of years ago as an example.Iverson says if the livestock bill had been written in full public view, nothing would have been accomplished. “It gave space, where all of a sudden you weren’t a democrat or republican, you were just a concerned Iowan,” Iverson says. Iverson predicts the group of legislators will find it hard to talk in the open with the governor as their government reform task force continues its work.”You just have to be careful in what you say,” Iverson says.
