A Full Deck Of Supervisors Highlight A Prickly Day Of Testimony
Former Mahaska County Supervisor Lawrence Rouw testifies on Tuesday morning
A day full of testimony awaited a half full courtroom, with former Mahaska County Supervisor Lawrence Rouw taking the stand first for the prosecution.
Many people are unfamiliar with what a supervisor does, and all of the details one must be familiar with while in office. This case is a crash course in Supervisor 101.
The position is considered part-time, with a supervisor technically working under 37 hours a week, paying approximately $29,000 a year for the position.
The days testimony focused on a few points of contention.
One of those issues goes back to a letter written by VanWeelden dated January 16, 2009 stating, “The board of supervisors is in agreement Bonnie VanWeelden should be placed on the county insurance starting February 1.”
The usage of the letterhead and how it was traditionally used were part of the prosecutions case in attempting to show abuse on the part of VanWeelden.
Former supervisor Lawrence Rouw, in testimony today to prosecutor Becky Goettsch, “If a letter is written on the county board of supervisors letterhead is that considered official business of the county?”
Rouw said, “Yes.”
Becky Goettsch asked Rouw, “Did Mr. VanWeelden have your permission to sign as either the chairperson or the vice-chairman or by himself?”
“No”, is how Rouw responded.
Goettsch asked Rouw, “Do you have a problem with Bonnie VanWeelden being covered [health insurance]?” Rouw responded to her with, “Not if she qualifies.”
Goettsch went on to ask, “Do you have a problem with someone writing a letter with false statements in it on the board of supervisors letterhead?”
“Yes”, was how Rouw responded.
“And was that your concern through this whole investigation?” Goettsch asked Rouw, with him responding, “yes.”
Defense Attorney Matt Moore questions Fmr. Supervisor Lawrence Rouw on Tuesday morning
In cross examination, lead defense attorney Matt Moore asked Rouw, “You can’t testify what was in Willie VanWeelden’s mind on January 16th, 2009, when he wrote the letter to Tom O’Brian to Auxiant about adding Bonnie can you?”.
Rouw responded with one of the best quotes yet in the trial. “I am not a mind reader.”
Part-time status of the Mahaska County supervisors was brought forward by the defense today, since in the employee handbook it states that full-time employees are the one’s that are eligible.
Defense attorney Matt Moore asked Rouw if the exhibit in his hand was a copy of the insurance policy that was in place during 2008. Rouw agreed that it was.
Moore pointed out in the insurance handbook, under the eligibility clause, “tell the jury who is the eligible class for county health insurance.”
Rouw responded by saying, “full time active employees who work for the company at least 37 and one half hours a week on a regular basis. Regular basis means that an employee is regularly at work for a period of 4 weeks in a row.”
Moore asked Rouw, “Show me anywhere… anywhere that this insurance plan, where it says part-time employees can have health insurance.”
After some time, Rouw stated, “I don’t know that’s in there, but the supervisors are considered to be under the insurance plan.”
Rouw further explained that insurance coverage was already in place when he arrived in the supervisor’s office.
Gordy backed that statement up later in the day, when the state asked him about health coverage for the supervisors. “Always have been as long as I’ve ever been aware of, I’ve never heard anything different.”
Defense Attorney Matt Moore questions Mahaska County Supervisor Greg Gordy on Tuesday afternoon
Newly elected and re-elected are major points of contention in this debate, as was highlighted earlier in the day, “If your a new employee or newly elected official”, Rouw said your allowed to put your family on at that point.
Defense attorney Matt Moore in cross-examination questioned Rouw. “Where in either of those policies does it make a distinction that re-elected officials are not newly elected officials?”
The same line of questioning happened with Gordy later in the afternoon, “Mr. Rouw testified this morning that supervisors are considered part-time employees. Would you agree with that?”
“That’s what they’re stated yes”, Gordy said in response.
“You don’t punch a clock.”, Moore said to Gordy.
With six hours of testimony, there was a vast amount of information brought forward. Court continues at 9 am on Wednesday morning.
A criminal charge is merely a criminal charge and not an indication of guilt. All suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
