Central Iowa Water Works Selects Interim Executive Director
For immediate release:
April 25, 2024
Central Iowa Water Works Selects Interim Executive Director
Board assigns committee to begin recruitment process for permanent director
DES MOINES – The trustees of the new cooperative regional drinking water authority, Central Iowa Water Works, met for the first time as a board to select officers and an interim executive director who could possibly oversee the entity for the remainder of 2024.
The Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) Board of Trustees celebrated on Wednesday, April 24, the success of forming a stronger water production system for the region through shared governance and collaboration.
Before the board meeting started, Robert Andeweg, mayor of Urbandale, recounted the journey to achieve this regional water authority — from utilities such as Urbandale striking out on its own to build new water treatment facilities to the years of expanded regional discussion.
“It can be quite a challenge to bring governmental entities together. The concept of this regional group has been talked about for more than a decade, and I can assure you that I had a lot less gray hair before this started,” Andeweg mused. “There were times I thought this would never come together. It took two more years and a lot of negotiations, and we have it done. Thank you for all the work that everyone in this room has done. Let’s get moving.”
Among the CIWW Board’s first actions were to nominate and approve officers:
Chair: Jody Smith, West Des Moines Water Works
Vice Chair: David Jones, city of Ankeny
Secretary: Diane Munns, Des Moines Water Works
In addition, the Board voted to approve William Smith as the interim director. A committee of CIWW member representatives recommended Smith, a retired attorney and energy consultant, who previously served on the Iowa Utilities Board staff and has experience in the start-up and operations of a multi-member public agency called the Organization of MISO States. OMS was established to represent state and local utility regulators in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. It consists of 17 members across 15 states and a Canadian province, who collaborate to share information and resources, debate and exchange ideas on policy issues, and communicate viewpoints.
William Smith will serve until an executive director is hired. The CIWW Board selected five trustees to serve on the executive committee to begin the recruitment process. They are: Jody Smith, Jones, Munns, John McCune (Urbandale Water Utility) and Courtney Clarke (mayor of Waukee). It is anticipated a search for an executive director could take up to nine months.
A photo of the CIWW board is attached.
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For more information, contact:
Melissa Walker, Des Moines Water Works Jamie Buelt, Media and Communications,
Communications and Outreach Manager West Des Moines Water
mwalker@dmww.com or 515-283-8706 jbuelt@enqstrategies.com or 360-961-0096
About Central Iowa Water Works
Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) is a cooperative regional authority responsible for water system planning, drinking water treatment, and wholesale delivery of drinking water to Central Iowa (approximately 600,000 people). CIWW’s members are the communities, utilities and rural water agencies of Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines Water Works, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Polk City, Urbandale Water Utility, Warren Water District, Waukee, West Des Moines Water Works and Xenia Rural Water District.