Polk County supervisors narrowly approved hiring a law firm last week to try to recover part of last month's $2.5 million settlement with former HR director Jim Nahas.

Why it matters: Even though insurance covers part of the settlement, taxpayers still bear the burden of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Local leaders have a fiduciary duty to seek recovery for the external legal advice that led to the loss, county administrator Frank Marasco tells Axios.

Catch up quick: Nahas was fired in 2021 after county officials said he mishandled a sexual harassment complaint made against Supervisor Matt McCoy by deputy administrator Sarah Boese.

• McCoy has denied the allegations. Lawsuits filed by Boese against the county for harassment and retaliation after she wasn't promoted to top administrator last year are ongoing.

Friction point: Nahas' petition said his firing was political and that county officials threatened to publicly release an unflattering termination letter if he didn't resign.

• County officials ultimately issued a letter accusing him of being evasive or dishonest, which became one of the main points in his wrongful termination case.

State of play: A jury verdict last year awarded $4.26 million to Nahas, including $5,000 in punitive damages each from current Supervisors Tom Hockensmith and Angela Connolly for their roles in the case.

Yes, but: Last month's settlement ends any potential appeals the county could have pursued to reduce the award.

• The county's maximum liability in the case is $2 million, after which insurance coverage kicks in.

Behind the scenes: Supervisors voted 3-2 to hire Sease & Wadding on a contingency-fee basis to pursue potential recovery, with Hockensmith and Connolly opposed.

• Marasco tells Axios the recovery will focus on payment from the Ahlers & Cooney law firm, which advised the county in Nahas's termination.

What they're saying: Connolly told Axios after the meeting that she voted against the contract because she didn't know the fee arrangement was contingent on recovery and wanted to avoid additional legal expenses.

• Hockensmith tells Axios that he didn't know enough about the contract, saying he believes the county relies too much on outside counsel instead of the county's legal team.

The intrigue: The Ahlers law firm initially agreed to pay $250,000 toward the settlement, but the county thought that was not enough and declined it, allowing it to pursue a higher amount, Marasco said.

• Ahlers did not respond to Axios' requests for comment yesterday.

What we're watching: How much is recovered and, of that, how much is paid to the Sease law firm.

• The county's contract with Sease was not included in last week's public documents, and Axios' records request for the information is still pending.

As Ankeny's population continues to grow, city officials are considering a feasibility study to determine whether the area needs a hospital.

Why it matters: A new hospital could shorten ambulance response times and expand access to care for residents, especially since there are no 24/7 emergency rooms in the area.

State of play: The northern suburb has nearly 80,000 residents and is projected to reach 120,000 over the next 15 years, per the city. Nearby towns, like Polk City, are also growing quickly.

Zoom out: Des Moines and Ames have the closest major hospitals with emergency rooms.

• The last hospital to open in the metro was Methodist West in 2009.

What's next: The City Council still needs to approve the contract for the study, which will be conducted this summer. The cost estimate is $12,500.

• If the study determines there is a need, city officials will reach out to potential hospital providers.

West Des Moines Police have made an arrest in the nearly 15-year-old homicide case of realtor Ashley Okland, per the police department.

State of play: Kristin Ramsey, 53, is charged with first-degree murder.

• West Des Moines Police will share more details about the arrest during a news conference at 9am today.

Flashback: On April 8, 2011, Okland was shot twice while showing a model townhome near 84th Street and EP True Parkway.

• An employee for the townhome's developer found Okland on the floor. She was transported to Iowa Methodist Medical Center downtown, where she later died.
• In an interview with Axios earlier this year, former West Des Moines Police Chief Chris Scott shared that Okland's homicide "never collected dust" and the department continued to get tips.

🚨 An Iowa DCI investigator who was involved in several high-profile cases was fired after leaking confidential information to the media and mishandling evidence, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. (Des Moines Register)

🏥 Healthcare providers at UnityPoint, UI Healthcare and The Iowa Clinic are using AI transcription software to help them make notes from conversations with patients. (Business Record)

💵 The City of Johnston has filed a lawsuit against the developers of a failed sports complex project that was supposed to house the state's largest indoor track and full-size soccer field. (WHO-13)

Outdoor recreation contributed 2.2% of Iowa's GDP in 2024, according to new U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

The big picture: Nationally, the outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.4% of U.S. GDP — equivalent to nearly $700 billion.

🚤 Worth noting: Boating and fishing were the biggest economic drivers among "conventional activities," adding $38.4 billion to the nationwide GDP.