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Former Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel requests media restriction clause be waived in $1.6 million settlement agreement

News 8 obtained Spiegel's request, which was made in an email sent by Spiegel to Mayor Mike Matson, all 10 members of the Davenport City Council and others.

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Former Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel is asking the city to waive part of her settlement agreement that bars her from interviewing with local media.

News 8 has obtained Spiegel's request, which was made in an email sent by Spiegel to Mayor Mike Matson, all 10 members of the Davenport City Council, Assistant City Administrator Mallory Merritt and Assistant City Attorney Brian Heyer. 

As part of her $1.6 million settlement with the City, Spiegel agreed not to interview with local media for 10 years. The City is currently in court negotiations over whether or not to release a letter Spiegel sent allegedly laying out instances of discrimination and harassment she faced in her role. 

In the email, Spiegel said that if the court rules to release the settlement letter, she wants the interview restrictions waived. Here's the full email:

Spiegel Settlement Background

On Nov. 16, the City announced that Spiegel was leaving her position with the City. Just days later on Nov. 22, 2023, the City sent out a news release disclosing that Spiegel and the City had come to a $1.6 million settlement agreement for lost wages and "emotional pain and suffering" back on Oct. 6. 

Though the agreement was settled on Oct. 6, the City did not disclose the settlement agreement until after the November municipal elections. Ever since the agreement was disclosed, several government officials and community members have expressed concern that the City may have violated Iowa's open records law by keeping the settlement process a secret. 

In January, News 8 learned that Spiegel's settlement agreement and settlement agreements with two other former City employees were being investigated by Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand. The City of Davenport filed a motion to block the auditor from listening to recordings of the closed meetings after Sand subpoenaed them in February. 

Iowa state legislators held a government oversight hearing in Des Moines on Wednesday, March 27 to determine whether city leaders violated Iowa's open records law. Attorney Michael Meloy requested that the committee investigate the matter.

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