The political action committee lobbying for approval of the $27-million Bettendorf police station referendum has run afoul of Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure rules.
The group – Yes for Public Safety – paid a $160 civil penalty for failing to file eight, one-time contribution forms within the required 10 days of receiving the contributions of $1,000 or more from "permanent organizations," such as a business or association.
The police station referendum lobbying group also reported it refunded a $2,500 corporate donation by Estes Construction – the company under contract with the city to build the new police station if approved in the Nov. 4 referendum – and a $1,000 contribution by RILCO, Inc., a wholesale lubricant distributorship headquartered in Eldridge.
The fund-raising committee's latest filing before the election shows that it received a $2,500 contribution from Kent Pilcher, president of Estes, and a $1,000 contribution from Craig Wagner, associated with RILCO, to replace the amounts refunded to Estes and RILCO.
The new filing reported an additional $5,000 contribution from HDR, Inc., an Omaha engineering firm. The contribution brings the total raised by the lobbying group to just over $57,000.
The group spent another $7,400, according to the most recent campaign disclosure report, bringing total expenses for the committee to just over $55,000.
In addition, the city has spent more than $30,000 on an "informational newsletter" and postcards mailings to residents.
