Public Utility

From 2003 through 2009, Amy Skogerson served as co-counsel for Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA), a quasi-governmental rural water district based in Creston, Iowa, and organized under Iowa Code Chapter 357A.  Amy became General Counsel for SIRWA in 2010, a position she still holds and loves today.

Founded in 1975, SIRWA now has over 4,000 miles of waterline transporting quality drinking water to residents across southwest Iowa.  SIRWA also owns and operates municipal wastewater systems in a number of local communities in southern Iowa.  SIRWA’s service area currently covers all of the unincorporated areas in Adair (except the northeast portion), Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties.  SIRWA also serves portions of Cass, Guthrie, Lucas, Madison, Montgomery, Page and Warren Counties.

As General Counsel for a Rural Water District, Amy works on a wide variety of matters with the District’s Board of Directors, management, staff, customers, bond counsel, engineer, auditor, the United States Department of Agriculture – Rural Development, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, county and city governments and others.  Amy’s public utility services include, but are not limited to:

• Regular monthly and special Board meeting attendance
• Preparation of minutes for all regular and special Board meetings
• Drafting of resolutions for formal Board action
• Attendance, election administration and minute preparation at all annual member meetings
• Communication with district staff, local government officials, bond counsel, engineers, contractors, lenders, auditors and others as part of water and wastewater construction projects
• Easement review and preparation
• Abstract examination and preparation of title opinions, deeds, Board resolutions and other documents necessary for land acquisition or divestiture
• Contract drafting and review
• Legal research, analysis and advice in relation to open meetings, open records, rules of order, billing practices, employee matters, public bidding process and requirements, district rules and regulations, 28E intergovernmental agreements, utility franchises, etc.
• Customer dispute negotiation

From 2003 through 2009, Amy also served as co-counsel for Regional Water, a nonprofit rural water association based in Avoca, Iowa, and organized under Iowa Code Chapter 504.