Iowa City Negotiating With Insurer Over Fire

Iowa City officials are negotiating with an insurer about a disputed claim arising from last year’s landfill fire.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen says the City Council has approved a confidentiality agreement with The Travelers Cos. That agreement will keep details of the negotiations confidential.

City officials say that if a settlement were reached, details would be made public when the council voted on it in open session. Assistant City Attorney Eric Goers says a lawsuit remained an option if a settlement were not reached.

The city’s policy with Travelers lists sheds and buildings at the Iowa City Landfill, but not the landfill cells where the fire occurred. The company made an initial payment of $155,000, but the fire caused an estimated $3.5 million in damage.