March 29, 2024

Lawyer says former city administrator will plead not guilty

HARLAN (AP) — A former city administrator in western Iowa has been charged with stealing from the city.

Shelby County Court records say 67-year-old Terry Cox is charged with felony theft, felonious misconduct in office and misdemeanor records tampering. His lawyer, Mark Weinhardt, says Cox will plead not guilty.

Cox's preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 5.

He was city administrator for Harlan until he resigned in 2016 after questions were raised about his expenses. A state audit requested by the city identified nearly $145,000 in improper and unsupported disbursements from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2016.

Cox's attorney says the audit report is flawed.