Hunter
04/27/22
Coralville City Councilor Jill Dodds resigned on Tuesday after criminal charges were filed against her husband, alleging that he sexually abused a preschooler at their childcare center.
The Press-Citizen reports that Dodds made a lengthy statement at the end of the City Council meeting, claiming the allegations against Jeff Dodds are false and complaining about her treatment at the hands of fellow city councilors, specifically naming mayor Meghann Foster and Councilor Mitch Gross among those who privately asked Dodds to resign.
Dodds said, “My husband has had false allegations made against him for a horrific crime that he didn’t commit.” He was arrested April 18th on two counts of 2nd degree sexual abuse. He allegedly sexually assaulted the child on multiple occasions between June and December 2021. Dodds was released the day after his arrest after posting a $40,000 bond.
Councilor Dodds was the licensed owner of Simple Abundance Childcare, which was run out of the couple’s Coralville home. She said Tuesday that she and her husband are happily retired, although the center’s website was still active at the time of Jeff Dodds’ arrest. State records show the business actively licensed as recently as February.
Mayor Foster told the newspaper that she sent an e-mail to Dodds Friday calling on her to resign and submit a resignation letter by 9 am Monday, but Dodds did not do so. Foster said that she didn’t know before the meeting that Dodds planned on resigning at the meeting. She told the Press Citizen that she spoke with City Council members one-on-one before she sent the email to Dodds.
During Dodds’ remarks, she criticized the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the press.
