After the July 28, 2026 Coralville city council meeting, Mayor Laurie Goodrich approached Coralville residents Justin K Comer and Tara McGovern chastise them for their public comments.

Later, Mayor Goodrich approached Justin and Tara as well as Ryan and Alannah Swenka just outside the meeting to chastise them again.

TRANSCRIPT:

Mayor Goodrich: “Can I speak to you for a minute? I worked part-time for the city of Coralville”

Tara: “Okay”

Mayor Goodrich: “Did you know that? I worked part-time. It’s not a horrible place to work. You’re just being cruel.”

Tara: “No, I’m not being cruel. I was giving facts.”

Mayor Goodrich: “It’s not factual.”

Tara: “What’s not factual? Tell me what was not factual, Mayor Goodrich, that I said.”

Mayor Goodrich: “I will…well…” [sigh]

Tara: “Which part is not factual? That I was denied collective bargaining rights?”

Mayor Goodrich: “Yeah. No. I mean, okay, that’s true.”

Tara: “What part is not factual?”

Mayor Goodrich: “What part is not factual?”

Tara: “Yes. That’s my question.

Mayor Goodrich: “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Tara: “Okay”

Mayor Goodrich: “I won’t say that’s not factual.”

Tara: “What part is cruel?”

Mayor Goodrich: “You’re coming to our meetings and speaking so horribly.”

Tara: “Nobody’s speaking horribly.”

Mayor Goodrich: “Come on.”

Tara: “What?”

Justin: “I’m sorry, what?”

Mayor Goodrich: “I’m disgusted.”

Justin: “Disgusted by what?”

Mayor Goodrich: “You’re not representing Coralville. You’re not representing Coralville.”

Tara: “We are residents of Coralville.”

Mayor Goodrich: “Yes, you are residents of Coralville but you are not representing Coralville.”

Tara: “We’re representing ourselves. What are you talking about?”

Mayor Goodrich: “You are keeping other people away from our council meetings.”

Justin: “How?”

Tara: “How?”

Mayor Goodrich: “By speaking so meanly.”

Justin: “Who?”

Tara: “Who?”

Mayor Goodrich: “And cruel. The people I talk to, the people I’m in contact with. All this time.”

Tara: “They’re not coming to council meetings because Justin and I are here?”

Mayor Goodrich: “Because of the conversation that is going on during our community comments. You have no idea what Kelly Hayworth does and has done for this city and I am so disappointed in anything that was said about him. It was very inaccurate what the other city administrators get. There’s many different things. Some of them get cars. Some of them get other, um, other amenities that weren’t even included in that.”

Tara: “Mayor Goodrich, are you saying that you don’t want us to come to the council meetings?”

Mayor Goodrich: “I am not saying that.” [reaches for Tara’s phone]

Justin: “Whoa”

Mayor Goodrich: “You and your phone.

Tara: “Excuse me?”

Mayor Goodrich: “Yeah, just send it out to everyone. I am not saying…you are always welcome. You are always welcome. But just be sure to be kind.”

Tara: “Who is not being kind? Would you define what you’re doing right now as kindness?”

Mayor Goodrich: “Yes, I’m scolding people who have acted naughty. You’re like naughty kids.”

Tara: “Excuse me? I’m a 48 year old person.”

Mayor Goodrich: “I wouldn’t know it from the way you present yourself at the meetings.”

Tara: “Give me an example.”

Mayor Goodrich: “I’m disappointed.”

Tara: “Give me an example.”

[Mayor Goodrich walks away]

Tara: “Wow.”

Twenty minutes later outside City Hall, Mayor Goodrich again approaches Justin and Tara who are standing with Ryan and Alannah Swenka.

Mayor Goodrich: “Be kind.”

Alannah: “We were.”

Mayor Goodrich: “Tara…”

Tara: “I have nothing to say to you. Move on”

Mayor Goodrich: “…you are not kind.”

Alannah: “That is not true. Hey! Stop talking to [them] like that right now! You are an elected official!”

Mayor Goodrich: “Oh Elena, oh God.”

Alannah: “You didn’t even say my name correctly!”

Mayor Goodrich: “I know I didn’t Alana. I’m sorry.”

Alannah: “Go! You are an elected official. Stop talking to [them] like this!”

Tara: “Listen to Alannah”

Mayor Goodrich: “Who’s needing to move on? From your job at the CCPA”

Tara: “I am a resident of Coralville…”

Mayor Goodrich: “…I know. So am I”

Tara: “I will show up at the meetings…”

Mayor Goodrich [interrupting] “…and you’re welcome to…”

Tara: “… and I will speak on my behalf and on behalf of my family. Stop harassing me.”

Mayor Goodrich: “Be kind. Be kind to the employees.”

Tara: “Mayor Goodrich, stop harassing me.”

Mayor Goodrich: “I am considering that you guys are harassing our employees.”

Justin: “How so?”

Alannah: “We are not. We are speaking on behalf of citizens.”

Tara: “We are coming to the meetings and engaging. This is a democracy.”

Mayor Goodrich: “You may come and speak kindly.”

Tara: “Nobody was being unkind other than you attacking us after the meeting. You tried to grab my phone”

Mayor Goodrich: “I’m so tired of you guys texting…”

Tara: “It doesn’t matter what we’re doing at a meeting. You should be doing your job.”

Mayor Goodrich: “I did not grab your phone. I tried.”

Tara: “You did. See you at the next meeting.”

Mayor Goodrich: “That’s great.”

Tara: “See you at the next meeting.”

Mayor Goodrich: “That’s great but I’m asking you to be kind. Be kind to our employees.”

Tara: “I don’t need to take any directions from you and that is not a direction that I need in my life. I’m comfortable with my behavior.”

[Mayor Goodrich gets in her car.]