The government affairs committee of the Waukee Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum Tuesday in a conference room at the Legacy Pointe long-term care facility in Waukee.
Addressing the assembled chamber members and guests were two candidates vying for a seat on the Dallas County Board of Supervisors: incumbent Republican Mark Hanson of Waukee and Democrat challenger Julie Stewart of Waukee.
Melinda Behn, president and chief executive officer of the 300-member Waukee Chamber of Commerce, introduced the candidates and moderated the hour-long discussion, giving each candidate equal time to respond to questions Behn prepared in advance.
Several questions submitted in advance from the audience were also posed.
Behn said the chamber’s government affairs committee regularly hosts election-year forums, inviting office seekers for the school board, city council, board of supervisors and Iowa House and Senate seats to address chamber members.
Charlie Bottenberg, chairperson of the Waukee Chamber, said the forums are informative even when the candidates are running unopposed.
“It’s a great way for the community to get to know the candidates,” Bottenberg said, “and for the candidates to get to know the community, to get their message out a little better and explain who they are, what they want, what they want to see. Any time you can improve the voting process and the knowledge of the community, that’s a good thing.”
In their opening statements, Hanson and Stewart briefly outlined their personal backgrounds.
Hanson is a Minnesota native whose early career took him to California and the trade show industry. He said it was on a beach in San Diego where he met his future bride, who happened to hail from Dallas Center, and so his path led to Iowa. Hanson now works for one of the six Iowa Area Agencies on Aging. He is seeking his fourth term on the three-person Dallas County Board of Supervisors.
Stewart said she grew up on a century farm in Hardin County, the eldest of eight children in a family that took a lively interest in local politics and public affairs. She married and raised three children, running a small retail business while her husband farmed. When her husband died, Stewart went back to school at UNI, got her degree and taught high school government and U.S. history until consolidation closed the school. A second marriage and a second widowhood eventually led her to Dallas County, where her young grandchildren live.
Behn then asked the candidates a brief series of questions, beginning with what each believed to be the “unique qualifications” that suit them to holding county-level office.
Stewart said she has more than 30 years of experience in various positions, from chairperson of the local Parent Teacher Organization to election to the school board, leading a successful effort to pass an enrichment tax for the local schools, helping organize RAGBRAI, acting as finance director for Fourth of July celebrations and others. Stewart said she also has business management experience and a knack for accounting.
“I have a successful track record both as a manager of people and as a numbers person,” Stewart said. “I’ve worked myself up, and was known for always reading the budget when I was on the school board.”
Hanson pointed to his accomplishments during 12 years as a county supervisor, particularly emphasizing the scaled-back property tax levy rate but also noting the restored courthouse, the repurposed Human Service Campus, the establishment of a wetland bank and the building of the Raccoon River Valley Trail. The county’s balanced budget and A1 credit rating from Moody’s Investors Services were also mentioned.
“Everyone should know that I will accept the results of the election,” Hanson quipped to a smattering of polite laughter. He added, more seriously, “I’m running on my record because I think it’s a good one, and that’s why I’m here.”
Behn followed with a question about county tax rates and the costs of providing human services, asking whether the candidates had specific ideas about possible reforms to benefits. She asked about the importance of water quality in Dallas County and where the candidates stood on that politically charged topic.
After several more questions, the candidates were invited to make closing statements. Stewart mentioned, without specifically endorsing, the movement among some mayors in Dallas County to bring about an enlargement of the board of supervisors to five members.
“I pledge to you that I will work full time for you because this county is only going to grow larger,” Stewart said. “We have four targeted economic districts already in the county, besides the growth of Waukee, and we are the seventh-largest-growing county in the whole country. It’s an amazing statistic, and we need to keep on top of that issue so we don’t miss any opportunities or any problems that arise from it.”
Hanson closed by again alluding to his fiscal conservatism.
“Certainly there’s a challenge,” Hanson said, “with providing quality services to a growing county, but we’ve been doing it and doing it very, very well.” He repeated his track record of accomplishments, promising that “overall, I’m going to continue to look at maintaining the low tax rate. I’m going to maintain balanced budgets, and I’m going to make sure we protect that Moody’s rating so that if we have to borrow money.”
Several other elected officeholders attended the candidate forum, Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard, Dallas County Recorder Chad Airhart and Waukee Mayor Bill Peard. Besides Behn and Bottenberg, the Waukee Chamber of Commerce was represented by Don Frazer of the Heartland Coop and Dan Gehlbach of Mathnasium.
