Jodi Selby of Adel announced Wednesday her plans to run for a seat on the Adel City Council in the November election.
Selby, with family roots in Adel for nearly 80 years, is the daughter of former Dallas County Sheriff Lee Struble. She cited concerns with the recent rapid growth in the community, the city’s proposed southward annexation and a growing divide among Adel residents as among her reasons for seeking a council seat.
“I believe the residents, council, community and business leaders and developers must come to the table and work together to create solutions,” Selby said. “Keeping Adel’s small-town charm while still encouraging growth can be done.”
Once a supporter of the residential property tax abatement program, Selby said she now believes the best way to ensure economic stability within the city is to adjust and eventually terminate the program.
She said all of Adel’s stakeholders “must work together to create a solution not just for this issue but for all major issues the community faces.”
“Planned growth is great for the city,” she said, “and I love meeting the new people in our community. I’m anxious to be part of the solution to bring more comprehensive planning that will assist in benchmarking future growth.”
Selby said the hometown where she was raised and has lived in most of her life “is more divided now than ever.” She hopes as a council member “to bring the community back together and begin to mend the divide that’s overshadowed the town for the last several years.”
Selby is a vice president at Bankers Trust in Des Moines and has presented in her field both locally and nationally. She graduated from Upper Iowa University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and an associate’s degree in liberal arts from DMACC.
She was honored with the 2015 Governor’s Volunteer Award for her service to the state of Iowa as a guardian and conservator. Selby currently sits on the board of Ballet Des Moines.
She and her husband, Scott, have three children, Tasia, 13, Rori, 12, and Luke, 5.
