Q&A: Pair of candidates seeking public’s vote for District 3 supervisor

By Seth Boyes,

Voters will head to the polls next month to decide between two candidates hoping to fill the District 3 seat on the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Democrat Shirley Vermace filed for reelection and will face off against Republican challenger Dan Hovden. District 3 consists largely of areas in northern and western Decorah. The Decorah Leader contacted the campaigns and submitted questionnaires to the candidates facing contested races this cycle. Their responses are printed here to help inform voters ahead of the upcoming election.

What inspired you to run for county supervisor, and what experiences do you feel have prepared you for a seat on the board?

Hovden: I’m running for supervisor because I was asked to run by highly respected members of our county who don’t care for the constant bickering, division and pettiness going on these days. It didn’t use to be this way. I’ve spent my entire life living, working and raising a family in Winneshiek County, and I know I can play a hand in making it a better place for all of us.

Vermace: My mom, Jean Jenkins, was a role model for our family for strong community involvement and volunteerism. I wish to carry on that commitment to the community in her honor with my own work. My previous experiences serving this community inspired me to run for county supervisor. Those experiences include Decorah PTO; Winneshiek Habitat for Humanity; Decorah Park and Recreation; the “Seamsters Union of Winneshiek County” and many other volunteer opportunities over the last 24 years since moving back to Decorah. I worked as an aggregate inspector for the Iowa DOT while in college to help cover part of my tuition at the University of Iowa. I guess the road and bridge work still intrigues me – and they are the foundation on which this county’s business, tourism, education, and economic development depend. I will always try to vote to support county roads and bridges with 100 percent of the funds available in our budget to do so. I have work experience in a variety of fields including restaurant waitress, daycare management, elementary education, event planning and marketing. In each of these fields, it takes clear communication, consensus building, teamwork, a willingness to learn new things and the ability to change one’s mind when new facts are presented. Continuing education is vital for effective leadership; there is something new to learn every day. I have a B.A. from the University of Iowa; recertification as a Certified County Supervisor by the Iowa State Association of Counties; and I have taken 26 weeks of training in Professional Leadership Training through the National Association of Counties. Good public service by county supervisors includes knowing how to work with and cooperate on projects equally with county employees and department heads; county and regional non-profit organizations; and the community at large. Listening to all of these constituencies and their concerns, researching and finding the facts, including everyone at the table when decisions are to be made is the most effective way of serving the public. I believe I have shown I am committed to that cooperative model of county governance. Supervisors are not the CEOs of the county, we are a part of the larger piece. I can guarantee this community, we are very fortunate to have the county employees who work for Winneshiek County at every level – they make it all happen. Not to mention they have to work with the constantly changing dynamics of an elected board of supervisors, whose only qualifications for the job are to be 18 years old and live in our districts; we must be humble enough to admit we can learn from our employees and our community.

What is the purpose of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors, and how should its members go about fulfilling that role? 

Hovden: The primary responsibility of a supervisor is to ensure the effective management of our road systems and providing oversight of budget decisions by working with department heads to make everyone accountable for the tax dollars we spend.

Vermace: Counties are empowered to perform any function to “protect and preserve the rights, privileges and property of the county or of its residents and to preserve and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort and convenience of its residents.” — Iowa Code, 331.301(1). This broad power is a part of county home rule and is vested in the county board of supervisors. — Iowa Code 331.301(2) (source: ISAC County Supervisor Manual). It is the duty of the board of supervisors to work cooperatively in nearly every aspect of the county government; the BOS duties are primarily administrative, but they also serve as the legislative, executive and judicial branches of county government in many aspects (ISAC Supervisor Manual). However, I firmly believe they must exercise those powers in cooperation with, and in partnership with, their department heads, elected officials and the community at large with communication, common sense, transparency and facts. All while keeping in mind, county home rule cannot be inconsistent with the laws of the General Assembly or municipal corporations. This is where county governance and the will of the people can be tricky to navigate and, for me, one of the most difficult to understand and accept.

More Q&A with the Winneshiek County candidates can be found in the October 17 Decorah Leader.

What is the most important issue currently facing the residents of District 3, and what actions can be taken to address it?

When the board members aren’t unanimous in their views on a particular topic, what do you feel is the most important factor in reaching a decision?

What do you see as your opponent’s best quality and why?

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