The Scranton Journal submitted a list of questions to the candidates for the contested races in Greene County.
Responses were not received from Jefferson city council candidate Susan Bose, Rippey mayor candidate Daniel Brubaker or Paton city council candidates Jacob Bohnet, Colby Keasey, Jimmy Martin, Chris Sprecher, or Paul Subbert.
Here are the responses from other candidates:
Greene County School Board
Name, age, address:
Connie Boyd, 67 years old, Jefferson
Dylan McConnell, 27 years old, 505 E Wilcox Way, Jefferson
Tim Riphagen, 33, 1252 230th St, Jefferson
Current employment and past employment that may be relevant to the school board:
Boyd: I am retired. For 23 years I worked at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. I began as a nursing instructor and my last position was the Dean of Human Services, Health, and Science. I believe my experience at Iowa Central as an instructor and as an administrator will benefit me as a school board member. I have also served on the Iowa Board of Nursing for six years.
McConnell: I previously worked for Alliant Energy as a journeyman lineman, and I currently work for Midland Power Coop in Jefferson as a journeyman lineman.
Riphagen: I’ve been employed with Principal Financial since 2012 where I am currently a payroll integration manager. I work with many different internal partners, external clients, and external payroll vendors, so I need to be very organized and be extremely proficient in communicating via email, chat, phone, and video call.
Current involvement in the community (Service organizations or church):
Boyd: I am a member of: Greene County Community Foundation board, Jefferson Friends of the Library board, First United Methodist Church, Jefferson – trustee member, Parks and Rec pickleball committee. I volunteer at food pantry; Midwest Mission; Healthy Rides, driver; RSVP, as a pen pal.
McConnell: N/A
Riphagen: I’m involved in many youth activities including coaching T-ball, softball, and soccer-and am on the leadership team at the First Baptist Church in Jefferson.
Why are you running for school board?
Boyd: I believe that education is very important. It is the foundation of a person’s life. I want to serve the school district to promote an excellent education for students with the goal being that each student will become a life-long learner and a productive member of society.
McConnell: I have been a part of this community my entire life, and this is one way I can give back and be involved in the community. At 27 years old, I’d like to bring a young mindset to the school board.
Riphagen: The school district plays a vital role in the community. I’ve seen that as a student and now as a parent and member of this community. As a member of the school board, I have a chance to serve this community – kids, parents, teachers, and staff – to make this a great experience for the current generation as well as for future generations.
If elected, what are your two or three top priorities for the Greene County Schools?
Boyd: If elected, my focus will be on what is best for students. What can the school do to help students be successful and prepare them for after graduation? I will listen, communicate with community members, school staff and work on any issues that may arise.
McConnell: My priorities if elected are to learn how the school systems work, how the financials work, and to help make educated decisions to help keep Greene County schools moving forward.
Riphagen: One, communication: I believe we need to continue focusing on improving communication at every level, especially in terms of letting people know when changes are being made and why they are being made. Two, the mental and behavioral health of students: something the school is prioritizing already with great counselors and focus on other programs, but I want to help make this better in any way possible.
What do you see as the challenges that the Greene County Schools are facing today?
Boyd: Hiring teachers to fill vacated positions. Currently, there is one teacher opening in the high school. Continuing to monitor and, as needed, address the school district’s state test scores.
McConnell: The economic pressure that we are all feeling. Increased expenses and trying to find the most economical way to make the system work and stay within budget.
Riphagen: The mental and behavioral health of students and how that impacts teachers’ ability to do their job. There is a teacher shortage right now, so the challenge is how to not only attract new teachers but also to retain the ones we currently have.
What do you like most about living in the Greene County community?
Boyd: The people. I have been blessed to meet so many wonderful people that I now call my friends. The many activities and events that are offered in the community and surrounding area. Living close to family.
McConnell: I like the small town community. I like being able to walk around and talk to familiar people.
Riphagen: The safety, the size, the people, and the opportunities. We have a fantastic community to raise a family in, highlighted by our school district, which has opportunities in athletics, drama, band, choir, esports, college courses that provide college credit, and the Career Academy.
What would you tell someone who is considering a move to the Greene County community?
Boyd: I would tell them that Greene County community is an active, fun community. I would share with them about the area attractions, organizations and the events and activities that are offered. Jefferson seems to offer something for everyone.
McConnell: It’s a great small town community. I was born and raised here. I wouldn’t want to live in any other community. My wife and I lived in Ames while obtaining our college educations. After obtaining our education we moved back to Jefferson because we like the community so much.
Riphagen: We have the small community feel—as far as the people you meet and develop relationships with and the safety of the area—while also being able to offer opportunities that larger communities have.
Final comments:
Boyd: If elected, I will be open to listening to anyone’s thoughts and suggestions related to the school district. I will learn as much as I can about the Greene County School District.
McConnell: N/A
Riphagen: I’m excited at the opportunity to serve on the school board. Ultimately, no matter who you vote for I strongly encourage everyone to vote via early voting or in person on November 7.
Jefferson City Council
Name, age, address:
Chad Sloan, 44, 307 E. Madison, Jefferson
Trevor Wishman, 53, 904 W Washington St., Jefferson
Matt Wetrich, 45, Jefferson
Current employment and past employment that may be relevant to serving as city council:
Sloan: I own my own plumbing / heating business which was started in 1979 by my father. I also manage a few rental properties. Being a business owner helps balance budgets and allows for needs versus wants to be sorted out.
Wishman: Currently a dual rate supervisor at Wild Rose Casino. As a former golf course superintendent and restaurant general manager in Naples, FL, I have had the opportunity to work with and serve a very diverse cross section of people and will bring a fresh perspective to the council.
Wetrich: Executive director of Jefferson Matters; 6 year incumbent city councilman; former events & tourism coordinator for Jefferson Matters; former naturalist for Carroll County Conservation.
Current involvement in the community (Service organizations or church):
Sloan: I’m an Elks member and I consider the Open Bible Church my home church.
Wishman: Volunteer at Thomas Jefferson Gardens
Wetrich: Founding member of the BOOST team
Why are you running for city council?
Sloan: I chose to run for this position mainly from the public reaching out and wanting me to do so. It’s an interesting process and I’m humbled by the support I’m receiving.
Wishman: I want to continue to build upon the successful programs such as the square revitalization, city park and rec center improvements, and other community projects that will provide recreation and enhance the quality of life in Jefferson and Greene County. Hopefully these and other initiatives will stop the population decline trend with my main focus being on working on providing affordable quality family housing.
Wetrich: I have very much enjoyed my time as a city councilman. I am proud of what has been accomplished during my time on the council, and I look forward to continuing the momentum of success we have going. I also enjoy meeting people, and working with a wide variety of individuals and entities to get things done in the best interest of the community and our future.
If elected, what are your two or three top priorities for the City of Jefferson?
Sloan: I believe a couple priorities will be to fill the police department and be competitive to retain the officers. I also feel we should balance the budget and decide on needs versus wants. I believe our taxes are high and we should try to save the citizens tax money.
Wishman: The number one top priority is to stop the yearly decline in population. When we are able to reverse that trend and increase our tax base we will be able to make road, water/sewer and other infrastructure improvements. The keystone to making this successful is affordable family housing and a multitude of recreational opportunities in the city.
Wetrich: Housing has been a top priority for the city for quite some time. It’s something we have to continue to get creative with on how we support a variety of housing options to meet as many folks’ needs as possible. We need to also continue to get creative on how we recruit and retain police officers. I believe this also includes looking into adding animal control personnel. I hope to grow the relationship with the citizens of Jefferson with their city government, helping to improve communication, transparency, and bring more awareness about all the services, programs, and benefits the city has to offer its citizens.
What do you see as the challenges that the City of Jefferson is facing today?
Sloan: Challenges we face are declining population. We need more jobs. We need to be financially responsible. We need to look out for the whole city.
Wishman: We must stop the population decline. It is a wonderful sign that Dollar Tree is opening a brand new store here in town, but we must ensure that those new employees have an affordable place to live. There are multiple businesses in the city, as well as Greene County, that are struggling to hire much needed workers for good paying jobs. We need to do everything that is prudent to grow our population and affordable housing is the most important component.
Wetrich: For a very long time, Jefferson has had a slow decline in population. We need to get innovative, creative, and educated on what two key demographics want in a place to live: young families and retirees. Catering and marketing ourselves to these demographics can be the difference in reversing the population trend. People have been gravitating to larger cities, but we have the opportunity to be the small community that stands out as the exception. Jefferson already is being recognized as a leader for the things we’ve been doing the past 7 or so years. When I travel around the state for work or other reasons, I hear about the unique and exciting things happening in Jefferson. The Main Street Iowa office regularly uses Jefferson as a model for other small communities on how to get things done. We need to keep the pedal to the metal and push ourselves to do the things that will help us grow, and help make it a thriving place to work, live, play and succeed.
What do you like most about living in Jefferson?
Sloan: I’ve lived in Jefferson my whole life. It’s home at the end of a trip out of town or state, Jefferson is home. My kids ran outside safely. We have all basic needs. Jefferson can be better, we all need to help make that happen.
Wishman: The sense of community. There is always something fun going on. From the Bell Tower Festival to car shows to the weekly farmer’s market and of course the Greene County Fair people are out having fun in our wonderful town.
Wetrich: Jefferson is an incredible place to raise a family; your kids can bike to their friend’s house, walk downtown, or hit up a movie at the Sierra, and you know they’ll be safe and people will be looking out for one another’s kids. The cost of living here is pretty fantastic overall. Sure, we’d all love for things to be cheaper, but relatively speaking, it’s less expensive to live here than many places. We have good schools, plenty of amenities, child care options, a simple pace of life, some good restaurants (with more in the works), a beautiful downtown, and so many nice, big-hearted, caring people. My family and I love living in Jefferson.
What would you tell someone who is considering a move to Jefferson?
Sloan: First off, I’d welcome them, I’d tell them about the community and where to find fun things to do.
Wishman: DO IT!! We have a top notch school system, a hospital with a newly opened walk-in clinic, a revitalized downtown square with locally owned shops, businesses and restaurants, and gorgeous parks throughout the city that create a place that everyone will want to call home
Wetrich: Jefferson is a wonderful place where if you want to, you can be involved in the community and know you’re making a difference. It’s a quiet, yet fun place to live. I would encourage them to visit www.experiencejeffersoniowa.com where they can see all the amazing things happening here and the opportunities that await. We have fun culture, outstanding internet connection for remote workers, and many, many welcoming people who would love to have you as neighbors and invite you to their front porch for some Deal’s cider.
Final comments:
Sloan: Thank you for this opportunity. When elected, I will work for the citizens of Jefferson. Thanks for your vote and support!
Wishman: I ask for your vote on November 7th so I can get to work and continue to improve our great community to ensure that the Jefferson we all enjoy will remain the place we love to call home.
Wetrich: I hope to serve another four years for the citizens of Jefferson. I hope folks recognize my passion for bettering our community, ability to work with all people to get things done, and my pragmatic approach to policy making.
Rippey Mayor
Name, age, address:
Malachi Meri, Rippey
Current employment and past employment that may be relevant to serving as mayor:
I’m a rural mail carrier out of Boone currently, I worked in Perry doing mitigation.
Current involvement in the community (Service organizations or church):
I don’t have anything super noteworthy, I try my best to help the community when I can. I’ve helped put gardens in, I’ve been pushing for folks to get chickens, just about everyone in town knows I’m an ear they can talk to if they need it.
Why are you running for mayor?
There are quite a few things I’ve had some issues with and quite a few people who are disgruntled. The town’s been slowly dying for a good long while. There are plenty of great folks there.
If elected, what are your two or three top priorities for the City of Rippey?
The town needs cleaned up. We’ve got quite a few places in town that are getting run down, and a few folks that think the town is a junk yard. We’ve got a high population of elderly that aren’t able to get out and do it themselves.
There are some extracurriculars I’d like to do. There are kids that need a little bit of guidance and me and my wife would love to do things, put in a community garden, teach a couple of classes at the library, and those are backburner things.
What do you see as the challenges that the City of Rippey is facing today?
We’ve got a few obstacles. I haven’t had a chance to look and see where we’re at monetarily, but I could foresee that being an obstacle. We’re fairly low income, living isn’t getting any cheaper, I can most definitely see some upcoming struggles there. Beyond that, getting folks that have the drive.
What would you tell someone who is considering a move to Rippey?
Rippey is a lovely, quiet, small community full of great people.
