The Marshalltown YMCA is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, which has caused me to reflect on our organization’s history and leadership. A bit about the Y’s beginnings: In 1844 London, 22-year-old George Williams, a farmer-turned-department store worker, joined 11 friends to ...
In my last column, we went over the Marshalltown Mayors position, let’s do more basics. (You did read the last one….right?) Let’s talk City Council. After 6 years as Councilor At Large and 5 years representing Ward 1, I think I have a pretty good handle on what the job entails. The City Council consists of 7 voting members. 4 Ward seats and 3 At-Large seats. The Ward seats are currently held by: Ward 1 - Marco A. Yepez Gomez Ward 2 Mark Mitchell Ward 3 Greg Nichols Ward 4 Melisa Fonseca The At-Large Councilors are: Sue Cahill Jeff Schneider Gary ...
Every spring, Iowans are reminded that severe weather is not a question of if — but when. From tornadoes to flash floods, high winds to lightning, Marshall County Iowa faces a range of hazards that can disrupt lives and damage property. That’s why Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 24–28, is such an important time for all of us to pause, prepare, and plan ahead. Here in Marshall County, we understand the impact severe weather can have. Many of us remember the 2018 tornado and the 2020 derecho, both of which left lasting scars on our community. Those events taught us that ...
This week, Iowa House Republicans in the Ways and Means Committee passed House Study Bill 596, our property tax bill. The committee amended the bill to reflect the feedback we’ve gotten from Iowans and it includes pieces from the Senate Republicans’ and the Governor’s property tax proposals. There are several major components of the updated bill. There is a cap on revenue growth at 2%, with new construction revenue not included in that limit, ensuring that cities and counties are still incentivized to grow. This component includes exceptions for schools and the debt levy. The ...
St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite “Special Occasion Days” like April Fools and Friday the 13th. I like to play pranks on these days. Actually, as I write this, it is Friday the 13th. Hmm, what kind of a prank can I pull today? Last year on St. Patrick’s Day I had an appointment with my oncologist in Iowa City. At previous appointments, one of his questions, along with any swelling of lymph nodes, weight loss/gain, etc., was any rashes? I had never had a rash, but it being St. Patrick’s Day, I thought a nice green rash on my abdomen would be just the ticket to get his ...
City leaders in Des Moines are making it difficult to understand why they selected the new police chief, considering how they have imposed a code of silence about their recent $975,000 payout to one of the candidates who did not get the job. The payout and, even worse, the sealed lips are just another example of how common sense and good government suffer whenever public officials refuse to detail how and why they spend taxpayer money. This textbook example of misplaced priorities began in 2024 when Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert announced his retirement after nearly a decade ...
