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CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT: City Council — Dean Stucky

Stucky

Editor’s note: Ahead of the November 2 election, the Times-Republican sent out questionnaires to all of the declared candidates in the city council, mayoral and school board races. We will print responses from one candidate per day in the city council and school board races this week in alphabetical order.

In the city council race, Mike Ladehoff of the First Ward is the only incumbent seeking re-election. Dex Walker is running uncontested in the Third Ward after incumbent Mike Gowdy did not turn in paperwork to seek re-election, and four candidates- Mark Eaton, Barry Kell, Jeff Schneider and Dean Stucky- are vying for two at-large seats after incumbents Bethany Wirin and Bill Martin opted not to seek re-election.

Dean Stucky

Age: 70

Hometown: Zumbrota, MN

Profession: Small Business owner/operator ‘Stucky’s Vacuum”

Education: Associate Degree in Food Market and Management

Experience: Self-Employed Stucky’s Vacuum, Stucky’s Ice Cream Village, Stucky’s Dry Cleaning, ServiceMaster of Atlantic, Atlantic Custodial, Schwan’s Depot Manager, Schwan’s Sales Coordinator, HyVee Human Resource Director , School Bus Driver

1. What do you feel are the top two most important issues Marshalltown will be facing during your term as a city councilor? How do you plan to address those issues? Getting our city back on track after two natural disasters and one global pandemic for starters and secondly, doing a better job of prioritizing spending. The how to address is so, so, so critical in that we have to start being accountable to our middle class. 29.3 percent of our population are classified as Low Income, 15.9 percent are classified as High Income and 49.7 percent are in the Middle Income. One half of our population are getting no help from the city for building a new home [and that’s with the lowest inventory of homes in history], and yet we have more vacant lots in town than ever before. Taking into account that the biggest dream of all time for the middle income American is to build a new home we have got to address the blockades and hoops that are in place that have destroyed the tool that has been used for generations “Sweat Equity.” And We Have To Start Prioritizing City Spending!

2. The city has supported a diverse set of projects this year, such as funding the launch of MPACT. It also agreed to continue making payments toward the Fisher Community Building. What are your thoughts on the city spending on projects involving private entities and nonprofits? Both of these projects are deserving of consideration but we can’t really consider funding the same as spending. Funding has to be flexible so that you are building a funding item into a line item expense item — Fisher Building especially when it’s funded with a tax levy. And MPACT needs to be self-sufficient in the future with their grants and fundraising or we will end up with a new increase in the PD’s Budget. We are so fortunate to have Chief Tupper in Marshalltown and if he is behind the collaboration then it’s going to be good for the city and that’s good with me. But sooner or later … I’m just saying.

3. Marshalltown is still rebounding from two natural disasters and a global pandemic. What will the city council need to do to assure Marshalltown positions itself for the best possible outcome? I truly believe that Mayor Greer has done an outstanding job shepherding our city but the city cannot withstand a ’10 Year Plan’ for rebuilding and reacting. Ten years ago we had a KMart, a Younkers, a Penneys, small businesses in the shopping center, a DrugTown and 4 active Auto Dealerships. All of those were actively participating in Sales Tax and Property Tax revenue. What will we be faced with in 10 years, get your crystal balls out and they are going to tell you we should not be reacting to what happens in the next 2 or 3 years let alone 10 years. We need to be acting before Amazon and the internet sucks the life out of our ability to budget. We have to act on moving on the holes on Main Street and the downtown before it takes on a life [or death] of its own. We need to get tough now, not in an obscure 10 years. Sorry Mr. Mayor.

4. Marshalltown has a goal of increasing its population and is supporting several development projects to increase housing. What type of housing (single/multi-family, low/medium income) should the city be focusing on to spark population growth? Single family / medium income housing. All of the development projects are either low income or high income projects. Go back to question 1 ­– nearly 50 percent of our population are medium income. Those people will flock to an environment like Marshalltown if we just recognize our opportunity. Middle income America spends 90 percent of their paychecks and will gladly spend the majority of it locally. Groceries, gas, medical, supplies, schools and entertainment. And we have nowhere for them to live, we have an excellent school for their children, we don’t let them build, we have almost all they need, we have a police department and fire department that are second to none. WE NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND WE NEED TO BUILD OUR MIDDLE INCOME BACK, NOW!

5. Why do you think voters should support your candidacy for city council? I am very approachable and down to earth, I have always believed in hard work, I’ve been married for 47 years, so I am apparently a good judge of character, I believe everyone deserves a say and my wife and I have been in business for nearly 17 years contributing every way we can to a city that we raised our family in and a city we truly love.

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