Trending
(Editor's note: Due to the vacancy created by the resignation of former Third Ward Marshalltown City Councilor Dex Walker, a special election to fill the seat will be held on Sept. 12 in conjunction with the vote on the proposed franchise fee for gas and electric bills. Two candidates, Chris Bennett and Greg Nichols, are vying for the open seat, and their responses to the T-R's candidate questionnaire are printed below.)
1. What is your personal, professional and educational background, and why are you running for a seat on the Marshalltown city council?
Chris Bennett: I've lived most of my life in Marshalltown. I moved here with my mom in 1993 and have called Marshalltown home ever since, with the exception of three years that I spent living in Garwin. I'm now a father to two boys and one girl, aged 15, 13, and 11. When I do find free time, I do like to attend and sometimes volunteer in many of the local events that we host around town (Oktemberfest, Bee Ridiculous Day, Harvest Market), but I also very much enjoy playing in our local recreational sports leagues, like kickball and volleyball (my friends will tell you I play too much volleyball).
I graduated from MHS in 2006, and after high school, I eventually pursued my AA locally at MCC in Computer Network Management, and subsequently got my BA in Business Management with BVU. I started at Emerson in 2011 as a co-op for desktop support, then after a year was hired full-time and spent a decade there as an IT Manufacturing Analyst at the factory on Governor Road. I greatly enjoyed my time at Emerson but I did leave in 2021 to pursue an opportunity to work for the state as a Systems Administrator for the Second Judicial District -- our local probation/parole office. In this role I support and administer all of the IT systems for our local office and the other offices in our district, which covers Marshalltown/Ames/Fort Dodge/Mason City and everywhere in between.
My career and background aside -- I also serve on the city's Civil Service Commission, which is a committee that approves the hiring and promotional processes for city employees, including the police and fire department, and approves the lists of potential candidates brought forward to fill those openings. I know that police in general aren't popular with everyone, but I think we do have a special group here in Marshalltown and I very much encourage everyone to take the 10-week Citizen's Academy class they offer if you get the opportunity.
I'm running for this seat not only because Marshalltown means a lot to me after spending my life here, but because I plan to stay here for a long time and I'd like to help ensure that Marshalltown continues moving forward and providing all of us with the things that we want from our city. I want Marshalltown to be a fun place to live and one that eventually has most of the amenities that we often seek out in surrounding cities, but not at the expense of the relatively low cost-of-living that many of us appreciate and expect from a community in central Iowa. I want this not only for myself and my neighbors, but also for my kids and their kids, if they decide to stick around after they graduate.
Nichols: Currently I am the Manager of Information Technology Services with Jenzabar Inc, a software and services company providing systems, IT leadership and support to Colleges and Universities nationwide. Marshalltown and Ellsworth Community Colleges are two longtime customers.
I earned my BA in Business from Buena Vista University.
Marilee and I have lived in Marshalltown for 40 years and raised our children here. I would like to see Marshalltown, my friends, neighbors, and fellow residents all thrive. My work travel requirements are diminished and now I have the opportunity to support and serve my community.
2. Now that the special election is just days away, the issue on the forefront of many voters' minds is the proposed five percent franchise fee on electric and gas bills for residents and businesses within the city. Do you support implementing the franchise fee, and if not, do you believe there is another way to address the condition of the roads in Marshalltown?
Bennett: First and foremost, it should be said that my opinion on the franchise fee is mostly irrelevant. It is fully in the hands of the voters now, which I do think is how it should be.
That being said -- personally, I am in favor of the franchise fee, and when I go to vote on Sept. 12, I will likely be voting yes on all measures. We as a city simply do not have enough money in our budget to properly repair and replace all the roads that need it. That money must come from somewhere and if we try to pull that money from somewhere else in the budget it is ultimately going to result, directly or indirectly, in making Marshalltown a less desirable place to be. One complaint that I often hear is that "we shouldn't be spending money on artwork, we should be spending it on roads!", but to me that is like comparing grapes to watermelons -- forgive the unconventional metaphor -- but in terms of cost the artwork in town is a very small drop in the bucket compared to how much it costs to replace even a single road.
We cannot fix this problem by simply redirecting money from somewhere else. If we as a community are serious about making our roads better, then we need to realize that ultimately that money needs to come from us – the community. I know that nobody loves paying more in taxes (or fees), but this is a good investment in our community. If you have a $300 Alliant bill this fee will amount to $12 increase (5% replacing the old 1% LOST, so 4% net). I know that even a small change like that can really stress a tight budget, and I especially feel for our small businesses where margins are often already very tight as it is. On the other hand -- and I'm not trying to call anyone out because we are all allowed to spend our money how we please -- but money like that ($12) can also be spent on a few lottery tickets or a couple packs of cigarettes. I think we all just need to ask ourselves if that 4% is worth it to make our town better.
I have also heard concerns that money designated for the roads was mismanaged in the past. All I ask in that regard is that you not hold the current city leaders responsible for mistakes that may have been made by completely different leaders in the past.
To answer the last part of the question -- yes, there are of course a multitude of ways to address the condition of the roads in Marshalltown, but frankly I think all the ones that truly fix the problem are going to still involve a tax or a fee of some sort. The only exception I can envision would be if we suddenly landed some kind of huge warehouse or data center -- resulting in a large influx of tax money, much like Bondurant has in recent years. I think Marshalltown would need a good few more years of development (like roads) and a solid vision for expansion before any company would even consider us -- if we even wanted that.
Nichols: Marshalltown has deferred much of street maintenance. When infrastructure decays, it requires maintenance. Delays just make these costs go up. We are talking about major expenses, over several years to catch up and get ahead.
Option 1: The State has cut and placed restrictions on property taxes, which is the city's primary source of revenue. The city has limited options. We sharpen the pencils, make cuts, some of which would be painful, strive to reduce our deficit, but roads and sewers would never get caught up.
Option 2: The franchise fee funds need to stay designated to fix our infrastructure ( streets and sewer systems). The allocation submitted as part of the proposal is 70% roads, 12% property tax relief, 9% public safety, 9% public facility maintenance. It is up to the Council to make sure the funds are used properly. It would take several years but then infrastructure could catch up.
I will cautiously vote for it but encourage all citizens to be vigilant to ensure the funds stay focused on our critical needs which I see as roads and sewers.
3. The city council recently hired a new city administrator who is expected to start sometime in September. What do you believe his top priorities should be, and as a city councilor, how do you envision your role in monitoring his job performance? In addition, what would your strategy be in regard to overseeing the city's approximately 150 employees?
Bennett: I think it will be important to understand that although he has a fair amount of experience in running a city of this size, every city has its own identity and it is going to take time for Mr. Gaa to really get acclimated to the wants and needs of Marshalltown and to figure out what makes it tick. I expect that the first six months will very much be a learning period – figuring out who is responsible for what and which parks are where. I can imagine it is a lot to take in. I've been here 30 years and I am still incredibly intimidated by the idea of being in a leadership role despite knowing this town like the back of my hand. I believe his top priority in the first six months is just to learn about Marshalltown as best he can, whether that be by going out of his way to have conversations with its citizens or by shopping and dining at as many small businesses as he can and learning about their wants and challenges.
In regards to our city employees -- this one is a bit more personal to me since I serve on the Civil Service Commission. I often see firsthand just how hard it can be for the city to hire and retain employees, and I do think we should be doing a bit more as a city to make this less of an issue. I think it is important that we continue doing market analysis of all of our city positions and ensuring that we are paying our city employees a competitive wage, while also making sure that they are in a healthy and fulfilling work environment in whatever ways we can.
I know there was a bit of uneasy discussion at one of our recent city council meetings about the possibility of saving money for the city by freezing raises for our department directors. I absolutely think that is the wrong way to go and the reasons should be obvious. As I said in my last paragraph, it is already incredibly hard for the city to hire and retain employees -- the reason being that the job market is incredibly competitive. Now, more than ever, people are not afraid to pick up their life and move to another city or state if they feel they are not being paid what they are worth. Sometimes they don't even need to move now that remote work has become so prevalent, and there is no shortage of companies in Marshalltown that will also jump at the chance to pay a maintenance worker or a director a fair wage if the city does not.
Our city employees, including our police officers and firefighters, are in many ways the backbone of this community. If we don't show them that we value them with at least the bare minimum, like annual raises, then they will find employment elsewhere and our city will suffer for it while we try to find and train someone to fill their spot and regain that lost experience.
Nichols: I see a top priority of the administrator will be budget and planning as well as meeting with and listening to our residents and getting to know the community. The city council will represent the needs of Marshalltown and we will work with the administrator to meet the needs of our citizens. The council has both board oversight and team responsibility to meet the needs of Marshalltown.
4. Goals for growth have been discussed several times in recent years, but Marshalltown's population has essentially held steady at about 27,500 residents. Do you believe the council and the city's current strategies to attract new residents are working, and if not, how would you recommend changing them?
Bennett: I do think it is working, but it is going to take a long time, as it should. I have seen and met many families or individuals in recent years that have moved here, whether it be to new or existing houses, or to the new apartment developments. Still, though -- that's not going to largely move the needle on a number like 27,500 until they really set their roots down and have generations of children, and that is going to take, well… generations.
A sudden influx of population growth that is not going to happen unless a new large company decides to plant itself here. Marshalltown has plenty of jobs to spare but not so many where we could just take on a few thousand more residents in a couple years. It's going to take time.
Regardless, I think our current population is still plenty of people, and for the moment, we should focus on making sure those people are happy, with plenty of things to do and places to shop. If we succeed at that, then the growth will come naturally.
Nichols: The city and the council have identified several weaknesses needing addressed such as housing, especially moderately priced housing. We need to keep searching for solutions, investigating options, and striving to move forward.
5. At meetings earlier this year, the council engaged in conversations about a host of deficit reduction and budget balancing measures with ideas ranging from employee furloughs to raising the Marshall County Communications Commission's rent at the new police and fire building. What would your budget priorities be if elected, and do you believe further cuts can be made without endangering essential services?
Bennett: My answer to this is similar to my answer at the end of the third question. I think entertaining the idea of employee furloughs is just telling your employees "Your position is not stable and it might be best if you look elsewhere." That might be fine if said position is unnecessary -- I'm not opposed to eliminating positions that we don't need, but my educated guess is that the city already runs pretty lean and there is not much fat that needs trimmed. I think toying with the idea of furloughs or eliminating raises is a dangerous game that will ultimately hurt us in the end, and I'd prefer to avoid it if at all possible.
If my back is up against the wall in regards to the budget then my focus would of course be on needs rather than wants. Make sure that citizens still have the means to live well and be safe. Ensuring that we have basic infrastructure and supporting our police and fire department, while still ensuring that our kids have safe spaces like the public library to spend their time.
It goes without saying that it will be a lot easier to fulfill all the needs in the budget if the franchise fee passes, but I know that there is a very realistic possibility where that might not be the case.
Nichols: We need to stay focused on the critical (infrastructure and services) roads, sewers, police, fire.
Retrenching will have pain and loss involved. We would need to decide what we cannot fund. There are not quick solutions. It will take city leaders, civic organizations and community members all working together to keep us moving forward. I do not have a magic wand, but I can commit to you that I will work to find solutions.
6. If it hasn't already been alluded to in the previous questions, what do you believe is the single most important issue currently facing Marshalltown, and how would you address it if elected?
Bennett: Honestly, I think the biggest problem facing Marshalltown is the mindset that many of our own citizens have about Marshalltown. I still often see the rhetoric of people who are convinced that Marshalltown is just this drug-riddled meth hub and that it won't ever be anything more than that. Marshalltown has had its drug problems in the past and it still has some now, but many of the issues that Marshalltown has are not exclusive to us. There are plenty of "nice" towns out there that deal with many of the same drug or poverty problems that we can see in our town. I think we should do everything we can to remedy these issues but these issues are very much national issues and Marshalltown leadership alone is not going to solve them.
A lot of the time, though, I see rhetoric with the sole objective of bashing Marshalltown and leadership, accusing them of doing the wrong thing before we even see the results, or making claims about money wrongly spent (often with no factual basis). Sometimes it's best to just not engage with individuals like this -- some people just want to be negative and there is no changing that -- but unfortunately negativity can be contagious, especially on the Internet where everybody can easily access it. I think the best thing that we can do is just try to engage in a civil discussion about the matter, whether it be online in the comments or in person, and try to come to a place of mutual understanding.
As for addressing that if I am elected, well that is a very tall order. As some of you know, I do occasionally engage in online discussion on a few of the local Marshalltown social media pages. It is not my desire to get into arguments with anyone but when I do see negativity about our community that I think is unwarranted I do try to provide a different perspective. That's not to say that there aren't good reasons to be mad sometimes -- Marshalltown isn't perfect, and I don't think every decision that leadership makes is the right one. I'll still have discussions with people online whether I'm elected or not, but if elected I certainly would try my best to be available to those who wanted to express their concerns in person or over the phone. The best thing I can do is listen to my constituents with an open mind, whether it is positive feedback or negative.
Nichols: N/A.
7. Why are you the most qualified candidate to represent the Third Ward?
Bennett: I think it'd be arrogant of me to claim that I am 100% sure that I am the most qualified candidate to represent the Third Ward. I don't know my opponent Greg well enough to know if I truly would be a better candidate than him or not. I've spoken with him only once, briefly, and he does seem like a genuinely nice guy, but I don't know much more about him than anyone else knows.
I think, however, that I am a good candidate for the Third Ward because I've lived in all four of the wards in Marshalltown at some point in my life. The voters of the Third Ward will decide if I'm elected or not, but I know that the decisions that I potentially make as Third Ward representative will affect all four wards. I've spent my 30 years here in good neighborhoods and not-so-good ones, and everything in-between. I won't say that I know what everyone wants, but I have a generally good idea of what issues are important to people.
What I do know for certain is that I am passionate about the city of Marshalltown and that I want to see it be better than it's ever been. If elected, I will try my best to make that a reality.
Nichols: I have years of relevant experience that can be used to serve our community. My experience includes working with state and federal regulations and requirements. I have worked through budgets and programs in both bad and good times. I have worked successfully with large groups, small teams, and individuals toward a common cause, with assessments, solution identification, then planning and implementing to completion. Communication is essential. I have learned it must be clear, complete, and prompt for understanding, trust, and success. I know there are areas I will need a better understanding if I want to properly support Marshalltown. I commit to taking the time required.