An upcoming special election on July 16 will determine who will fill the 4th Ward vacancy on the Marshalltown city council left by the passing of Al Hoop in March. Two candidates are seeking the seat: Mark Eaton, a local businessman and Marshalltown native who returned to the community about a decade ago and previously ran for council in 2017 and 2021; and Melisa Fonseca, a REALTOR ® who graduated from Marshalltown High School in 2014.

The first half of their responses to the Times-Republican’s candidate questionnaire were printed in Monday’s newspaper, and the second half can be found below. A candidate forum sponsored by the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce will be held tonight, Tuesday, July 9, at 5:30 p.m. inside Dejardin Hall on the Marshalltown Community College campus.

7. The city has received $2 million in Destination Iowa grants for four projects in the Linn Creek District — the Apgar Family Water Plaza, the Martha-Ellen Tye Playhouse, the Emerson Bridge and the Ann C. Keyser Trailhead — and is also in the process of applying for a federal grant to pave the Iowa River’s Edge Trail from Eldora to Marshalltown. Do you believe recreational amenities such as these are important for the future of the community, and are there other projects you would advocate for if elected?

Mark Eaton: Amenities are always important to a community. The key is how the amenities are funded. There are over 230 non-profit organizations registered in Marshalltown. Some of these organizations are sitting on multi-million-dollar endowments. Bill Fisher was once quoted in the local paper saying that giving away money was fun, and he challenged other organizations to do the same. He also said that he hoped that more than just the interest on the endowments would be re-invested in the community.

Amenities are where the non-government organizations (NGO’s) can support the vision of Marshalltown. Many NGOs are re-investing in the community. I would like to see the volume on that re-investment increased to the level Bill Fisher challenged everyone to do. Will team Marshalltown shine in the coming years? I hope so.

Melisa Fonseca: I think these recreational amenities are great for the city. It brings people of all ages and abilities to join in to do something that is fun. It will be very exciting to see these amenities in their complete state and see what good energy it brings to the town. Projects like these take a great deal of planning and support for sure. These projects are in the amenities section of the plan, is its own category, just like infrastructure is its own category. The city’s future needs to have a balance of all the projects for its growth.

8. Goals for growth have been discussed several times in recent years, but Marshalltown’s population has stayed around 27,500 since the 2010 census. Do you believe the council and the city’s current strategies to attract new residents and businesses are working, and if not, how would you recommend changing them?

Eaton: In Question 3, I discussed a bit of this. We are maintaining. We seem to have a lot of churn in the housing market with a little growth. I feel that we can do better by implementing policies that are more equitable to development. And, we need to provide a more service-oriented environment for developers.

Fonseca: In my profession with helping individuals/families/boomerangs move to Marshalltown or move back to Marshalltown, there still is a shortage in housing, however that may be across the board. It is important that employment is available, and the economy is healthy, to direct Marshalltown’s growth. There have been tax abatements in the past for new builds, and incentive funds as well. I think working together to brainstorm on what has worked/what hasn’t worked is the best way and see where these ideas can align with the city budget and growth plan. Having great amenities for people looking into moving to town and settling in town, like my parents did, may drive others to come and move here, and that would help increase the Marshalltown tax base and spread it out for all the community.

9. Over the last few years, the council has engaged in conversations about a host of deficit reduction and budget balancing measures during budget season. Do you believe further cuts can be made without endangering essential services, and if so, where would you make them?

Eaton: I do not believe that cutting any deeper is a solution to fixing the deficit. I believe that reallocation of resources and growth are the solutions.

Fonseca: The city’s budget is complex, connecting with the city’s finance director and hearing their input as to what may be done where and how, is the way to go. We can provide our ideas and input to be beneficial as well. Essential services are given that name because they are deemed to be essential, where we can move to allocate within the budget will be a decision to make with the most information and input that can be provided. Especially by the professionals in the finance department and from those that provide those essential services in our community. The providers of those essential services may guide the council and inform the community on what may happen with the allocation of the budget out of the essential services. Also, they may inform what the possible impact will be in the future. That is all really good information to know and as a councilwoman I would be able to make an informed decision and being informed how each decision may affect the city departments/staff/community, and all, should be taken into consideration.

10. A new law governing traffic cameras across the state went into effect on July 1. Do you believe the Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) program has been utilized effectively in Marshalltown, and what, if any, changes would you suggest going forward?

Eaton: Even though I do not really like the idea of the ATE cameras, they seem to be necessary in today’s environment. With the changes made by the State, funding should now go to the appropriate places: safety and infrastructure. I am disappointed that the body cameras were not funded in the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) like they should have been, so I am glad that the ATE revenue can make up for that oversight.

Fonseca: The Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) program was used to help by allocating a % from the traffic revenue to the police department, community beautification, and Marshalltown Arts and Culture Alliance. With the recent change, on July 1st the funding was cut off to the Marshalltown Arts and Culture Alliance, which then opened a need to bring new ideas on funding for the years to come. These changes are made at a state level and are out of our city’s control at times. When the time comes to decide on how to move forward with this change, it would be beneficial for our city staff, the city finance director, and the MACC to guide us and walk us through the numbers to rebalance and match the changed revenue requirements.

11. What, if any, action do you believe the city council should take regarding the Marshalltown Mall as the New York based ownership group has still not paid its outstanding utility bill?

Eaton: The City is not responsible for managing a problem between Alliant and one of its customers. If the Mall stops paying its property taxes, we will have a totally different issue. Can the Chamber help them redevelop? If I am elected, I will ask the Chamber.

Fonseca: A first step with the Marshalltown Mall is working hard to have the current owners agree to sell, and then working on finding a developer. I know that the Marshalltown residents have their own ideas of what the Mall space should look like or be converted to. The mall’s potential is great and once we achieve that 1st crucial step, and the mall is back into good hands then we may move to the 2nd step. It will be exciting to see what can be done with the space for Marshalltown residents. And gathering thoughts and ideas from the community would be a good source of data to share with a potential developer. That way the city can provide measurable data and help incentivize an investor to develop the Marshalltown mall space.

12. 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?

Eaton: Attitude. The way I like to look at it is: The city is a non-profit corporation with the power to tax. The power to tax is delegated to it by the State. The Council is the elected board of directors. The Council is elected by the shareholders of the corporation to oversee the operations of the City. The shareholders are everyone that resides within the boundaries of the corporation (aka as the City limits). These same shareholders have dreams to invest and grow in the community. If the attitude of the City squashes those dreams, those shareholders will divest themselves from the community and move to a new one. In my opinion we need to change our attitude, to create a more equitable environment for growth to occur organically. We need to replace churn with progress.

Fonseca: As a REALTOR®, I have extensive experience in the local market and understand the challenges many residents face in finding quality/affordable housing. Partnerships between the city and investors to fund and support housing projects can help reduce the financials from the city while ensuring projects meet community needs. As we move towards the future and our children/grandchildren grow to be members of the community, it is important to keep up with the needs as a whole and bring more and more Marshalltownian’s to the conversation. I think that Marshalltown deserves a new perspective and each issue the community brings to city council meetings is important. The city staff, the city’s council and departments/boards/etc., everyone in this community is valuable and together we can get things done.

13. Why are you the most qualified candidate to represent the 4th Ward?

Eaton: My education and work experience, along with many years of attending Council meetings will allow me to hit the ground running. I am intimately familiar with the processes of City government and finance. I have traveled the world, and I have worked in many countries from Hobart, Tasmania to Ausland, Norway, from Tokyo, Japan to Bologna, Italy. People are good everywhere. They have dreams. People everywhere desire a safe place to work, live, and raise a family. People are willing to risk their lives to achieve safety and prosperity. Government’s job is to provide the infrastructure and environment for people to achieve their dreams. If elected I can help the Council find its way to supportive, growth-oriented progress.

I respectfully ask for your vote, and the opportunity to serve you as a City Councilor. Please vote on July 16.

Fonseca: I am the most qualified candidate to represent the 4th ward for several top reasons. I have a deep understanding of the community and its needs and values. I can genuinely represent and advocate for all the residents in the 4th ward. I am a licensed real estate broker, and my professional experience equips me with valuable insights into housing, development, and community connections. I have extensive leadership skills that have been shown through my volunteering, committees, and groups. I can also bring in new ideas to meet the diverse needs of our community’s 4th ward. Being bilingual in English and Spanish enables me to communicate effectively with a broader range of the 4th ward as well. I have the skills necessary to be a successful city council member with a strong foundation in critical thinking and problem-solving. Running for council shows my dedication to public service and my desire to effect positive change in my community. With my understanding of local issues, professional expertise, and dedication to community service, I am uniquely positioned to represent and lead the 4th ward effectively.