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With early voting already underway and Election Day approaching, Marshall County voters are deciding on all three of the seats on the Board of Supervisors. In the race to serve a full four-year term, three candidates are competing for two seats: incumbent Republicans Jarret Heil and Carol Hibbs, both of whom were first elected in 2022, and Democratic challenger DeMorris Dean, a retired Marshall County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputy and U.S. Army veteran.
Their answers to part one of the T-R's candidate questionnaire are printed below, and parts two, three and four will be published in subsequent editions of the newspaper.
1. What is your personal, professional and educational background, and why are you running for a seat on the Marshall County Board of Supervisors?
DeMorris Dean: I have dedicated much of my adult life to public service and leadership. I am a retired Marshall County Sheriff's Deputy with more than 22 years of service, where I worked directly with residents and gained firsthand experience with county government, public safety, and the challenges facing our communities.
I am also a retired U.S. Army Major with experience as a Logistics Officer and Knowledge Management Officer. My military career taught me the importance of planning, accountability, resource management, teamwork, and making informed decisions under challenging circumstances.
In addition, I have extensive nonprofit leadership experience, including founding and leading organizations focused on education, community service, youth, wellness, and charitable activities.
I am running because I believe my combination of county government experience, military leadership, logistics expertise, and community involvement can bring a practical, service-oriented perspective to the Board. I want to listen to residents, improve communication between citizens and county government, and help address problems in a responsible and collaborative way.
Jarret Heil: I grew up on the family farm in rural Haverhill, where I reside today with my wife and four children. I'm a proud Bobcat, graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1999. I earned a BA in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance, and a Spanish minor from Central College. I've worked in Washington DC with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley in the Senate Finance Committee and with Congressman Tom Latham. I was the Marshall County Treasurer for twelve years and I am in my first term as County Supervisor. I also work as the Director of Financial Operations at St. Francis of Assisi Parish and Catholic School in Marshalltown.
I am running for re-election to serve the people of Marshall County with a steady hand, protecting the pocketbooks of the property taxpayer, while adequately funding our roads and public safety. I want to help pave the way to make Marshall County an even better place to grow and raise our families.
Carol Hibbs: My answers to several of these questions will be similar to what I submitted for the June primary race, with updates included on recent developments. I was raised on a farm in southeast Marshall County, number six of seven children. My parents were Joel and Ruth Ann Anderson, both have passed on. I graduated from SEMCO High School, which is now part of the East Marshall School District. I then graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in communications with an emphasis in science and technical writing. As a new college graduate, I worked as a reporter for the Times-Republican. I married Rusty Hibbs, and we farmed in the Albion and Bangor areas of northwest Marshall County. Rusty later became the manager of Crop Production Services (now Nutrien) at Bangor. We have a son and a daughter that are both married and live in Marshall County, along with three grandchildren and another one arriving in February.
In 2015, we moved to Marshalltown from Conrad. Rusty passed away in 2018 after battling cancer. For 26+ years I worked at the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA in various roles. I served as the CEO of the organization from 2007 through the end of 2022. In addition to a long career at the Y, my background includes serving on several local boards over the years that have supported efforts throughout Marshall County.
Marshall County is dealing with some very critical issues that are more than 'normal' county business, including determining the best course of action for our response to data centers, renewable energy sources and emergency medical services. The current Board of Supervisors has been working to be transparent about where we are on all of these issues. I am running for re-election to continue the work that is underway.
2. In general, do you feel that Marshall County is currently headed in the right direction, and if not, how would you propose changing course?
Dean: I believe Marshall County has many strengths, including dedicated county employees, strong community organizations, agricultural and business assets, and residents who care deeply about where they live. At the same time, I believe there are areas where we can improve.
My approach would not be to change direction simply for the sake of change. I would first listen, examine the available information, and understand what is working and what is not.
I would focus on better communication, greater transparency, responsible budgeting, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and access to essential services. I also believe county government needs to make it easier for residents to provide input before important decisions are made.
My goal would be to build on what is working while addressing areas where residents believe county government can do better.
Heil: Marshall County is heading in the right direction. In my first three years as Supervisor, we've improved the county's net position by $16.9 million which is an average increase of 7.6% per year. We've protected the property taxpayer by reducing our overall tax levy, kept property taxes below our valuation growth and the inflation rate. We've reduced our overall budgeted expenditures by $8.3 million which is 4.5% per year. We've wiped out over half of the county's debt, maintained strong yet responsible ending fund balances all while investing record funding to secondary roads and public safety. We will certainly have challenges that come our way, but I'm going to continue to apply these practices to future challenges.
Hibbs: As I stated in June, overall, I believe Marshall County has been moving in a positive direction during the past four years. We are working to balance economic development for growth with responsible and prudent use of resources for the long-term. Many positive things are happening in Marshalltown and around Marshall County. I am always looking for opportunities and resources that will improve services for our residents and manage spending in a responsible way. Diverse opinions are respected, as we work together to solve problems.
3. Do you feel that the current county tax rates are appropriate, and how would you look to prioritize spending in light of the state legislature's recent property tax reform package?
Dean: I believe taxpayers deserve both responsible services and responsible taxation. I would not support increasing taxes simply because additional revenue is available, but I also would not support reducing funding for essential services without understanding the consequences.
The Board has responsibility for budgets, county property, public services, highways, taxes, and other county functions. Iowa’s 2026 property-tax changes also affect how counties budget and levy taxes, including changes to the homestead benefit and county levy structure.
My priority would be to examine every major expenditure, distinguish essential services from lower-priority spending, look for efficiencies, and make sure departments have the resources necessary to perform their responsibilities.
I would also want residents to understand where their tax dollars are going and why. Before considering additional revenue, I would look for opportunities to improve efficiency, pursue available grants, coordinate with other governmental entities, and prioritize spending based on measurable needs.
Heil: The current tax rates are appropriate for today, but you can never rest on what you've done yesterday. You have to adjust each year according to the needs, changes in the economy and rules set by the Iowa Legislature. The legislature passed a bill with a 2% revenue cap for county government. In our fiscal year 2026/2027 budget, our tax revenue increase is 2% to match the legislation. The 2% is below our valuation growth of 2.98%. The 2% is also under the current inflation rate of 3.4%. These are the parameters local governments must stay within to keep property taxes under control. If your tax rate goes above the county's growth or inflation you are doing harm to the taxpayer. This is one of the key formulas I follow in my budgeting for the county and I will continue to do so to protect you, the taxpayer!
Hibbs: There has been a lot of discussion recently about the assessment values as calculated by the Assessor's Office. In some cases, values increased significantly affecting the amount of property tax to be paid. The Supervisors worked hard to keep the tax rate change (2% for the County) slightly less than the amount of growth experienced. Each level of local government has a responsibility to use the limited resources available in the most prudent way possible. Residents rely on county leaders to work together to maintain infrastructure (bridges, roads, buildings, etc.). The wet conditions this past Summer going into Fall have made road maintenance and repair more challenging. However, maintaining our infrastructure has been a priority.
In this current term, the Supervisors have worked to keep the tax rate as low as possible while still maintaining a high level of county services. We have invested in infrastructure and economic growth as a means to increase our financial resources. We have asked all department leaders to prioritize their needs within the limited resources available to us, and we have worked as a team to strike a balance in managing spending and setting the tax rate.
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.