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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 two of the T-R's candidate questionnaire are printed below, and parts three and four will be published in upcoming editions of the newspaper.
4. How would you assess Marshall County's current economic development efforts, and what would you do to attract new residents and businesses to the county if elected to the seat you are seeking?
Dean: I believe economic development should be approached as a countywide effort, not simply as an attempt to recruit one large employer.
Marshall County has opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, small business, recreation, transportation, housing, and services. My approach would be to work collaboratively with cities, chambers of commerce, economic-development organizations, educational institutions, and existing businesses.
To attract new residents and businesses, we need to make sure we have the infrastructure, housing opportunities, workforce, public safety, transportation, broadband, recreational opportunities, and quality-of-life amenities that people and businesses look for when deciding where to locate.
I would also place emphasis on supporting the businesses already here. Retaining and expanding existing businesses can be just as important as recruiting new ones.
My goal would be to help create an environment where people see Marshall County as a place where they can live, work, raise a family, start a business, and build a future.
Heil: We've had a great approach to economic development in Marshall County. First, we have a contract with the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce. Within that contract, the Chamber added a new position that focuses on economic development in the rural areas and small towns. Alex Ferneau has done a wonderful job working with our small-town leaders to help develop growth plans or small projects to improve their communities. We've set economic development funds aside to support small projects in the county, the homebuyer's incentive program, and the Marshall County Veteran Relocation Assistance Program. Lastly, we have utilized the Iowa Economic Development and Finance Authority and networks across the county and state to obtain the RISE (Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy Program) funding to improve the road infrastructure near a local dairy farm that allows their operation to expand to produce the milk necessary for the new Daisy plant in Boone County. I believe our multi-faceted approach to economic development will benefit Marshall County for both the short term and many years to come.
Hibbs: The County has been working to promote economic growth in our communities through a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. Some of the recent efforts include: working with the Arts & Culture Alliance and Heart of Iowa Communications to explore the potential for a community mural program in State Center, Rhodes, Melbourne and Albion; visioning and community planning in Albion; assisting Ferguson with finalizing grants for a community project and improve signage; discussing with community partner organizations how to start exercise programs at the libraries in our rural communities; connecting the Greater Des Moines Partnership and Raymon Company to set up a tour; as well as assisting State Center with their application for the Iowa Living Roadway's Program.
County economic development representatives also continue to work through the process of bringing the Homes for Iowa program to Marshall County communities. And, for the first time, Marshall County will be utilizing RISE funding to help offset road construction costs that will improve access to/from Highway 30 in conjunction with the expansion at Marshall Ridge Farms west of State Center.
My focus will continue to be on working with others to increase the number of people living and working in our county.
5. What is your stance on new renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, and how would you approach a request for a data center within the county if it comes up in the next four years?
Dean: I believe these projects should be evaluated individually and based on facts, rather than automatically supporting or opposing an entire category of development.
For wind and solar projects, I would consider the effects on landowners, neighboring property owners, agricultural land, roads, drainage, emergency services, the environment, county infrastructure, and the long-term financial benefit to the county.
Marshall County’s Planning and Zoning Commission is currently working on renewable-energy-related issues, including a renewable-energy ordinance work session in September 2026.
For a potential data center, I would use the same fact-based approach. I would want to understand the project’s water and electricity requirements, tax implications, land use, infrastructure demands, employment impact, emergency-service requirements, environmental considerations, and effect on neighboring property owners.
I would also want meaningful public input before the Board makes a major land-use decision. The goal should be to determine whether a proposed project is consistent with county plans and whether its benefits and costs are understood before making a decision.
Heil: I am in favor of renewable energy projects, but I am in favor of a balanced approach that promotes economic development, protects the environment, protects agricultural lands and protects private property rights. Currently there are wind and solar companies looking into additional projects in Marshall County and many Marshall County landowners interested in leasing their land to these companies. These projects, depending on their scale, could bring up to $100 million or more in revenue to Marshall County. Iowa law allows these revenues to be locked into infrastructure projects in the county. While we are running efficiently in our operations as a county, we are limited on funds available for future infrastructure improvements and conservation projects to stimulate economic development. Renewable energy projects would benefit the county in keeping taxes low while paying for our future infrastructure needs.
With the advancements in AI and demand for high capacity cloud computing, data centers are popping up around the country. Data centers can bring in significant tax revenue to the county and help the local economy with construction and permanent jobs. Data centers, depending on their model, can use a lot of power and water. Should Marshall County get a request for a data center, I'll study the proposal and try to negotiate the maximum revenues to the county as possible while getting reassurance in the deal that our local resources are protected. I am not in favor of our local energy or water bills increasing to pay for the needs of a new data center. Any data center proposal must have the tax revenue and boost to the local economy to justify any local dollars spent on any infrastructure improvements to accommodate the data center. It would be ideal encouraged in a development agreement for the developer to pay for any necessary infrastructure improvements and generate their own electricity to power their data center to ease the load on our grid and transmission lines. Lastly it's important to know who the developers are and what types of data they would be storing here locally. We absolutely do not need any foreign adversaries housing data in our backyard.
Hibbs: Discussion around these topics in the past couple of months has increased significantly. On the topic of data centers, I believe there is widespread agreement now that data centers differ from traditional industrial developments both in scale and economic structure. As a county leader, I believe we should set realistic expectations that align within all the municipalities and the unincorporated areas. This is a rapidly emerging area of development for Iowa's rural areas and smaller communities, which includes decisions about land use, energy and water needs and documenting if, where and how these facilities can be sited through local ordinances. I am working to learn as much as possible about the development of data centers. I don't believe that there is a 'one-size-fits-all' answer to this issue. I want my decisions going forward to balance community priorities and long-term community well-being with the proposed economic benefits.
I recognize the importance of renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar, to our local economy and environment. We all expect to have a reliable and sustainable local power grid. I am in favor of fostering responsible development by establishing clear zoning regulations that include reasonable setback requirements and aesthetic guidelines. I believe the rights of property owners should be protected. Planning and development must also safeguard the investment Marshall County has made in our parks and conservation areas.
6. Do you feel that secondary roads are currently being adequately addressed, and are there any specific projects you would advocate for if elected?
Dean: Secondary roads would be one of my priorities because they affect residents, farmers, businesses, emergency responders, school transportation, and virtually every part of the county.
Marshall County is responsible for a substantial secondary-road system, including hundreds of miles of paved and granular roads as well as bridges. The county’s current program includes road, bridge, and culvert projects and a five-year transportation program.
I would work closely with the County Engineer rather than trying to substitute political judgment for engineering expertise. I would advocate for a data-driven road-priority system that considers road condition, traffic volume, safety, economic importance, agricultural use, emergency access, and available funding.
I would also emphasize preventative maintenance. Spending money to preserve a road before it reaches a major failure can be more responsible than waiting until reconstruction is required.
Heil: While we have increased funding to our secondary roads department, there are budgetary limits on the road projects that can be addressed in a year. Many of our bridges were built 100 years ago and many of our gravel roads were built up in the 1960's. Over time and use, and the enhancements in size of farm equipment these roads and bridges need attention and repair for adequate drainage for ideal driving conditions in our current day farm to market needs. Additionally, areas like Ridge Road/260th Street and Fairman Avenue are areas that make sense to be paved. But projects like these and widespread improvements to our gravel roads are extremely costly and don't fit in a quick-fix within our budget. We need substantial new revenue and I will work with an all hands-on deck approach to economic development to use our growth to make these projects a reality and keep our taxes low.
Hibbs: The recent heavy rains and the prolonged wet timeframe has been a significant challenge for the Secondary Roads Department. It has been difficult to make progress on planned projects, and it has caused some urgency in moving some additional projects up on the schedule. There is always need for continued investment in maintaining roads and bridges. The Supervisors approved a 5-year plan earlier this year that included more than $11 million in planned improvements, repairs and maintenance in FY27 alone. There are still projects that need to be addressed that are not in the plan yet. Of the 240+ county-owned bridges, approximately half need some structural maintenance work. The Secondary Roads Department is responsible for maintaining 937 miles of road, so the work never stops and is never finished! The Supervisors will continue to work with the County Engineer and his department to identify priorities and help address those areas as quickly as possible.
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.