Trending
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 fill the vacancy left by the passing of late Republican Supervisor Kevin Goodman earlier this year, Goodman's son Christian, a Republican who was appointed to the seat in February, is running to serve out the remainder of his father's term through the end of 2028 against Independent Kyle Hall.
The first half of their answers to the T-R's candidate questionnaire are printed below. Part two will be included in Tuesday’s paper.
1. What is your personal, professional and educational background, and why are you running for a seat on the Marshall County Board of Supervisors?
Christian Goodman: I was raised on a farm just west of Haverhill in rural southern Marshall County, where I still live with my wife, Cassidy, and our dog, Nellie.
My professional background is primarily in agriculture, including farming, cattle feeding, agricultural aviation, and operating my trucking business, LXV Transport. I'm also a longtime volunteer with the Haverhill Fire Department, where I've served as president and currently serve as treasurer. I graduated from Marshalltown High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Studies from Iowa State University.
I'm running for Marshall County Supervisor because I believe I can put those experiences to good use serving the county. My time on the Board this year has reinforced my desire to continue that work and the importance of asking questions, listening to different perspectives, and understanding an issue before making a decision. I want to help keep taxes as low as possible while maintaining the services our residents expect and approaching the challenges facing Marshall County with an open mind.
Kyle Hall: I am a lifelong Marshall County resident and a believer in hard work, personal responsibility, and investing in the future of our community. Professionally, I’ve built my career by solving problems, managing projects, and working with people from all walks of life. Outside of work, I’ve developed a strong interest in housing, property improvement, and community revitalization because I believe strong neighborhoods create strong communities.
My local educational background (GMG and MCC Graduate), combined with over two decades of real-world experience, has taught me to look at challenges practically and focus on the results rather than politics. I’ve spent years working through budgets, evaluating priorities, and learning the importance of balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.
I’m running for the Marshall County Board of Supervisors because I care deeply about where our community is headed. I want Marshall County to be a place where families want to live, businesses want to invest, and that young people see a future in. I believe local government works best when it is transparent, accountable, and focused on serving its taxpayers. If elected, my goal is to bring a fresh independent perspective to the seat and ask tough questions along the way that will help position our county for long-term success.
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?
Goodman: Since being appointed to the Board, I've had the opportunity to meet many community leaders who are putting their time, talents, and energy toward making Marshall County a better place. It's been encouraging to see how many people are working together to keep us moving in a positive direction.
Not every new idea is going to work, but progress requires a willingness to try. As a supervisor, I want to help maintain a regulatory environment that allows responsible growth and economic development without placing unnecessary burdens in the way of progress.
As long as people throughout Marshall County continue investing in their communities and working to improve the places they call home, I'm optimistic about where we're headed.
Hall: I believe Marshall County has many strengths. and trending in the right direction in many ways! We have hardworking residents, strong employers, productive farmland, quality schools, positive economic development growth and people who care deeply about this community. I don’t think we can afford to become complacent though. We continue to face challenges related to workforce attraction, housing availability, aging infrastructure, and long-term fiscal sustainability. My concern isn’t that we’re moving in the wrong direction. It’s that we’re not moving fast enough in some critical areas.
I would focus on creating a county government that is proactive rather than reactive. That means improving long-term planning, strengthening partnerships with cities and local businesses, and prioritizing investments that help grow our tax base instead of simply increasing the burden on existing taxpayers. Success should be measured by whether more families choose Marshall County, more businesses invest here, and residents see value in their tax dollars.
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?
Goodman: I feel previous supervisors have done a good job of keeping our tax rates at a level that appropriately funds the services we have come to expect while taking taxable valuation growth into account.
Being appointed halfway through the budget season gave me a look at the back half of the process. I look forward to working through a full budget and finding efficiencies that allow us to keep taxes as low as possible while maintaining a high level of service.
The state's property tax reforms will make that balance increasingly challenging as allowable revenue growth may not keep pace with costs we have limited control over, such as insurance and fuel. That makes prioritizing essential services, finding efficiencies, and carefully evaluating discretionary spending even more important. It also increases the importance of economic development and new construction to broaden our tax base.
Hall: Taxpayers expect government to be responsible with every dollar and maximize every dollar as well, and I share that expectation. While county government has many essential responsibilities, I believe we should continually evaluate spending to ensure resources are being used effectively and efficiently.
Property tax reform presents both challenges and opportunities. It will require county leaders to think carefully about the priorities that are being addressed, rather than assuming that future revenue growth will solve every issue. I would support a budget process that focuses on core services first: public safety, roads and infrastructure, emergency response, and necessary county operations all while hoping to reduce the costs if and where possible. Before ever considering additional taxes or spending, I want to see clear evidence that existing resources are being used wisely. Every expenditure should answer a simple question: Does this improve services, support growth, or provide value to taxpayers?
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?
Goodman: I commend the previous Board of Supervisors for partnering with the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce to expand economic development efforts throughout the county. Since being appointed, I've met with our County Economic Development Director, Alex Ferneau, and appreciate her work with our smaller communities to identify opportunities and projects that may need county support.
Economic development also requires communities themselves to participate and seek opportunities. I've been encouraged by communities pursuing grants, housing opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and other investments throughout the county.
I believe government's role is to help create an environment where people, communities, and businesses can flourish. That means remaining competitive, considering incentives when there is a clear public benefit, maintaining a low-cost environment to live and operate a business, and avoiding unnecessarily burdensome regulations. Government can be a strong supporting partner without necessarily being the driver of economic development.
Hall: Marshall County has made solid progress in its economic development, and we should recognize those successes. However, economic development is highly competitive, and communities that stand still often fall behind.
Attracting businesses starts with attracting people. We need to continue to develop our quality housing, reliable infrastructure, strong schools, safe communities, and growing the recreational amenities that improve quality of life. While profitability is always a priority in attracting a business, I will always believe that businesses will also look at those factors as well when deciding where to invest.
I would focus on three priorities:
Expanding housing opportunities for both homeowners and renters. (While working on these responses, I was thrilled to see the 2.1 million dollar grant that was awarded and the planned development of new properties!)
Supporting infrastructure investments that prepare sites for future business growth.
Working closely with employers to understand workforce needs and remove barriers to expansion.
We should also market Marshall County more aggressively to the businesses we want and need in our communities. I believe we have tremendous assets, such as our central location relative to many larger communities, workforce potential, and quality of life. We need to tell that story more effectively and consistently and if elected would welcome the chance to work with those both from the city and the Chamber to help promote.
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 during your term?
Goodman: I support electrical generation broadly and believe all forms of generation should be considered as we work to meet growing power demand while maintaining reliable and affordable electricity. Wind and solar can play a role, and potential projects in Marshall County could provide additional generation while allowing landowners to diversify their income.
However, I'm not advocating for generation at all costs. I support reasonable local regulations that mitigate impacts on rural residents, secondary roads, and conservation areas. These projects also have the potential to broaden our tax base and generate additional revenue while creating comparatively limited ongoing demand for county services. Those benefits need to be weighed against the impacts.
The same principle applies to data centers. Our moratorium gives us time to establish appropriate regulations and clear expectations for developers. If a future project meets the standards we establish and appropriately addresses its impacts, I would support approving it. If it does not, I would not.
Hall: In a single sentence, I support the potential of all of the above.
It has been well documented that the discussion on this has been a very heated topic for the past few months at both the city and County level. My approach to any energy and or large-scale projects would be similar to nearly all developmental projects, and that is to make sure it is in the best interests of the county and its residents, as well as that all projects are evaluated fairly and responsibly. Furthermore, I believe renewable energy and data center projects could and would provide economic benefits to our communities. It would diversify our tax base and would likely create additional revenue streams for landowners. However, I would carefully evaluate the infrastructure demands, energy consumption, water usage, and the overall return on investment for taxpayers. Any major project should clearly demonstrate long-term benefits for Marshall County and its residents.
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.