Van Buren County leaders honored for service

When Twyla Peacock told her father she was running for Van Buren County recorder in 1986, he said she should run as a Republican. It was the only way to win.

“I can’t do that, Dad,” Peacock said. She followed her heart and won after running a ground-level campaign.

It was only one episode in decades of service to Van Buren County and Keosauqua. Now Peacock, 83, has received an award recognizing her long career.

Peacock knocked the doors of every house in the county, narrowly won a three-way primary for recorder, and then took the general election handily. She was one of three Democrats elected that year, the first time since 1964 that Van Buren County voters chose a candidate from that party. Peacock won re-election four times and resigned in 2004 after serving for more than 17 years. She went on to serve 16 years on the Keosauqua City Council.

Peacock was Van Buren County Democratic Party chair for many years and was a frequent delegate to district and state conventions. She and others operated a food concession during fall county-wide celebrations and annual motorcycle rallies to raise money for candidates. The party also staged get-out-the vote phone banks. With their help, Democrats won election to county offices and the Iowa General Assembly.

At its Regional Hall of Fame gathering on Oct. 12 in Mt. Pleasant, the Iowa Democratic Party honored Peacock with its 2025 Outstanding Volunteer award for the area that includes Van Buren, Henry, Lee, Des Moines and Jefferson counties. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart made the presentation.

Keosauqua Mayor Melissa Mahon also received an award honoring her as the Iowa Outstanding Elected Official for 2025.

Mahon, 47, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, was elected on a write-in campaign in 2021. Since then, she’s collaborated with the city council to complete a range of capital and public works projects. Technicians conducted a full video inspection of sewer lines to assess their condition and prioritize maintenance. Crews also examined and repainted water towers to preserve this critical infrastructure.

This year the city finished mapping the entire water infrastructure with a geographic information system so workers can modernize records and the council can improve planning and management. The city also established a regular equipment rotation schedule to boost reliability and manage long-term costs.

Mahon has led other improvements that improve Keosauquans’ quality of life. The city finished work on a baseball complex, including contracting with a local restaurant to operate the concession stand. The council also supported plans for new sports courts, to include pickleball, tennis and bocce ball, expanding recreational opportunities for citizens.

With Melissa’s leadership, the city also began work on new Des Moines River boat launches, finalizing a project in development since 2018.