Candidates announced for upcoming special elections

WASHINGTON — The Washington County Auditor’s Office has released a list of the names that will appear on ballots in Washington and Brighton on Aug. 6, the date both cities plan to hold special elections for their respective at-large city council seats.

Meyer, Schroeder and Durst seek Washington council spot

Three of the four applicants for an expected Washington City Council appointment in May — before decision-makers opted to hold a vacancy-filling election instead — have thrown their hats in the ring to replace former Council Member Millie Youngquist, who herself won an election to become mayor in April.

The contenders are Rob Meyer, Kenneth (Roger) Schroeder and Jennifer Durst. Former Washington County Environmental Health Director Jennine Wolf had applied for an appointment to the role, but said she opted not to pursue the seat once an election was in the picture and had no plans to mount a write-in campaign.

“I just didn’t have the time,” she said. “To get all the signs, to get all the signatures. I’ve been through it once, I’m not going to go through it again.”

None of the other three names were surprising to find on the candidate list. Meyer, Schroeder and Durst have all openly signaled their intentions to stay in the race in the weeks after current council members chose to cancel appointee-picking plans.

Meyer is perhaps most familiar to Washington voters. The property manager and frequent church volunteer ran in the city’s mayoral special election earlier this year, but lost by a considerable margin with just 13.29% of the vote. Constituents said they worried about his criminal history, or about his strong religious beliefs which he said would guide municipal decisions if he were elected.

Still, Meyer said he felt he was a good fit for the vacant position.

“My positive influence and … want to help see positive growth and results within our community qualify me for this position,” he wrote in his application for a council appointment to the seat. “I feel that when it comes to policies, community development, budgeting, decision-making and collaboration that I can represent our community and make an impact.”

Jenifer Durst is recognizable at least to many city officials. The Washington resident is a frequent audience member at city council meetings, which she’s attended regularly ever since the group discussed contentious parking code changes in 2022, although Durst seldom makes comments at the meetings.

By day, she’s a senior application developer for University of Iowa Health Care, according to her appointment application materials, where she said she was a strong analytical thinker.

“I have had the opportunity to work with many diverse individuals with varying backgrounds and ethnicities,” she wrote. “Collaborating with people from various backgrounds ensures that different perspectives are considered, leading to more comprehensive and inclusive decision-making that benefits the entire community.”

Kenneth (Roger) Schroeder is in the running as well. The retired Washington resident of six years has previously managed a commercial printer, and has served on a number of other decision-making bodies including the Graphic Arts Technology Center of Iowa Advisory Board, New Horizons United Methodist Church Trustee Board, and the Grandview Condo Association in Coralville.

While he’s not a native or especially longtime Washington resident, Schroeder said in appointment application materials that he’d offer an unbiased perspective, if chosen for the city council.

“Being fairly new to Washington, I do not have long-term allies or enemies,” he wrote. “This would allow all decisions to be based on merit.”

Two names vie for Brighton opening

Two community members in Brighton will run for an at-large city council seat that’s been open since the resignation of member David Pratt in April. The departure led to a 60-day deadlock between decision-makers who couldn’t agree whether to appoint a replacement or elect one, before a state law kicked in and required an election since no action had been taken.

First in the candidate listing is Robert Farley. A former mayor of the city, he made headlines at a few points in his recovery process after a car accident in 2004, which left him largely paralyzed.

Farley said he had city leadership experience to offer, but would bring no personal agenda to the table if elected.

“I don’t have any axes to grind with anybody,” he said. “I’m looking to do whatever I can to help my community. I live here, and I want it to be the best for my family and my children to come, and that’s the reason I’m running.”

The other contender is Cathy Rich, a former council member who some city officials credit with shaping up municipal budgets during her term as she attended extensive formal training events and created new monetary tracking tools for the local government. But some others blame Rich, at least partially, for a vicious series of disputes between the mayor, council and fire department in 2022 and 2023.

In Pratt’s resignation letter, he endorsed Rich for the job. She later said she would accept an appointment if it was made, but was hesitant about committing to another election campaign after losing a race in November that saw every council incumbent voted out, and another special election in March when she narrowly lost to write-in candidate Scott Hughes.

She has since changed her mind.

“I didn’t want to run again, but half of the town supports me, and I support the town,” Rich said. “The town has challenges ahead of itself, because of the financials … I understand the financials, I would like the other council members to understand the financials.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com