Doug Flournoy seeks to jump from council into mayor’s seat

Douglas Flournoy is a member of the Fairfield City Council who is seeking the mayor’s office on Nov. 4.

The Southeast Iowa Union sent Flournoy a questionnaire about his candidacy, and here are his responses:

Q: Can you tell us about your main accomplishments in your current role as city council member or in other roles you've had?

Some of my personal City Council accomplishments are:

a. My service to the Fairfield community includes 12 years on the City Council, 12 years on Fairfield Community School District Board of Directors and past president, 23 years on the Rotary Club of Fairfield and past president, member of the Resilient Action Committee management team, and board member of the Fairfield Resilient Action Network.

In all these roles, I have shown consensus building and leadership skills.

b. For the first time in 30 years, I persuaded the Fairfield City Council to agree by a 6-0 vote to hold a special election to fill a City Council vacancy on July 14, 2025. This was for the Ward 3 seat formerly held by Judy Ham.

This is important as Iowa Code does not allow the Mayor to make such an appointment.

c. Asked City Council to form an Ad Hoc Committee on Community Engagement to deal with communication and transparency.

This is important as our final report will make recommendations to the City Council on a framework to handle projects with ESES issues (Environmental, Social, Economic, Sustainability). It will also include recommendations on improving citizen access to City information.

d. I enabled the Sierra Club to present to the City Council and played a major role in the formation of the Resilient Action Committee (RAC). I continue to serve on the RAC. I worked to identify a funding source to pay the City’s portion of support for the Sustainability Coordinator. The City is now entering its fourth year of such support.

e. A major part of my job is to assist citizens present their concerns to the City Council and to assist them in resolving problems. I have been very successful in my role as a facilitator.

f. I have written at least 15 grants that were awarded to the Rotary Club of Fairfield which served various parts of our community. I have assisted on several grant submissions made by the City.

Q: Since the mayor is a non-voting member of the Fairfield City Council, what power does the mayor have over city government?

a. The Mayor is the Executive Officer of the City of Fairfield. The Mayor signs checks, ordinances, and proclamations. The Mayor is the face of Fairfield, both internally and externally.

b. The Mayor is the Chair of the full City Council meetings. The Mayor creates the agenda and is responsible to conduct the meeting in a fair and impartial manner per our adopted rules of procedure.

c. The Mayor is not a voting member of the City Council and is expected to remain neutral on all matters that come before Council.

Q: What specifically is the mayor's role in running city council meetings?

When there is a perception that decisions are made behind closed doors or budgets are hard to follow, citizens lose confidence.

a. It is the Mayor’s role to create a culture of transparency. An informed and involved community is an empowered community.

The Mayor should ensure that Council’s decisions are respected. Recently, after a failed motion, City staff pursued that motion regardless. This is not acceptable.

Again, after a closed session where I requested external legal review on an issue before the City and was denied, I discovered the requested legal advice was sought and given, but only to selected members of City Council. This is not acceptable.

b. The Mayor should facilitate regular performance reviews for all employees and appointed individuals such as the City Attorney.

Q: Where does the city need to improve most, and how can the mayor help make progress in this area?

My Facebook page, Flournoy for Mayor, has my platform for the City of Fairfield. Key points in addition to my previous comments are:

a. Strengthening Our Downtown

To improve our downtown, let's do simple things first while we develop a comprehensive revitalization plan. First we should maintain and improve infrastructure, streetscaping, and public spaces to encourage people to shop, dine, and spend time in our city center.

In parallel, develop a comprehensive long-sighted plan for the downtown, a living document with clear objectives and timelines that reflects our community's interests and needs.

b. Investing in Housing and Neighborhoods

We have a major problem with absentee landlords and dilapidated properties. We must require absentee landlords to have a local property manager on file with the City.

We need to expedite rehabilitation or removal of dilapidated properties.

We need to create a balanced strategy that keeps Fairfield affordable and attractive for families, young professionals, and retirees alike.

c. Modernizing City Services

We need to prioritize creating a modern, user-friendly city website and a mobile app so residents can quickly find or receive information, report concerns, and complete forms electronically.

Q: What sets you apart from your opponents in this race?

My years of public service in Fairfield show my bedrock qualities of Integrity, Transparency, Accessibility, and Engagement. I bring proven leadership qualities and an ability to work together with all members of the community to deliver positive change.

I’ve noticed at times that citizens don’t get the proper respect they deserve at City Hall.

Some people are excluded and sometimes power is abused. I offer a long history of treating all constituents with respect. As your Mayor, I will proactively act to listen to and learn from the voices of Fairfield and then provide strong leadership. Our City must always work toward building unity and consensus in our community. I will act in a manner that is just, responsible, accountable, and ethical. We can and must do better.

I am flexible and am willing to consider new information, admit to earlier mistakes, and take corrective action. I will act conscientiously at all times.

I would be honored to serve you as Mayor of the City of Fairfield.

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