Halley, Boyer run to be Fairfield’s next mayor

FAIRFIELD – Two people with experience on the Fairfield City Council have filed to become the city's next mayor.

Michael Halley, who has represented the city's Fourth Ward on the council since 2010 and who has been mayor pro-tempore since last year, has thrown his hat in the race. So has former city councilor Connie Boyer, who served two stints on the governing body from 2003-2007 and again from 2011-2013, during the last of which she was mayor pro-tempore.

Fairfield's current Mayor Ed Malloy will not seek re-election after holding the office for 18 years. Those who are interested in putting their names on the ballot still have time. The filing deadline for the mayor's race and the city council races is 5 p.m. Sept. 19. Papers can be obtained and returned to Fairfield City Hall.

Halley and Boyer have issued news releases including information about their background and why they are seeking the mayor's office.

Michael Halley

'I'm Michael Halley and I'm running to be your mayor because I love Fairfield!” Halley announced on his Facebook page Sept. 5.

Halley has sat on every council committee during his nine years and counting on the council. He's graduated from the Iowa League of Cities Municipal Leadership Academy and completed numerous community projects. He works as an account manager at Ideal Energy.

'My leadership experience includes serving as the president of Fairfield's Visitors Bureau from 2007-2010, president of the Fairfield Volunteer Center from 2010-2013, and president of the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce from 2014-2016,” he said. 'I strongly believe in servant leadership: as an elected official my job is to represent and work for all Fairfield citizens.”

Halley listed his issue priorities which he would try to implement if he won the race. He begins with workforce expansion, saying that local businesses are poised for growth, and yet have difficulty recruiting employees.

'We'll attract and retain working age residents to keep our economy strong and our population stable,” he said.

He said it's time for the city to improve its streets now that it has tackled water and wastewater upgrades.

'We'll improve our road surfaces while making them safer for all users: drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” Halley said.

Halley said he wants to create a culture of fiscal responsibility that continues beyond changes in administration and elected leadership, continuing the success the city has achieved in building its cash reserves, paying down its debt and raising its bond rating.

He acknowledges that Fairfield is facing a housing shortage like other cities throughout the Midwest, and to solve it he wants to encourage infill development, change zoning laws to allow for tiny homes, and continue to partner with local builders by utilizing Tax Increment Financing.

Halley wants to create a new city-wide strategic plan.

'We'll work to ensure our legacy of greatness continues by inviting the next generation to contribute to Fairfield's story,” he said.

Connie Boyer

Boyer is a sixth-generation Jefferson County and Fairfield resident, and she's excited to return to city government.

'I want to continue and expand the great progress Mayor Ed Malloy has made as he completes 18 years of service to our community,” she said. 'Fairfield has been blessed with a rich history of small industry, agriculture, excellent education, arts and culture and higher values to build a successful and growing community.”

Boyer participated in creating the city's 10-year strategic plan, co-chaired the Go Green Commission, and served on the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center Board of Directors for 10 years. She is a member of Rotary, having served as president two different times, and is a member of the Fairfield Library Foundation Board. She has helped start three businesses in her career, and currently works as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Before that, she worked in fields such as farming, retail and banking.

Boyer said she wants to see Fairfield grow in population. She understands the city faces a number of issues in the housing and childcare sectors. One thing she'd like to do is to help the city's great amenities – the convention center, pool and gym, Carnegie Historical Museum and library – become sustainable so they're less taxing on the city budget. That means growing their foundations.

'We want to help people find a foundation they can leave a legacy to,” she said, adding that those amenities are what makes Fairfield a wonderful community to live in.

She said she feels that the town's residents are hungry for infrastructure improvements, but she wants to confirm that by talking to them during the next two months before the election on Nov. 5.

'My first priority is to listen to what people want and need, and then together as a team to address the concerns and challenges to realize the healthy goals of our whole community. So, let's team up and have fun getting things done,” she said.