Rob Meyer hopes to heal a city

The city of Washington, Rob Meyer says, “has a black eye.”

While he said he admired Former Mayor Jaron Rosien’s effectiveness as a community advocate and an efficient leader, Meyer said the former mayor’s alleged misconduct leading to charges of third degree sexual abuse in January of 2023 had shaken the public’s trust of the city and its leaders.

The candidate hopes he can unify the city on the right path, if his bid for mayorship succeeds later this month.

"A black eye, it takes time to heal,“ he said. ”I feel like our city is currently divided because of the current circumstances, and that’s kind of unfortunate. And I think our people are hurting right now, because of that … we need to know that if we all pull together, it’s all going to be all alright.“

The need for a comeback is not entirely unfamiliar to Meyer. His criminal record includes a conviction of domestic abuse in 2015, two counts of child endangerment in 2018 and violation of a no-contact order in 2019.

In his own words, Meyer said he was “not proud of it,” but added that he was a fundamentally different person today from when those charges were pressed.

“Sometimes you’ve got to hit rock-bottom in order to get back up,” he said. “The city has hit rock-bottom under the circumstances, and it’s time to get back up. My personal life hit rock-bottom, and it was time to get back up … It was unfortunate circumstances with what took place, and yeah, it’s going to raise red flags and it’s going to make people question those things. But I live it now, I live it out loud, and I live my life as a Christian now.”

Meyer credits his personal evolution to his Christian beliefs, saying it would’ve been impossible without help from God and his pastor. As such, he says he grounds most of his decisions in guidance from the Bible.

If elected mayor, he expects to keep that decision-making style.

While he acknowledges that some residents may disagree with his approach, or his interpretation of scripture, Meyer said he knew no other way forward.

"My life has been structured based on scripture,“ he said. ”The Bible has been around for centuries, and this country was founded on biblical principles … I use that, as an individual, to make the positive impact that I make. Will that be in everybody’s wheelhouse, will they agree with all that? No, like I said, we won’t be able to please everybody. But you can rest assured that I’ll make sound decisions.“

Meyer attends and frequently volunteers at Marion Avenue Baptist Church, known in town for its large congregation, elaborate annual Christmas show and occasional friction with city officials over parking codes, busing procedures and building construction.

Some community members see Meyer as a candidate running on the church’s behalf, a perception he said he’d noticed in his door-knocking campaign, but personally disputes.

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"That’s my lifestyle, not everybody’s going to have the same thoughts, hopes, values, beliefs,“ he said. ”As far as Marion Avenue goes, I wish that I could change a lot of the mindsets of this town … I’ve heard that across town, I’ve heard everything from, ‘Are you going to make everybody wear suits and skirts if you get the mayor position?’ No. That’s not my role as a mayor.“

While he hasn’t held public office before, Meyer said his success in other management roles prepared him for the mayor’s chair.

He and his wife manage the Ashley Lynn Condos, a pair of properties northeast of the Washington Wellness Park soccer fields. He’s also worked as a distribution supervisor for Walmart in Mt. Pleasant, held a managing role at a foundry in Fairfield, and been a youth baseball coach.

If elected, Meyer said his top priorities for the city include a focus on economic growth, and, like every other candidate in the race, maintaining infrastructure. To that end, he said upholding Washington’s combination of amenities and neighborly culture were paramount to its success.

That’s emblematic in one of his family’s favorite pastimes: taking a trip to the central park. Meyer said part of his reason to run was ensuring Washington’s continued vitality for his own seven children.

"It’s those little things, right there, that are building the memories of a childhood that this country doesn’t really have any more,“ he said. ”We’re a rare community to still have those sort of things, that our children can grow up in an innocent environment. We’re fortunate, there’s other cities that, your kids can’t just run up to the city square and go walking around. They can’t just run up and see the nostalgia of the underpass, or the fountain. There’s a safety here.“

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com