Smells Fishy to me.

On Tuesday the County Board of Supervisors (as well as my opponent, Mark Monson) voted to approve a private firm to search for individuals who could be hired as County Engineer. This will cost upwards of $20,500.00 just to search for a potential Engineer.

Was this necessary? As Supervisor Clausen (the lone dissenting vote) pointed out, "he felt the county was "fully capable" of fielding qualified candidates for the job."

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/08/13/news/local/1eb7f9ca29ba12a6862574a4000b602e.txt

I will leave that judgement up to the voters. But consider this, back in '06 when the Board was looking for a temporary replacement to the County Attorney. They hired, Patrick Jennings (A Candidate who was seeking that office in the '06 General Election and a member of the Majority Party of the Board of Supervisors) over the opposing Candidate who was also seeking that office. Jennings successfully defeated the opponent of the other party. Supervisor Batcheller, the lone dissenting vote on the board, said the supervisors should have chosen "an independent third party, either inside the (county attorney) office or outside the office to help in the hiring process.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2006/07/19/news/local/b079b0f267a50351862571b000018e3d.txt

I find it interesting that the Board considered themselves capable of reviewing the qualifications and hiring of the County Attorney, who also was a candidate of their party, but not the County Engineer.

Update on the campaign

I wanted to give everyone an update on how the campaign is going. I have been going door to door giving out fliers. If your interested in helping me out, please contact me.
dannyandcelina@yahoo.com

In business regarding the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. The board approved new zoning ordinances, of which I generally agree with.

"On unanimous vote (Supervisor George Boykin was absent), the supervisors approved changes that will make it harder to convert prime crop land into residential property, that set zoning districts where "hobby farmers" with a few horses could live and that provide more oversight of home businesses. The ordinances also address the topics of adult business placements (they can't be grouped together in one small area) and the presence of junk vehicles (allowable, so long as they can't be seen by drivers-by)." - Sioux City Journal

However, an amendment to the ordinances was held off by the Board of Supervisors to require notification of local residents when large facilities (exampe: the Dairy that was proposed in Lawton) are set to be located in their community.

This should not be held off too long, and I hope the Board makes it their first priority. Sitting on this valid concern of the citizens will only be amplified if in the duration between now and then if another Company want's to bring their business to the City. Providing notification to the residents will allow citizens to air their concerns and/or correct potential problems before they occur.

Zoning Changes

The Sioux City Journal has an article about Zoning Ordinance changes that are coming soon to Woodbury County.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/07/08/news/latest_news/125a41f98c0629fa8625748000760c78.txt
At the recent meeting of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors (7/8/08). Two Lawton men are asking the Board of Supervisors to consider an ordinance change, the recommendation "...was that residents need to be notified in a wide area, depending upon the size of the entity, whenever large livestock confinements are proposed to be built."

These men are essentially responding to an event that happened earlier this year when a 3,600 head dairy was proposed to be placed north of Lawton. You will notice one important element of their requested change. That residents "...be notified...".

Lawton residents were upset and heavily opposed the proposed dairy this year because of a variety of concerns that were later confirmed by the DNR. However, what upset the residents more, was the fact that there were no town-hall meetings to discuss the proposed dairy with the people who would be most affected, the people who lived there.

If the Board of Supervisors will not consult the local people on something important like this, I believe a change in Ordinance to alert the people in the area that will be affected is necessary.

I support the modification to the ordinance as suggested by the two men and I hope the Board considers what these men have said.

Interview with Sioux City Journal

Back in March, I announced my intent to run for Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, District #4 in the Sioux City Journal. I was interviewed by Bret Hayworth.
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/03/27/news/local/82b6219d05b6c5f28625741800795bb4.txt

However, the entire text of the interview was not used. For those interested in viewing it, you will find it below:


(1) Please relay your educational background, high school, college, age, how long lived in Sioux City.

I am 25, I was born and raised in Sioux City. I went to North High School and graduated in 2002. I am currently working to attain a Bachelors in Theology from Northwestern Theological Seminary through online courses in my free time. I have nearly five years of experience in County Government in a clerical position for the Dakota County Clerk where I am currently employed, there I have been involved with Accounts Payable and Voter Registration.

(2) Why are you running for supervisors?

One thing that pushed me to run was when I learned that the County Board of Supervisors failed to instruct the Compensation Board to keep the Supervisors salaries frozen, during a year where we have a tight budget and have to take out an $800,000 loan to pay for expenses, of which the taxpayers will have to pay over $100,000 extra in interest over the course of the five year loan. It would have been a great way to demonstrate to the people of the County that because they know taxpayers are going to have pay more, they are willing to make less. I pledge to vote no on any pay raises for the County Board of Supervisors in my first term and to make every effort to instruct the Compensation Board to keep the County Board of Supervisors salary frozen.

(3) Why do you think you'd be a better supervisor than the incumbent you're taking on?

My age might be viewed by some as my biggest disadvantage, yet I view it as an advantage. Coming from a different generation will allow me to approach the same problems with different ideas on how to solve them. I am asking the voters to give me a shot.

(4) What are the key issues you'd address for the county? How?

I not only want to hold the line on taxes, but I want to see them drop. I realize this is a difficult thing to do, and I do not have any doubt that many of the current Board Members have worked hard to do this. I am hoping I can bring a fresh perspective to this persistent problem.
Also, we need to make sure we are staying connected to the communities we are affecting. When the Board was considering the recommendation of the Dairy near Lawton, it would have been nice to see Town Hall style meetings near the proposed area prior to voting to get the initial opinions of those who would be most affected.

(5) Is this your first run for elective office? I believe it is, in my 5.5 years here, but perhaps you've lived elsewhere and run before.

Yes this is my first attempt to run for an elective office.

(6) You serve on the city human rights commission. What did you learn in that position? Any other civic organization participation you can point to?

While serving on the Human Rights Commission, I have learned what it is like to serve on a board. I have also enjoyed helping out in events such as Faces of Siouxland that allow many different groups in the area to come together and share what they are about. This is great event that all Siouxlanders should come and participate in on March 30th. Finally, while I have not agreed on every decision made by the Commission, there is no doubt that everyone on the Commission has a heart for the Community.