Ron Fedler (D-West Point) says he is running for the District 1 seat on the Lee County Board of Supervisors because he wants to stay involved in local government.
The former mayor of West Point and former small business owner says his retirement will allow him to focus on representing the northern 1/3 of the county on the panel.
Fedler says his top priorities are lowering property taxes and reducing Lee County’s unemployment rate.
He says controlling spending is the key to reducing property taxes. He says that starts with a line-by-line review of the county’s budget each year.
“It’s the little things that just get rubber-stamped,” says Fedler. “If you look at them closer, you can find the savings. Government gets into things that get them into debt that they should not have been in.”
Fedler says when it comes to the unemployment rate, the Lee County Board of Supervisors needs to provide leadership.
“When you have the state’s unemployment at about 6% and we are at about 10%,” says Fedler, “that tells us there is something really wrong with what is going on, especially when we have so much to offer.”
Fedler wants to see the board do more to promote the county’s assets, especially the Mississippi River. He says the river could be a recruiting tool for businesses or industries looking to easily move product.
Iowa Fertilizer Company’s proposed plant has led to a mix of emotions on both sides.
Fedler, who attending a recent public hearing in Wever, says residents have some very legitimate concerns about the project, but he also sees it as a great benefit for farmers through the availability of fertilizer.
Fedler says he would need more information before supporting or opposing the construction of a joint building for the Lee County Health and Conservation Departments and the reversal of the recent office consolidation.
Ron Fedler was the only Democrat to file in District 1. He faces former Lee County Maintenance Director Rick Carter, who was nominated by petition.