Voters will decide Council races Tuesday

The Mirror-Reporter invited Clear Lake and Ventura City Council candidates, as well as the unopposed mayoral candidates, to share information about themselves and their vision for their communities as voters prepare to go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

City Council At-Large

DANA BRANT

My name is Dana Brant and I grew up in York, Penn.  When I was 19, I moved to California and two years later was given an opportunity to study at York College in York, Nebraska, where I met my wonderful wife Kristi.  We have been married for 23 years. We have four amazing children, which have all attended Clear Lake Community Schools. After college, we moved back to York, Penn. In 2001, we decided to move to Clear Lake, Iowa.

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  My education includes graduating high school from West York, Penn. in 1990 and attending York College for two years.  Shortly after attending college, I decided to get my real estate license.  I sold real estate in Pennsylvania for six years and three years in Clear Lake. At the end of 2004, I started my own business called Iowa Home Solutions, LLC. Since I left college, either as a salesman, house flipper, house builder, property manager, or real estate investor, I have always been involved with real estate in some manner. Being on City Council in the past, I found that my knowledge of real estate helped me understand some of the aspects of city government, like economic development, infrastructure, and building projects. I enjoy volunteering and have held president and vice president roles on the board for Midwest Bible Camp and have also served on the North Iowa Sports Authority board.

  When I think about my vision for the town of Clear Lake, I think about the simple saying, “let’s not recreate the wheel.”   Being on City Council helped me recognize that the past and present leadership has done an excellent job making Clear Lake such an enjoyable town. With that being said, that does not mean that I am suggesting that we rest on our laurels.  I believe we should continue to strive to make Clear Lake a great place to live and visit.  After living in multiple locations across the United States, I have learned that the town of Clear Lake has and will continue to work on infrastructure, roads, and sidewalks.  It has been able to provide ample police and fire protection due to its low indebtedness and forward thinking leadership. This in itself is an awesome position for such a small town to be in.  Most towns in the United States are not as fortunate as we are here in Clear Lake.  Because of this, we are able to continue every year doing a multitude of projects across our town. These projects may, at times, be frustrating to homeowners and can include special assessments, and/or possibly repairs to your infrastructure. However, we as a community need to understand that in order to preserve the quality and condition of our town, we all play a part in the bigger picture.

As we look to the future, I believe we need to continue to expand on the 12th Street recreational area, which has ample space to provide a lot of opportunities for growth. I also think there is more we could do with our city pool area, including working with the county to have their buildings moved to a better location to make that area more attractive to our citizens and visitors.  As Andrews old pre-stressed concrete plant is dismantled, I am excited to see what is to come in the future at that site. Personally, as a real estate investor, I am encouraged as economic projects come forth and know that if I am elected again to the City Council, I will do all I can to promote economic growth, not only at that site, but any other projects that come to the city for consideration.   

  As I have been out campaigning, I have been amazed at how supportive people are towards the town of Clear Lake.  I am always surprised at the number of people that volunteer within the community. The citizens’ positive attitudes and support are a testament to why Clear Lake is such a great place to live and visit.

As a real estate investor and landlord for the past 16 years in Clear Lake, I have never had a problem renting any of our houses, because Clear Lake is such a desirable place to raise your kids, go to the park with your family, go to church, lay on the beach, go boating, hit Main Street and go shopping, have a relaxing meal in one of the restaurants, watch the entertainment at the park, and, well you get the point.  We live in a very blessed, safe and comfortable community.  For several years I have had family come from Pennsylvania and California to visit and they are always amazed to see how well all the festivities are over the Fourth of July are run. The lake is a vital part of our community for all residents and visitors alike.  I will continue to do my part on or off the Council to promote the preservation of our lake and support all efforts to make our lake the cleanest, safest, most enjoyable asset that we share.

  In my opinion, we need to elect people to City Council that understand how to evaluate the big picture in all decisions made, with a positive attitude, and the knowledge to determine what the healthiest balance should be on any matter. If you agree with my view of what a good candidate would be for the decisions made on your behalf, I ask for your vote on Nov. 7.

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GARY HUGI

I am Gary Hugi, a retired construction manager and father of three (Jason, Sarah and Janelle).  I have six granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.  My affiliations include: National Society of Engineering Technicians, North Iowa Builders Exchange (past president), Bell Harbor Association (past Board of Directors), Iowa Concrete Paving Association (past Municipal and Conference Committees), Iowa Ready Mix Asso-

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ciation (past Specification Committee), STEVLLA (founding member), Planning and Zoning Commission (past), and Veterans Memorial Golf Foundation Board (present).

During my career I have been fortunate and privileged to work hand-in-hand with various government agencies, municipalities, county and state.  Each agency offered a different format that gave me a valuable learning curve.  The time spent with each agency affords me the opportunity to share this valuable experience with our community at this time.

As I have always said, Clear Lake sits at the crossroads of prosperity with Interstate 35 and Avenue of the Saints being in our backyard.  Our largest asset in the community happens to be that large body of water we call Clear Lake.  It is of great importance that we maintain and continue improvements of the lake’s water quality.   Our largest asset (the lake) affords us the latitude and magnitude to make visions for our community become realities, such as with the new and safer intersection on Highway 122 East (Kwik Star).  This now gives more access for development to the east and to the north where the former Andrews Prestress is presently being demolished.  The north and east areas are very much a conception for development now.  Amazing what a simple set of traffic signals can accomplish.

At the same time I think we should also expand our commercial and industrial to the south.  We already have a good base of commercial and industrial now, but we need to look for future growth.  We need to remain progressive without losing our small town charm.  This requires understanding, knowledge and a balance between government and private development which consists of industrial, commercial and residential for each one of these feeds the other.  The end result; prosperity for our community.

To hold the position of Council At-Large in the City of Clear Lake, an individual must possess the following qualities: vision, sensitivity, flexibility, approachability and responsibility.  The position of Council At-Large takes the highest level of commitment and time, for which I have.  If re-elected, I would would still seek the positive perspective to represent all the citizens of Clear Lake with common sense and continue the moral, fiscal and future integrities set forth by our past city fathers.

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City Council 2nd Ward

TONY NELSON

I was elected in 2010 to serve a four-year term on the Council representing the residents of Ward 2.  I am currently serving my second term.  I also represent Clear Lake as a board member on the Landfill of North Iowa.

After graduating from Lake Mills High School, I attended Central College in Pella, Iowa where I graduated with a BA in Business Management.  I also minored in

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Spanish and participated in Student Senate and enjoyed running for the Dutch Track and Field program.

I am a co-owner and the director of Sales and Marketing for American Resources LLC of Lake Mills, Iowa.  Before moving back to North Iowa in 2007, I worked for Principal Financial Group in Overland Park, Kansas where I worked with investments and retirement plans.

I am a member of Zion Lutheran Church and also a member of the North Iowa Touring Club/NI Spin cycling club.

My wife, Ashley, is the controller for Stoney Creek Hospitality in Mason City.  We have three daughters:  Brynn, Brooklyn and Becca, ages five, three and one.  We reside on Lexington Drive with our dachshund, Denver, and are happy to call Clear Lake home!

As many already know, I am seeking my third term.  I originally ran for Council because I believed our assessment process was flawed through the South Shore Drive street reconstruction project.  I learned how each resident is responsible using our assessment formula and how each project is different and unique in their own way.  With that said, I saw how that process could be communicated better to our residents.  Now when we do an assessment project, especially like the South Shore or North Shore Street reconstruction project, we have several community forums to answer questions and get feedback before the project begins.

So why am I running again?  There are still processes and projects as such that need to be addressed.  My passion for this community has only grown stronger and I know through my experiences and skills, I can identify and recognize the direction the city needs to go!  As it is football season and how it relates:  The momentum is going and we have had a lot of “wins” in Clear Lake.  I am a part of that team and don’t want to be taken out of the game yet!

We have seen many projects happen since I was elected in 2010 and I am truly proud to have been a part of or contribute in some sort of way to the following: successful recruitment of a Fortune 100 Co. - McKesson facility and new jobs to Clear Lake;  state-of-the-art fire station; remodeled police station and city hall; new million gallon water tower on north side of town; Three Stars Plaza by the Surf; seawall reconstruction and beautification; enhanced recycling program at public works; downtown sidewalk project;  new aerial ladder truck for our community; expansion of the public works facility; numerous street projects and underground infrastructure; the successful acquisition and public/private partnership of the Veterans Memorial Golf course;  the hiring of new staff essential to our city – specifically the police chief and captain and watershed coordinator; enhanced ambulance service – three full-time ambulances; enhanced fire protection with our community fire rating being lowered (which will reduce home owner’s insurance premiums); the lowering of our city tax rate – multiple times;  and many more items but these are just to name a few.

What distinguishes me from the other candidates?  First, I have been on the Council for almost eight years and I know how successful city government is run.  As I said before, we have accomplished a great deal and I hope residents in Clear Lake realize how fortunate we are to have such a great community!  People are what make a community great!  Second, I chose to move to Clear Lake back in 2007 from Kansas City.  I grew up here in North Iowa but specifically moved here because we are a destination.  I have traveled all across the U.S. and there is no place like Iowa and more specifically no place like Clear Lake.  Comparing us to other communities, I know what our “strengths” consist of and what our “weaknesses” are.  This is evident by the past projects or tasks I have been involved with through the city or civic groups.   Lastly, I have a family to look after: my wife, Ashley and our three daughters, Brynn, Brooklyn and Becca.  I want my family to have every opportunity to be successful and it is essential to surround them in the best schools, neighborhoods and amenities the community can offer.  In other words, I want the best for them and I can set an example by giving back to the community through my duties or responsibilities with city government.

My vision for Clear Lake probably isn’t much different than what all of us would like to see— continued growth and successes in Clear Lake.  Specifically, I would like to see additional job opportunities come to our industrial park.  We currently are looking to expand upon our sites as we are basically out of room so we need to have the physical space to provide possible companies or groups to locate or build here.

We need to continue to up the ante with attractions or amenities.  An example of this can be accomplished by following through with our long term plan or goal of a recreational center or site at our city property located on 12th Street or where our soccer fields or dog park are located.  This center could be a community gathering for all to enjoy no matter what season it is, spring, summer, fall or winter.  We have only preliminary ideas at this point, but we need community input and feedback to see if this is a direction Clear Lake wants to take.

We need to continue to recognize the public/private partnership opportunities as they present themselves.  We have had numerous successes with the Surf Ballroom, Veterans Memorial Golf Course and more recently the K&B Emporium.  This incentivizes growth or attracts people and businesses to Clear Lake.

Lastly, we must strive to maintain the big body of water we call the lake.  The lake is the livelihood and lifeline of this community.  Our growth efforts, infrastructure projects, and other communal activities must make a positive impact to our lake.  We can do that through items like our rain gardens, permeable concrete projects, filter boxes and others.  Our lake is our largest resource and we want that to be enjoyed by all for many generations to come.

In closing, I am excited for the opportunities ahead of us and I challenge everyone to help our city leaders, school board members, volunteer groups, churches, and others to pave the way for future Clear Lakers.  People make all the difference and I am proud to be a resident of Clear Lake and call it my home!

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BENNETT SMITH

My name is Bennett Smith and I am a candidate for the Second Ward city council seat here in Clear Lake. I wanted to introduce myself to the citizens of Clear Lake, explain why I am running for city council, and finally, articulate some thoughts on my vision for Clear Lake going forward. I would like to thank the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter for the opportunity to communicate with the public on why I am running for city council. I used

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to deliver the Mirror-Reporter when I was a kid, and have always enjoyed reading it.

I am originally from Clear Lake, and went through our fine school system. I graduated from Clear Lake High School with the class of 1983, and was fortunate to be involved in Boy Scouts with Troop 30 during my high school years. With the support of my parents and some excellent leadership in Troop 30 I achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. I went on to attend college at Iowa State University, and graduated with a degree in speech communication. I also have a master’s degree in history from Iowa State University, and have done graduate work at the University of Iowa in Social Foundations of Education. I am currently employed as a full-time instructor in history and political science at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC).

I am running for the Clear Lake City Council because I believe in public service and I have a passion to serve the community that I was very fortunate to grow up in. I also have the ability, judgement and experience to make a positive contribution to our city by serving on the City Council.  I have spent the last year and a half attending  City Council meetings, in order to learn more about how our city government works and to keep abreast of issues that we are dealing with as a community. Another thing that has helped prepare me to serve on our City Council are some of the opportunities I have had to lead in our community. I am currently a trustee for a local drainage district and the vice-president of the Clear Lake Library Trustees Board, and I also serve on the Clear Lake Library Foundation Board. I am the vice-president of the Clear Lake Historical Society, and serve on the College Senate for NIACC. Besides my full-time teaching duties at NIACC, I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to do educational programs for the public through the NIACC Lifelong Learning Institute. I am also an instructor in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Iowa State University and the LIFE program at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minn. Finally, I volunteer with the North Iowa Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

My vision for Clear Lake is rooted in our history. We have always been a great place to visit or vacation because of our lake, but ultimately Clear Lake is a great place to raise a family, because the foundation of our quality of life here is the great people that we have and their commitment to the common good.

Many things contribute to our quality of life in Clear Lake, and we have to stay focused on issues that promote growth in our economy and population to sustain that quality of life. I want to promote economic development that is strategic and sensible and that builds on our competitive advantages in hospitality and tourism that are derived from the great natural resource we have in our lake. In fact, I would suggest that it would be more strategic in Cerro Gordo County and all of North Iowa for Clear Lake to assume more leadership when it comes to cultivating economic development projects that have broader impacts throughout North Iowa. This approach is a kind of hub and spoke model with more leadership coming from Clear Lake at the center, and working with our friends and neighbors in Ventura, Mason City and other small towns and rural parts of the North Iowa area. We live in an increasingly globally competitive environment and we have to recognize our strengths and build on those in order to attract people and businesses to Clear Lake and the North Iowa area, and that will require everyone to work together and not at cross purposes, when it comes to economic development.

Another issue that we should look at in Clear Lake is our downtown urban renewal program that was designed to incentivize business development downtown, in order to keep a vibrant center to our community, and that makes sense to do, but one thing we may want to explore doing is to expand the footprint of the current program beyond just downtown.  As we consider our future economic development plans with the Vision North Iowa process, it would make sense to take a fresh look at how we can assist both current small business owners and recruit new businesses that complement our current mix of employers with a new incentive plan that is more comprehensive than our current one, and takes into account a broader array of variables such as the educational, artistic or historical contributions a project might contribute to our community.  That approach would focus more broadly on community development and not simply on economic development in isolation.

The idea of community development includes important dimensions of our culture such as the spiritual, educational, artistic, historical and recreational opportunities that attract people from all walks of life. These institutions, organizations and attractions create a positive culture in Clear Lake and we should continue to support and expand them. They are complimentary with economic development because people want to live and work in places that minister to their whole person and not simply their material needs, as important as those are. So, we may want to look at a more systematic approach to supporting some of these groups. In the summers in Clear Lake we have a lot of great events and one innovation we could look at is creating a weekend event for non-profits and other groups to get together to promote civic involvement and adult education. In fact, we have some real historical precedent for that kind of idea in Clear Lake. There used to be an adult education movement called the Chautauqua movement that originated in New York in the early part of the twentieth-century that had traveling assemblies all around the country that would bring in national speakers and teachers on various topics as well as musical guests and other entertainment. We even had one right here in Clear Lake, and we could certainly revive that idea.

These are just a few thoughts regarding my ideas for the future of Clear Lake, but in reality, we only move forward when we come together as Clear Lakers and make it our vision, rooted in our mutual commitment to the common good. It has been a privilege for me to run for public office here in my hometown, for the first time, and I would encourage everyone to get out and vote. I would appreciate your support on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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BEN SMITH

My name is Ben Smith, 501 S. 8th St.  I was born in Huntington Beach, Calif., and lived most of my adolescent years all over California and Hawaii.  I eventually settled in Britt, Iowa in 1998 as a junior in high school. I am a 2000 graduate of West Hancock High School. After high school I attended NIACC for a short period of time, but decided I needed to be working instead.

From 2000-2006 I bounced around, living in Cedar Falls,

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Waterloo, and Oroville, Calif. before settling in Wesley, Iowa.  During my time living in Wesley, I served on City Council; first being appointed, then elected as the incumbent. I also served as the Vice-Chair for Kossuth County Waste Management Association. I was a Robot Specialist at IMT in Garner for close to 10 years, prior to becoming the Distribution Supervisor for Coca-Cola Refreshments (now Atlantic Bottling) in 2015.  In 2012, my wife and I decided it was time to get moving, and we moved into our house in Clear Lake, Jan. 1, 2013.  My wife, Jaime, is currently the director of Nursing at Westview Care Center in Britt, where she has worked for the past 15 years. We have four children in the Clear Lake school system, Hannah Rieck, 17, Hunter Rieck, 13, Hayden Rieck,  12, and Bentley Smith, seven-years-old.

When I first moved to Iowa, I was amazed by how nice everyone was and instantly fell in love. I knew after all the places I had been and lived, that this was home.  This was the same feeling I had when we moved to Clear Lake.  This community is, and should be, the model city for Iowa.  The city has been great at bringing in new industry, new construction and tourism; all of which contribute to making this such a great place.

With Clear Lake being such a desired place to live, living here has become a goal for some, but also unattainable to many. One of my main focuses as a Councilman would be to draw in new families.  I know we have programs to help new families that are building new homes, but I am talking about bringing families that are working on their starter home.  They have saved for years and now they have enough for a down payment for their first home. The city currently gives out tax abatements for new construction on homes and businesses, but we as a city need to do something for the residents that are going to be working in these businesses.

As I have been going door to door, another thing that I have heard is “Clear Lake is becoming too expensive to live in, and we have our house paid for.”  This would be another focus. I would like to invest in programs that would help our elderly residents stay in their homes. We have many residents who have paid for their house, lived in it for 40-plus years, and now can’t afford to stay because property taxes are taking 30 to 40 percent of their Social Security check.  As Councilman in Wesley, I know that there were thousands of grants that the City could be applying for that would make it easier to make tax abatements for our elderly and new families, without cutting from the budget.

I think with a new perspective on things, everyone could benefit.  I am not going to promise that I can change the world, but I would like an opportunity to try.  The officials that run this city have done a great job in the past and present.  I would like to be given the opportunity to be one of them.

Regardless of who Clear Lakers are going to elect, whether it be me, Tony Nelson or Bennett Smith,  we need to get out and vote.  Get registered or register on voting day.  The right to vote is one of our greatest.  I think Clear Lake does so good with community involvement, I would love for them to be the model for voter turnout, as well.  Last election, 13 percent of registered voters showed up.  Clear Lake is very capable of doing much better.  I am always available and would like to discuss any issues that citizens may have. Email me at [email protected].

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