Everly Candidate Q&A

WHAT DID WE ASK?

The Sentinel-News sent questionnaires to each candidate in the Nov. 7 election. Questions included:

1. Please provide background information about yourself (i.e. family, career, etc.).

2. Please detail any past experience in local government or other community organizations.

3. Why are you running?

4. Do you have any concerns about your city/school district or issues affecting it?

5. What goals do you have for your city, and how would you go about achieving them?

6. Is there anything you'd like to add?

Tracey Grigg-Schuver, Mayor

1. I have lived in Everly since 1972. My husband is Steve Schuver and parents are Al and Connie Grigg. Employed by Northwest Iowa Surgeons, PC since 2005 and am currently the office manager.

2. Currently serve as city council member.

3. I want to maintain our small town viability as well as enhance the overall needs of our community.

4. City infrastructure is an ongoing concern, thus we need to be active in pursuing grants or other government assistance to provide upgrades on a regular basis.

5. Maintaining businesses and families will continue to be a goal and that goes hand in hand with community beautification and betterment. The city has a number of policies and ordinances in place that need to be enforced and I will seek to enforce those.

6. Supporting the city staff and its many boards, along with growing membership will assist in communication efforts and keeping the community needs at the forefront of future planning. Building and growing leadership is an important issue, which is another reason why I am seeking the position of Mayor as I will further my leadership role and hopefully become the first woman mayor for the City of Everly.

Ron Thompson, Mayor

1. I am married to Janice, my wife of 42 years. We have three kids, all of whom graduated from the CC/E school district. I am the manager of the Bomgaars store in Storm Lake.

2. I was on the city council for 16 years and am the current mayor of Everly.

3. I would like to say there was a need for someone to run for mayor when I decided to run again. It is really good to see all the interest in the open positions and multiple people putting in papers to run for these.

4. We currently need to address our streets. We have a bid on repairs but it's very expensive. We will have to see where we can come up with the money for this.

5. Sell off city lots. Clean up properties in town. Go forward on Main Street sidewalk repairs. Drainage issues on the south side of town.

6. I would just like to thank the current city council for their dedication and time. Also, the people on the all the boards who take time out of their daily lives to make Everly a great community. This is still a great community to live in, raise a family and support each other. You won't find what we have in very many towns.

Denise Cook, City Council

1. My name is Denise Cook. I have lived in Everly since April 1991. I have two sons: Matthew, and his wife, Mandy Nemmers, who live in Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Ryan Nemmers, and his partner, Brandon Hansen, who live in Everly. I'm proud to say both of my sons graduated from Clay Central/Everly High School. I have worked for the Iowa State Education Association for 28 years. I have worked in various offices in other towns, but I am currently able to work from home with my job.

2. I have served on the Everly City Council for almost two years. I have also served in the past on the Hap Ketelsen Community Center Board.

3. I have worked with my current job in Sioux City for years and was not able to serve on any board or the city council. When I was able to work from home, I realized I wanted to be able to be a part of the community, whether that be serving on the city council or a board in the City of Everly.

4. At this point in time, I do not have any specific concerns for the City of Everly.

5. My goal would be to have Everly continue to be a community that people are proud to work and live in! We can do this with the various citizens serving on the boards such as the library, Hap Ketelsen Community Center, gas board and zoning board providing their input on how we can be the best community to live!

6. Thank you for giving me the privilege to represent the citizens of Everly on the city council for the past two years!

Tatum Geerdes, City Council

1. I've been married for 14 years to my wonderful husband, Kelly. We have three children, Wyatt (12), Leo (10) and Emma (6), and have been living in Everly for two years. My husband is originally from Everly and grew up on a farm a few miles outside of town. I work at Iowa Lakes Community College and serve as the Nursing and Healthcare Simulation Manager. I've been a nurse for 18 years and have spent over 12 years working as a nursing professor in undergraduate nursing education.

2. I don't have past experience in local government but I have worked with the public for many years and have served on various committees. Throughout my career I've had to exercise leadership, critical thinking and compassionate understanding. I earned a doctorate degree in Nursing Education and Leadership, which has helped influence my perspective and leadership traits. Serving as a city council member will be a new experience yet I am eager to embrace this opportunity with an open mind and willingness to learn.

3. I feel compelled to make a positive impact on my community and the citizens of Everly. Serving on city council feels like a great way to give back to my community.

4. One of the biggest issues facing the community is the empty school building in the center of town. Accessible daycare options appear to be an ongoing struggle. I believe we also need to consider how to retain residents in our small town. Ongoing discussion and a collaborative approach with council members and city residents will provide direction on how to tackle these issues.

5. A few personal goals that I have include learning more about city government, budget and community concerns. If I get elected I will be an active voice and will strive to find the best solutions concerning city issues that will benefit my town and the citizens of Everly.

6. N/A

Lefty Ginger, City Council

1. I moved to Everly in May of 1969 and got married in November. I married a Moneta girl (LuAnn Struve) and we have two beautiful daughters, Kim and Kelly. Kim, my oldest, has two boys – Trey and Torey. Trey has a boy and a girl; Torey has a boy and two girls. Kelly has a daughter and son.

I moved to Everly to work for Doug Pingel at the Champlin gas station (where the community center is now). I worked there until I got a job working for Stan Meyerdink at the Standard Station. I later went to work for Harms Implement as a parts man in 1973, the same year I joined the fire department. I just retired from serving the department after 50 years. In 1976 I bought out the Standard Station and went on my own.

I also helped as a custodian at the school and drove school buses. I guess I'm a jack-of-all-trades and master of none.

2. I served on the council years ago. I'm also past Commander of the American Legion, fire chief and president of Everly Community Housing Organization.

3. I want to give back to the city for the support they gave me through the years living here.

4. N/A

5. I wish we could keep going as a small community and bring in more young families to town.

6. Everly to me is one of the best little towns in the area. I may be partial, but I love you Everly – you are the greatest.

Tara Patrick, City Council

1. Life partner, Ray Savage. Mother of four grown boys, and grandmother of eight wonderful grandkids. I am the owner of Backroads Biker Leather Shoppe.

2. I have been on city council for 16 years and a volunteer member of Everly Fire & Rescue for the past 25-plus years

3. I am running again because I have had several citizens ask me to run again.

4. I do not currently have any concerns about Everly, or issues affecting it.

5. I would like to see Everly continue to be an excellent community to live in and raise a family in.

6. As a member of council, I have always believed that as an elected official, I am the voice on the council of the citizens that voted me into office. Anytime the council is faced with a big decision that will affect the citizens, I reach out to the citizens asking them how they want me to vote, I do not vote my feelings or opinions, I vote how the majority of the citizens want me to vote.

Joshua Seaman, City Council

1. Joshua Seaman, 51. I have four daughters and two grandchildren.

2. Served a combined 12 years on two different fire departments as well as on a church board in the past.

3. The desire and interest to be involved within the community and to help out where I can.

4. No specific concerns. I hope to see continued interest and involvement of community residents to keep our town growing and headed in the right direction.

5. No specific goals. If elected, I hope to be able to sit down with the rest of the city council members to make sound decisions to continue moving forward with growth within our community and maintain a strong community that continues to attract others to our community to support our town and businesses that we do have.

6. N/A