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Mayoral Farewell Address (01/04/24) Elected service has truly been the honor of a lifetime. Coming into government in January 2018 as an at-large city councilor, I couldn’t have imagined that six years later I’d... Read More |
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Traits to consider in candidates for local office (10/31/23) As we approach the November 7th city election in Cedar Falls, it's essential to prepare for an informed vote. With various sources of information at our disposal, voters need to make... Read More |
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Will we have a No Mow May 2023? (02/03/23) Last year the City Council and I agreed to a request some local pollinator advocates to allow for a "No Mow May" in Cedar Falls. It's a growing trend to not mow yards for... Read More |
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I was wrong about part-time mayor (sort of) (01/23/23) During my successful City Council At-Large campaign in 2017, I listened in on the ongoing debate about shifting the Mayor position from full-time to part-time. The shift made sense to me... Read More |
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Why a Saturday Trick-or-Treat this year? (11/01/22) I love civics. This season of my life as Mayor of Cedar Falls has been the most interesting and challenging of my life, and it's due to civic questions big and small. ... Read More |
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Why I don’t endorse political candidates as Mayor (10/15/22) It’s federal, state, and county campaign season once again! I’ve been asked by several candidates for my endorsement, but (while I do follow what happens at those levels) I’m... Read More |
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Why I'd Veto Changes to Planning & Zoning (09/26/22) Neighbors, one of my key roles as Mayor is to engage with the City Council on the direction of the city, and to facilitate their deliberations during meetings in order to obtain the... Read More |
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A Humble Proposal for a Halloweek (05/12/22) As mayor I get to work on really weighty, tough topics -- but also fun things, too. We're five months away from Halloween, but as a parent I have a proposal that I hope you'll... Read More |
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Why I Support a 'Limited Window' for Fireworks Use in Cedar Falls (04/30/22) "Consumer fireworks" has been a challenging topic in cities across Iowa for five years now. Proponents claim it as a near-sacred civic right and duty to celebrate Independence Day... Read More |
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Thoughts on the PSD Selection Process (03/12/22) Yesterday saw two new “Actings” designated in Public Safety; Craig Berte will be the Acting Public Safety Director and Mark Howard will serve as the Acting Police Chief while... Read More |
Annotated Agendas
The weekend before every council meeting, I post the meeting agenda and note questions and resources available. I find this exercise very helpful for ensuring I understand what's in the packet. Sometimes other people read them, too!