You can see the claims from the original claim sheet broken out in the table below. I've also posted links to the source documents so you can read what was voted on. This table clearly shows how my "Voting 14 out of 15 times" isn't true. And don't just take my word for it -- review the evidence for yourself.
| # | Date | The Claim | The Reality |
| 1 | 1/02/18 | "Civil Sevice List for PSO's approved." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as they would be supporting, not replacing, traditional firefighters. The claim that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 2 | 1/15/18 | "CIP approved, including the Public Safety Building." | Any votes related to the construction of the new Public Safety Building are separate from the PSO Model itself. The claim that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model is FALSE. |
| 3 | 2/05/18 | "FY19 Budget presented at Committee highlighting 5 additional PSO's." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 4 | 2/05/18 | "Public Safety Services Update presented at Committee." | No council vote was taken at this committee presentation on Public Safety Services. I'll note that I brought up numerous concerns during this presentation. The claim that this is a vote in favor of the PSO Model is FALSE. |
| 5 | 2/05/18 | "3 new PSO's hired and 1 police employee reclassified to PSO position." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The claim that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 6 | 2/19/18 | "FY19 Budget approved, including funding for 28 public safety officers." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The claim that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 7 | 2/19/18 | "2/5/18 Committee adopting - FY19 Budget & PSO Update." | This resolution was to receive and fil the minutes of the 2/5/18 Committee of the Whole presentation. The resolution simply entered the minutes into the record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at the meeting, not an endorsement or vote on the presentations themselves. The claim that this was a vote in favor of the PSO Model is FALSE. |
| 8 | 2/19/18 | "8 police employees reclassified as PSOs." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 9 | 3/5/18 | "1 police employee reclassified to PSO." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 10a | 4/02/18 | "Civil Service list for PSO's." | I had no objection to the city hiring Public Safety Officers, as I had been told by the Public Safety Director that the PSOs would support, not replace, traditional firefighters. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is grossly misleading. |
| 10b | 4/02/18 | "New Public Safety Building approved." | This vote was to approve soil testing services for the public safety building construction site -- it was not an approval of the building. And it was not related to the PSO Model itself. The claim that this was a vote in favor of the PSO Model is FALSE. |
| 11 | 5/07/18 | "FY19 Council Goals adopted. Included increasing number of PSO's to improve services and reduce overtime costs, and included completing the construction of the public safety building in FY19" | I agreed with the vast majority of the provisions in the council goals for 2018. By consensus (and not an actual vote) the Council desired to move ahead with its vague direction to "aggressively expand the PSO Model". I was the lone dissenter on that line item, but I believe that voting down the overall Council Goals for one item would have been irresponsible policymaking. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is misleading. |
| 12 | 10/15/18 | "MOU w/ Teamsters relative to earning compensatory time." | This resolution allowed police training officers to receive up to 96 compensatory hours for training new officers. This police training would've had to occur whether or not the trainees were police officers or public safety officers. Therefore, the claim that this was a vote in favor of the current PSO Model is FALSE. |
| 13 | 12/17/18 | "Adopting FY20 City Council Goals and Objectives" | Just as with the 5/2/18 vote, I agreed with the majority of the provisions in the Council Goals for 2019. By consensus (and not an actual vote) the Council desired to move ahead with its vague direction to "aggressively expand the PSO Model". Again, I believe that would have been irresponsible policymaking to vote against the whole, due to one item that I had already been greatly out-voted on. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is misleading. |
| 14 | 3/23/19 | "Approving CF Police Teamsters unanimous vote to allow Public Safety personnel a 24-hour shift." | As the claim sheet notes, I voted against this resolution; it allowed the direct replacement of firefighting personnel with Public Safety Officers in the fire division in 24-hour shifts. I also believed the "special meeting" itself was improper because there was no urgency to the decision, which could have waited until our regular evening meeting just a few days later. As it was, the public was precluded from easily attending the meeting, which is an important aspect of the Iowa Open Meetings Law. |
| 15 | 5/6/19 | "Public Hearing on annual budget amendments assisting the Public Safety Division." | These amendments provided for overtime costs, safety equipment, training, and other operationally necessary gear -- not for the replacement of firefighters with PSO's. I won't compromise the proper equipping and safety of the City's first responders for political purposes. The implication that this is a vote in favor of the PSO model as it stands today is misleading. |
What the Claims Didn't Include...
The claims didn’t include my referral and vote to create a Public Safety Strategic Plan, to clearly explain the overall goals and objectives of our public safety department, and the actions needed to accomplish them, for council approval. Everyone else on the council voted against my request for a plan. That's one vote against the current model.
The claims didn't include my voting against eliminating firefighter positions in 2018. That's another of my votes against the current model.
The claims didn't include my objections to the vague "PSO Model" council directives in the 2018 and 2019 Goal Setting work sessions...and my opposition to their inclusion in the Goal Setting document. That's a third and fourth vote against the current model.
My Pledge to the Residents of Cedar Falls
As Mayor of Cedar Falls, I pledge to always think critically and objectively in my daily work; to carry out my responsibilities with candor, integrity, respect, and empathy for the residents who are impacted by my decisions and actions; to demonstrate resolve when needed, humility and acceptance of correction when I fall short; and to seek out and apply the truth (even unpleasant truths) to continuously improve city government.
These qualities are what you deserve as citizens -- they’re what you should expect from your elected officials at ALL levels of government.
I hope to earn your vote for Mayor on November 5th.