Candidate Comparison

My first priority would be to have conversations with the residents and businesses in our community to get a more in-depth understanding of their wants, needs, and challenges and see what I and the Council can do to assist.
Second, is to familiarize myself with the budget. Knowing what expenditures are associated with each line item is important in budget management.
Third, getting the aquatic center project to a solid place where it is ready to be put on the ballot for the residents of Marion to make an informed vote.

As a candidate for City Council, my priorities reflect the needs I hear most from residents and the challenges Marion faces as a growing community.
Support Families and Seniors: I will make Marion the best place to raise a family and to age with dignity by expanding age-friendly services, investing in safe and walkable neighborhoods, and strengthening parks, schools, and childcare. Seniors should never be left behind, and young families should see Marion as a place to stay and grow.
Job Creation and Income Opportunities: I will work to bring high-tech, med-tech, and advanced manufacturing jobs to Marion. This includes preparing site-ready land, offering predictable approvals, and tying city incentives to wages and local hiring. I will also champion paid apprenticeships that connect students, veterans, and career switchers to good jobs here at home.
Responsible Property Tax Management: I will protect core services while driving efficiency in city operations. Growth must pay its fair share, and taxpayers deserve transparency through a clear "Where Your Taxes Go" report each year. My goal is to keep the levy stable and ensure every tax dollar delivers real value.

Marion has seen a great deal of growth in a short period of time, which is exciting! As we look to add to the population it is important that we have the infrastructure to support it. Emergency services, streets, sewer lines and more need to support that growth.

Right now, the biggest issue Marion faces is balancing growth with transparency and trust. We're seeing it in the debate over the new aquatics park; residents, leaders, and staff alike are split on whether now is the time, what features it should have, and how much it should cost. Meanwhile, infrastructure, such as roads and aging facilities, is under pressure, especially in older neighborhoods that have long been overlooked.
The City Council can help by:
Being transparent early and often, publish detailed project plans, precise cost estimates, impact studies, and realistic timelines so people can see what they're being asked to support and why.
Elevating public input as a real decision point, not just a checkbox. Surveys, steering committees, and community forums are all effective when coupled with strong follow-through, allowing people to see their suggestions actually shaping the project.
Prioritizing infrastructure maintenance, especially in established neighborhoods. Patching roads, maintaining stormwater systems, and upgrading parks. These are what keep residents safe and happy now, not just promises for future subdivisions.
We are being strategic about what we ask taxpayers to invest in. Before asking for a referendum or new spending, ensure existing assets are maintained, costs are realistic, and the community clearly understands what they get for their tax dollars.
My job in procurement has trained me to dig into numbers, spot where costs creep up, and make sure every dollar counts. If elected, I'll push for City Hall to lead with clarity and fairness, so that Marion grows not just outward, but upward in trust and value for everyone.

Collaboration with City department heads will be critical. As with any budget, you have to look at areas where spending could be reduced and ask lots of questions. Are there projects that can be delayed? Are there grants or private partnerships to be explored which could assist in achieving a specific objective? Are there contracts that can be renegotiated? A staff reduction, for me, would be the last place I would look to reduce costs. It would be the last resort.

I know budgets are about trade-offs and discipline. If Marion faced cuts, I would protect core services first: public safety, infrastructure, and essential community programs.
Savings should come from inefficiencies, overlapping contracts, and discretionary spending, not from services people rely on every day. I would:
Audit vendor agreements and renegotiate where possible.
Prioritize capital projects that deliver the most significant impact while phasing or delaying lower-priority amenities.
Look closely at administrative overlap, overtime costs, and non-essential enhancements before touching frontline services.
I also insist on transparency: residents deserve to see exactly what each cut means for their neighborhood. My goal is simple: to preserve what matters, cut what we can, and keep Marion financially strong without leaving any neighborhood behind.

In the five years I have served on the City of Marion Planning and Zoning Commission, housing for all sizes and income levels has been an ongoing topic of conversation. Community input needs to be part of the process. Listening to residents and transparency in planning ensures growth reflects Marion’s character while addressing affordability and access. My approach would be the same as I’ve taken the last five years: manage growth by balancing responsible development with long-term sustainability.

The City Council's role is to ensure Marion offers a range of housing options, including starter homes, senior-friendly units, affordable rentals, and new developments like "missing middle" housing, so people at every stage of life can live here.
Cities of our size across the U.S. are expanding housing supply by:
Allowing missing middle housing, duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and small multi-units within existing neighborhoods to fill the gap between single-family homes and large apartment complexes.
Streamlining approvals for mixed-income projects and reducing costly delays.
Requiring developers to include affordable units in exchange for density bonuses or faster approvals.
Leveraging federal and state resources, including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME funds, and state housing trust funds, to help rehab older homes, assist first-time buyers, and keep infrastructure costs down in new developments.
If elected, I would push Marion to:
Adopt zoning reforms that allow missing middle housing and expand the range of choices for working families, seniors, and young professionals.
Pair new development with reinvestment in older neighborhoods, using CDBG and other grants to preserve affordability and prevent displacement.
Require fairness from developers, ensuring growth pays its share of infrastructure while also delivering affordable units.
Make the process transparent and efficient, so residents know where projects are happening, what they cost, and how they improve housing supply.
My goal is straightforward: grow Marion's housing supply, protect affordability, and make sure every neighborhood, new and old, benefits from our city's growth.

Marion has seen significant population growth in the last ten years and that has happened because of the intentional focus on quality of life. Projects like Lowe Park, Prospect Meadows, the Library and Central Park Plaza create spaces that all can enjoy. As a City Council member, it is my role to listen to the community and see what they want and need to support a healthy quality of life, see what fits into Marion’s long-term plan and identify gaps that may need to be filled.

The city's role is to create the conditions where people actively choose Marion because it is safe, affordable, and full of opportunity. Growth happens when a city invests in quality of life and economic strength.
If elected, I would focus on three priorities. First, strengthen neighborhoods by investing in parks, trails, schools, childcare, and reliable infrastructure so all areas of Marion remain attractive. Second, drive economic opportunity by partnering with tech, advanced manufacturing, and med-tech employers, while launching "Marion Works" to connect incentives to wages, local hiring, and apprenticeships. Third, support smart growth by expanding housing choices, including missing middle and senior-friendly options, while using grants and targeted investment to revitalize older neighborhoods.
Population growth should not mean unchecked sprawl. It should build Marion's tax base, revitalize existing neighborhoods, and create a city where people want to stay for the long term.

My approach and ideas would be shaped by what the data says. Of course, numbers tell only part of the story and collaboration with leaders of communities throughout the county is critical. Because conversations have already started, I would review what has been proposed, what the pros and cons of each solution look like, and join the conversations armed with as much information as possible.

The landfill issue is one of the most serious long-term challenges Marion and Linn County face. With capacity projected to run out by 2036, we need to act now with a regional plan that is both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.
If elected, I would push for:
Regional Collaboration: Marion cannot solve this alone. I would support a stronger Linn County and multi-city partnership to ensure that infrastructure, costs, and solutions are shared fairly.
Waste-to-Energy and Gas Capture: Other cities our size, like Spokane, Washington, and Pinellas County, Florida, have built waste-to-energy facilities that reduce landfill volume and produce renewable power. At a minimum, we should study whether capturing landfill gas for energy is viable here.
Expanded Recycling and Composting: Cities such as San Jose and Manchester, Connecticut, are cutting landfill use by expanding curbside recycling, food waste collection, and regional composting programs. Marion should build out similar diversion programs and pursue grants to fund them.
Grants and External Funding: Federal and state resources, including EPA recycling initiatives and energy grants, can help reduce local costs.
Transparency and Public Input: Any solution will affect rates and neighborhoods. I would insist on public forums, precise cost estimates, and impact studies so residents understand the trade-offs and see the long-term benefits.
This is not just a Marion problem; it is a regional problem. By planning early and looking at what other communities are already doing successfully, we can protect taxpayers, extend landfill life, and move toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

The aquatic center project is the largest and most expensive project the City has done. When surveyed, the community had 55% positive response to the project, which is not an overwhelming and confident “yes”. Having listened to the conversation during City Council working sessions, it is clear that more needs to be explored. The aquatic center will be busy, but for only a few months out of the year. What can be done to create a facility that can be used year-round? Are there partnerships that would allow for a lower cost to taxpayers? What else can be done on that land to create a destination space? With a project of this size, every avenue should be explored, and I don’t think it’s quite there yet.

I do not support the proposed water park project as it stands. The cost is too high, the operating season is too short in Iowa, and the long-term financial risk to taxpayers is unacceptable. Marion needs aquatic facilities, but not at this scale or cost.
Other cities show us the risks. Independence, Missouri, a larger city, recently shut down its water park after years of financial losses and mounting repair costs. Larger water parks often promise significant returns but end up draining city budgets with high staffing, utility bills, and constant maintenance. Even well-managed facilities struggle when weather limits the usable season to a few short months.
If elected, I would advocate for a different approach:
Build smaller neighborhood pools and aquatic centers that are affordable to operate, accessible to families, and spread across Marion so more residents can benefit.
Explore private partnerships for larger attractions. If a water park is truly desired, private investors should bear that risk, not taxpayers.
Insist on transparency in cost estimates, operating budgets, and long-term maintenance plans. Taxpayers deserve a clear picture of the financial reality, not just optimistic projections.
Prioritize essentials first. Marion should focus on safe, modest pools and splash pads before committing to slides, lazy rivers, or water park-style amenities.
Aquatic facilities should serve the community, not burden it. My position is simple: we need practical, cost-responsible pools that meet residents' needs, not an oversized project that could become a drain on Marion's budget for decades.