Iowa City Council unanimously re-elects Bruce Teague as mayor

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City Council on Tuesday unanimously re-elected Bruce Teague to another two-year term as mayor, and picked incoming council member Megan Alter as mayor pro tem.

Teague and Alter were the only nominees for the positions during the council’s organizational meeting Tuesday morning. Iowa City does not have a direct election for mayor. Instead, council members elect the mayor from current council members during even-numbered years.

Teague, an Iowa City resident since 1993, is the owner and CEO of Caring Hands & More, a home health care company in Iowa City. He was first elected to the council in a special election in 2018.

Council members elected Teague to his first term as mayor in January 2020. Teague was re-elected to the council last November.

Teague said being mayor is a “great honor” and one he doesn’t take for granted.

“As we move forward in the next two years, I realize that there's a lot of learning to be continued in this role as the leader of the city,” Teague said Tuesday.

Teague added how he wants his colleagues to feel comfortable having discussions with him as the new council works together.

“I really believe that as a council in order for us to work, being authentic and transparent is going to be the best way that we can work together,” Teague said. “I really appreciate the opportunity and look forward to the next two years.”

Alter, who is a senior manager at ACT, was elected to her first four-year council term last November.

Alter lives in the South District and has been an Iowa City resident since 1995, when she came to the University of Iowa to finish her doctorate in English literature. She previously taught as a visiting professor in the UI English Department and Sexuality Studies program.

While campaigning, Alter said her priorities are to improve challenges caused by systemic and economic inequities, and increase opportunities for people to enjoy what the city offers.

Alter has brought up child care, the city’s commitment to restructure the police and affordable housing as key issues. Alter previously told The Gazette she is looking forward to being part of the decision-making process for allocating and spending pandemic relief funds.

“We can attack and address some issues in substantial ways instead of just small Band-Aid amounts, which really energizes me, and I’m looking forward to diving into that,” Alter said after election results.

Alter said on Tuesday morning she is grateful for the opportunity to serve as mayor pro tem. She acknowledged there will be a “learning curve” and that she is prepared to ask for help and work with the other council members.

“I think that also what's happened in the past two years is that no matter what kind of onboarding and orientation there is, the work is going to be there and is going to call upon each and every one of us, as well as myself,” Alter said.

Alter said she is appreciative of the work of the council as it has navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice protests and other issues.

“I am new to the role, new to council, but I am not new to the work,” Alter said. “I have forged relationships myself over the past several years that I hope to continue leveraging. I hope to deepen them with you on council and staff, as well as in the community.”

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