116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Coralville City Council candidates share their top priorities
Mayor, three council seats draw 10 candidates up for election in November
Oct. 21, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Oct. 21, 2025 7:33 am
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CORALVILLE — Coralville voters will elect three council members and a new mayor this November after Mayor Meghann Foster announced she would not seek re-election.
Voters in the Johnson County city also will be asked to consider a 1 percent local-option sales tax that, if adopted by voters, would support a new recreation center.
The Coralville City Council is made up of five at-large council members and a non-voting mayor. Council members serve staggered four-year terms, and the mayor serves a two-year term.
Vying for those seats are two mayoral candidates and eight city council candidates.
With Election Day approaching on Nov. 4, The Gazette asked candidates to complete a questionnaire about their priorities if elected. Read the full candidate answers online at thegazette.com/2025-city-council-candidates.
Here’s what the candidates had to say about the top issues facing Coralville today.
Mayoral candidates
Current council member Laurie Goodrich, who has served on the council since 2014, said she’ll use her experience in local government to continue to push forward meaningful initiatives that improve the lives of residents.
“Looking ahead, I believe some of our greatest challenges will come from decisions made at the federal and state levels. Because every city is unique, one-size-fits-all laws can create difficulties for us at the local level. Issues like property taxes, implementation of tax increment financing, workforce housing, tax credits, and even regulations on sidewalks and fireworks all have a direct impact on Coralville’s future,” wrote Goodrich.
Goodrich went on to say that she’d work with lobbyists and city staff to address challenges the city may face.
Goodrich will face off against Ryan Swenka, a software trainer who is running in this first mayoral campaign.
Swenka identified Coralville’s direct debt, which is over $320 million, as the top issue facing the city. Cities have the ability to issue debt for capital projects and other city operations. The debt is typically repaid over the course of years, with an identified repayment source.
The majority of Coralville’s debt was acquired through large city undertakings such as the Iowa River Landing and Xtream Arena project.
“I believe that the mayor and city council should look toward smaller, more incremental projects and maintenance of our current services as we tackle this debt. Large projects that are a big risk is part of why we have such a large amount of debt per capita. I would urge the council to identify smaller projects that can be completed across our city, ensuring that our current structures and services are maintained. Large projects can also be important, but need to be very carefully considered,” wrote Swenka.
City Council Candidates
Candidate Katie Freeman, a self-employed designer, has emphasized that any challenge Coralville may face needs should be met with creative and proactive solutions.
“The top issue facing Coralville today is a growing shortage of resources to meet our community’s basic needs. Rising costs are already making it difficult for many families to put food on the table, and recent state and federal cuts — such as reductions to Medicaid and changes in CDC guidance — are straining access to affordable, safe health care. At the same time, other vital funding streams that support residents are being reduced or eliminated, leaving local governments to fill larger gaps with fewer tools,” wrote Freeman.
Freeman went on to say that the city should work with regional partners, such as other municipalities and nonprofits, to prioritize residents most affected.
Deb Gill, a retired financial analyst, said the top issue facing Coralville is the passage of the 1 percent local-option sales tax. If passed, a portion of the revenue from the tax will support a new recreation center that will be used by Coralville residents and Iowa City Community School District students.
“The council will help educate the residents of Coralville through public meetings, city publications such as the Coralville Connection on the benefits of the local-option sales tax. The council can also support the Convention and Visitors Bureau which brings in various events that create millions of dollars in spending here by the attendees,” wrote Gill.
Kathy Hotsenpiller, who is an optometrist, said her top priority would be addressing water quality issues. In addition, she’d like to explore ways to address affordable housing concerns and improve the relationship between residents and law enforcement.
“Coralville's water quality is a common concern I hear from residents. Minerals in the water cause the water to be hard, which leaves deposits on water faucets, sinks, and shower heads. Water softeners can help remove these minerals, but the soft water can damage hot water heaters. In the most recent budget, the water rate increased to finance future water system improvements. Although it is likely to be expensive, I think coming up with a solution to fix the water quality would benefit all residents,” wrote Hotsenpiller.
Coralville’s drinking water met all EPA standards in its report earlier this year. However, some residents have voiced concerns over minerals in the city’s water supply.
Incumbent council candidate Hai Hyunh did not respond to The Gazette’s questionnaire.
Council Member Mike Knudson is seeking re-election, having served on the council since 2022. Knudson in his campaign has put an emphasis on financially sustainable initiatives, while improving quality of life amenities.
“The city continues to face fiscal challenges both based on our debt and on state level policies which penalize growth and make maintaining a balanced budget very challenging. The city council plays a key role in working with staff to address budgetary challenges and setting priorities for the city,” wrote Knudson.
State legislation has limited the amount of taxable valuation growth the city has been able to capture. In the past, Coralville has exceeded the amount of growth a city could capture which city staff have said has resulted in problematic budget situations.
Analytical chemist R. Marshall Pope would like to implement more budget transparency and improved fiscal responsibility.
Pope pointed to the city’s recent adoption of license plate reader cameras, which resulted in hours of public comment from residents over concerns about resident privacy and lack of transparency about the purchase of such technology.
“Any NEW program, technology, or policy should be explicitly identified and discussed before the budget vote, not buried in departmental lists. Second, implement Stage Gate methodology for major projects. Clear checkpoints requiring demonstrated success before proceeding ensures accountability and prevents the ‘we already committed the money’ problem,” wrote Pope.
Pope would also like to establish additional public dashboards that encourage government transparency by showing exactly how taxpayer dollars are being spent.
Derick Schroeder, an area Realtor, also noted hard water as a top priority. Beyond that, Schroeder has said collaboration and compromise should be at the forefront of addressing any city issue.
“If elected, my top priority is to find a solution to fix our hard water issues for the City of Coralville. As a Realtor, I've seen this become a difficult situation for residents of Coralville … I believe our top issue is our water quality and it'll continue to cost each resident more money and potential damage to their homes over time, until we figure out how to fix it,” wrote Schroeder.
Jennifer Struthers, a retired attorney, also sees fiscal responsibility as a priority while working to improve quality of life amenities such as trails and the library.
“For any growing city, the top issue is creating balance in all areas. For example, we need to be pro-development without unnecessarily disrupting neighborhoods or being financially irresponsible. We need to provide a safe environment without infringing on individuals’ rights. To achieve this balance, it is imperative that we really listen to residents, businesses, and surrounding communities, while at the same time objectively focusing on the details. Projections of cost, usage, and benefits to the city must be critically examined for every project,” wrote Struthers.
Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com
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