Restaurant owner Friese says he’ll seek Johnson County Board of Supervisors seat

IOWA CITY - Local restaurant owner Kurt Friese has announced his candidacy for one of the three seats coming up for vote next year on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

Friese, owner of Iowa City's Devotay restaurant, will run in the county Democratic primary election in June 2016, according to a news release.

Friese, 51, said in the release he plans to preserve farmland in the county's North Corridor, increase civility in local government and help the board work better with other elected bodies in the county.

'I want to protect farmland from concrete and encourage local food production,” Friese said in the release.

In addition to almost 20 years with Devotay, Friese also worked with Shelter House to create its food service apprenticeship program and was Director of Local Food and Advocacy at NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids.

With Supervisor Terrence Neuzil's verbal announcement of resignation last week, there is the possibility that a replacement supervisor will be appointed or selected in a special election before the 2016 election. Neuzil has accepted a county administrator position in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Seats belonging to supervisors Rod Sullivan and Pat Harney also will be up for vote next year.

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