Vernon to seek re-election to Cedar Rapids council

CEDAR RAPIDS - Monica Vernon is seeking re-election to the City Council seat in District 2, which covers parts of Cedar Rapids' northeast and southeast quadrants.

Vernon, elected by her council colleagues as mayor pro tem the last two years, is founder and president of Vernon Research Group. She joined the City Council in 2008 after defeating then-council incumbent Sarah Henderson.

“I'm a hard worker and I like to solve problems and work with people, and the City Council is a good place to use those skills and interests,” said Vernon, 53, of 326 23rd St. Dr. SE.

Vernon said she has gained “important knowledge” by serving on the council at the time of the 2008 flood and in the flood's aftermath, which she said can help the city as it continues to recover from the disaster.

“It does make a difference to have that knowledge,” she said. “And I really do believe we have an economic and a disaster recovery we're working on here, and I want to make sure we see them through and continue to move in the right direction.”

Vernon still strongly supports a plan to build a flood-protection system for the city. She said she believes that a grass-roots campaign will convince voters to provide local funding to help pay for such a system.

Vernon said the city also must take care of its streets and sewers.

“The problem goes back decades,” she said.

She also supports neighborhood revitalization and crime prevention and said she long has been a proponent of attracting businesses, employers and jobs to the city.

Vernon has served as chairwoman of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, is a past member and chairwoman of the City Planning Commission and served as president of the Junior League of Cedar Rapids when the group raised funds to build the Madge Phillips Center Shelter for homeless women and children.

Vernon headed the council's ad hoc personnel committee in 2010 and took the lead to persuade Jeff Pomeranz to leave West Des Moines and take Cedar Rapids' city manager job.

Vernon also took the unsuccessful minority position in one of the council's more controversial decisions.

She thought the council should provide incentives to the Physicians' Clinic of Iowa in a way that would have prevented the closure of a portion of Second Avenue SE for the clinic's new medical building.

“I was looking for a way to make it work for everyone,” she said.

Vernon has a bachelor of arts degree and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Iowa. She and her husband, Bill, have three daughters.