Avoid placeholder for next Linn County supervisor

There are few things more consequential to democracy than how we select our leaders. When a public servant steps down, it's a moment to reaffirm public trust through transparency and accountability.

Linn County has an opportunity to select its next supervisor, but the committee of county officers — newly elected Auditor Todd Taylor, County Recorder Carolyn Siebrecht, and County Treasurer Brent Oleson, who previously served as a supervisor for 12 years — seems to have reached a decision before the process began. As a former elected Supervisor, I was informed of this plan as a courtesy.

I've been told the committee’s choice is politically non-controversial, largely because that person’s decades of government experience were administrative, meaning they never had to grapple with the kinds of difficult decisions that upset voters. They are the quintessential safe choice, unlikely to pursue bold change. But this is precisely the problem — supervisors are responsible for addressing some of the most pressing human service challenges in our community: mental health, homelessness, public health, and emergency response. Leadership in these areas demands vision and a willingness to make hard choices, not passive caretaking.

For 16 years, Ben Rogers has led with bold vision and collaboration, tackling the county’s toughest challenges head-on. The Mental Health Access Center wasn’t built by a placeholder. It was built by someone willing to take risks and push for progress. That is the kind of leadership Linn County deserves.

Yet, his presumed replacement is stepping out of retirement to keep the seat warm for 18 months, avoiding tough decisions and preserving the status quo. That hardly qualifies as public service.

Brent Oleson, a former supervisor of 12 years, knows the role well. To his credit, he wants someone engaged, not a placeholder. The committee should heed Brent’s advice by selecting a candidate with vision and energy — someone ready to make tough decisions, not just maintain the status quo.

Now, I’m told this pick has nothing to do with them once being a committee member’s boss — something I’m almost inclined to believe. Rather, the reasoning is to spare the committee of county officers from making a difficult decision in public and to avoid selecting someone who might offend the delicate sensibilities of the Cedar Rapids City Council, because apparently, that matters.

But here’s the real issue: the selection committee assured the public that this would be a fair and open process and that the best applicant would be chosen. They justified bypassing a special election by promising to select the most qualified candidate, saving taxpayers money. Picking a placeholder behind closed doors is not only a disservice to the public, it's dishonest. The public was asked to trust the committee's commitment to conduct a rigorous, merit-based selection. But it seems the public’s trust was misplaced.

Closed-door decisions serve no one. The public is harmed because their role in shaping local governance is treated as an inconvenience rather than a civic responsibility. The candidate, whether they recognize it or not, is harmed because their legitimacy will forever be in question. And the selection committee made up of elected leaders entrusted to uphold democratic principles, has undermined the very values they were meant to protect.

With trust in government already fragile, this process could have been a model for principled democracy. Instead, it’s politics as usual.

While not everyone agreed with my decisions in office, they knew I was a straight shooter. And I know that Linn County residents value fairness and honesty. That old notion of doing what you say you're gonna do, otherwise known as integrity, should not be up for debate.

Linn County residents must demand transparency, reject political placeholders, and insist on a rigorous selection process that truly serves the public interest. May the best applicant prevail.

Stacey Walker is a former Linn County Supervisor.