Keokuk, IA – Keokuk's city government will have a whole new look after the first of the year.
The city council could have as many as five new members and the city will have a new mayor. Five candidates are looking to be Keokuk's CEO, but not the man currently holding the post.
It's been years since Dave Gudgel's name was not on the ballot for mayor in Keokuk. He announced in August that eight years in office was long enough and that he would not seek re-election.
Five candidates have stepped up to replace him. They are Chuck Betts, Gordon Blankenship, Per Malm, Carol Mardis, and Tom Marion.
Chuck Betts is the former director of S-C-C's Center for Business. He decided to run for mayor after being encouraged to do so by a number of residents and because of his life-long connection to his hometown.
"I have management background for the last 25 years at various levels with various organizations," says Betts, "for profit and not for profit, union and non union. I have managed multi-million dollar budgets. I think the management aspect of the mayor's job is an important aspect that you can't overlook."
Gordon Blankenship is a small business owner in the automotive field. He is no stranger to city elections.
Blankenship received 34% of the vote in the 2005 mayoral race (won 2 of 7 wards). He garnered 16% in the same race in 2007.
Blankenship says he has all the qualifications to run. He specifically cites a background in construction, maintenance, and common sense.
"Sometimes I would not trade all the formal education for a lot of common sense," says Blankenship, "It hurts a little bit cause too many people look down at other people but I know a little bit about everything that goes on in the city and in each department."
Per Malm did not respond to repeated requests for an interview for this story.
Carol Mardis is an educator and an attorney who says community service is her passion. She says her goal is to unite Keokuk, ward by ward.
Mardis says her background in city planning, volunteerism, and management prepares her to hit the ground running as the next mayor of Keokuk.
"It's not one (a job) where you can wait and see," says Mardis, "It's not one where you can learn the position as you go. It is a job that you have to come in with some direct skills and direct thoughts and it is a matter of making contact with the people before you get into office. I have done that and I am ready to take office day one."
Tom Marion has the most city government experience, but not in an elected position. He has served as city attorney for Keokuk for the last 31 years.
Marion says that experience and his desire to help Keokuk succeed prompted him to run.
"I thought it was an appropriate time," says Marion, "with my background and with my involvement in intimate decisions for 31 years. That is why I decided to run for mayor."
While there are many issues facing the city of Keokuk, two seem to stand out above the rest: jobs and infrastructure.
Marion says he would push for the use of enterprise zones and TIF districts to create and retain jobs and businesses. He says improving Keokuk's infrastructure must be a priority in upcoming budgets.
"I think it is essential that if we don't improve," says Marion, "we are not going to get any better as a city. We are not going to get businesses. I think that there are other ways to save money and try to focus that (money) on the streets and infrastructure."
Carol Mardis says she would seek out potential investors from across Iowa and around the Midwest and encourage them to put their money into business opportunities in Keokuk. She says she would also develop a long-range capital improvement plan for the city.
"This particular plan would allow us an opportunity to project into our future," says Mardis, "the dollars needed to take on some projects. I would also do a street plan, more than just a project plan, laying out our entire infrastructure so we know ahead of time what we want to do and how to do it."
Gordon Blankenship says he would continue the multi-year, multi-million dollar street reconstruction project. He says, when it comes to job creation and retention, he would approach every preacher in Keokuk and ask them and their congregations to pray for the city.
"God has answered prayers all through the bible," says Blankenship, "and I still think he does today. If we pray and let him know, maybe he will send the opportunities and place an idea in someone's mind."
Chuck Betts says he would also continue the streets program. He says, in terms of job growth, Keokuk should alter its strategy a bit and put more of a focus on small businesses.
"Not give up on the large ones," says Betts, "cause certainly if they come to see us, we will talk to them and sell hard. But let's put a little more focus on a smaller type of industry and move toward that kind of base, instead of focusing all of our energy on a large business."
The list of issues facing the next mayor of Keokuk goes beyond jobs and infrastructure. It includes the future of the Keokuk-Hamilton railroad bridge, the downtown traffic signals, and the potential hiring of a new city administrator, just to name a few.
Chuck Betts, Gordon Blankenship, Per Malm, Carol Mardis, and Tom Marion all want the opportunity to address those issues and make Keokuk's the best place it can be.