Matt Pflug says there are several reasons he entered the race for the District 5 seat on the Lee County Board of Supervisors.
He says, for starters, he truly enjoys county politics and serving the people.
“With four years of experience, I feel I have a pretty good handle on what the department heads need and what the different things are that go on within the county structure. So overall, I just enjoy the people and working in the county.”
Pflug says his other reason for entering the race was the decision by the current members of the Lee County Board of Supervisors to consolidate the offices of the County Assessor, Recorder, Treasurer and Auditor.
He says by not offering the services of the treasurer’s office in Keokuk, the supervisors are not providing essential services to all citizens.
Pflug says the office in Fort Madison can remain open 5 days/week, as long as there is a branch office open at least 2 days/week in Keokuk.
“Even if that was Thursday & Friday or Wednesday & Friday, as long as the people knew the schedule,” says Pflug. “They could still take their drivers test down (in Keokuk) and kids trying to get their driver’s license could take their test (in Keokuk).”
Pflug says offering services in both locations is the price of doing business. He also questions the current board’s claim that the consolidation has saved the county several hundred thousand dollars in the last year.
Pflug served on the Lee County Board of Supervisors from 2000-2004.
He says he would like to see the current board follow the lead of his board by meeting in both Keokuk and Fort Madison, as opposed to the jail and conduct a more thorough, line-by-line review of the budget before it is approved in March.
The former supervisor opposes the plan to spend about $450,000 to add about two-dozen beds to the Lee County Jail. He says it is not over safety, but rather the fact that the money to pay for the work is nowhere to be found.
Pflug says that is an example of fiscal irresponsibility, adding that “the board should not have voted on (the expansion). That should have been deferred to the new board. You don’t obligate a new board to money of that size.”
He says he would push for a re-vote on the expansion if elected.
Pflug defeated current Chairperson Janet Fife-LaFrenz during the June Primary.
District 5 basically forms a triangle on a map, stretching from Keokuk’s Main Street to the northern city limits to the Mississippi River. There are also a few blocks near the River City Mall that are included.
