Iowa’s municipal elections are non-partisan, so it will be hard for either party to claim victory. But after years of Democratic dominance of election night, an evening where most high-profile races saw incumbents roundly rebuked is being celebrated in Republican circles, even for races where it was Democrats doing the ousting.

Ron Corbett, who was elected last night as Cedar Rapids Mayor.

In Cedar Rapids, former Republican House Speaker Ron Corbett defeated City Councilman Brian Fagan to become the city’s mayor. While there was technically no incumbent in the race, Corbett ran a distinctly anti-incumbency campaign, focusing on the current city council’s “culture of delay.”

Indianola voters ousted Mayor Jack Kelley, who has led the suburb on Des Moines’ south side since 1995. Kelley came in third in a three-way race, with Kenan Bresnan, a Democrat, emerging victorious.

The long-time mayor of Pleasant Hill, Phil Hildebrand, a Democrat, also came in third place in a three-way contest, ending his 17-year tenure.

Norwalk voters overwhelmingly chose Doug Pierce over incumbent Mayor Pat Wahl. Pierce received more votes than his two competitors combined.

In Des Moines, 20-year incumbent councilman Tom Vlassis barely edged 23-year old Halley Griess, but not by enough to avoid a runoff Dec. 1.

Waukee incumbent Mayor Bill Peard managed to squeak out a victory against city councilman and Republican Central Committee member Isaiah McGee.

The Iowa Secretary of State released updated voter registration figures Tuesday as well. The figures showed Democrats continue to outnumber Republicans by more than 100,000 voters.

Josh Thurston

Roughly 25 people observed as six of 22 possible Republican delegates from Iowa House District 33 decided between three potential candidates: Ken Childress, John King and Josh Thurston. After each candidate was provided five minutes to make his case, delegates cast their vote and Thurston was the clear winner.

According to Tim Palmer, chairman of the Linn County Republican Central Committee, the sparse delegate attendance for the convention was a combination of currently vacant seats and seated individuals who were unable to attend.

Thurston, who had been encouraged to run for the position by key people within the Linn County Party, is a native Iowan, military veteran, union member and only recently changed his political party affiliation to Republican.

“I’ve given a lot of thought to [pursuing this candidacy],” Thurston told those at the special convention.

“I don’t believe that I’m special in any way. I’ve never thought of entering politics, because I believe there are people who are called to that. Until recently, I didn’t believe that was me. Today, I stand before you as a voice wanting to be heard.”

While his opponents made cases on how they could garner votes on the Nov. 24 ballot due to name recognition and long-held stances on conservative issues and values, Thurston focused on what he wished to accomplish after being elected.

“I want this to be a place where I can raise my family,” Thurston said, raising his voice slightly to be heard above the chatter of his two young children at the back of the room. “I want this to be a place that has jobs — that people come to Iowa to look for jobs, not leave Iowa to look for jobs. I believe in the American dream. I’m living that dream — my wife and my family are all here to support me.”

Thurston, who has worked 18 months for Cargill, is a member of Teamsters Local 238. As a member of the U.S. Army, he was deployed to Iraq as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2004 to April 2005.

Following the meeting, Thurston was visibly stunned and humbled by the news that he was now the candidate for House District 33.

“I’m excited about the chance that I’m going to have to make a difference for people in Iowa in Cedar Rapids and the other surrounding communities. I’m excited about tonight — I’m still sort of awe-struck, I guess you could say, but I’m definitely excited. I look forward to working hard for Iowans who work hard for themselves,” he said.

Thurston will face Democratic candidate Kirsten Running-Marquardt on the Nov. 24 special ballot. According to the state and county election officials, no other nominating papers have yet been filed by non-party or third-party candidates. The deadline is 5 p.m. today.

The special election in Iowa House District 33 was called by Gov. Chet Culver after former Rep. Dick Taylor, a Democrat who had represented the District since a special election in 2000, announced his retirement earlier this month.

The convention, which was set by Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan following consultation with the Democratic State Central Committee, will take place 10 minutes following adjournment of the regular monthly meeting of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee, a body of precinct representatives primarily elected during the caucus process. The District, which is comprised of 11 precincts (Cedar Rapids 1 through 11), would ideally be filled by 22 representatives, or two from each precinct. According to information on the Linn County Democrats’ Web site, nine of those seats are vacant.

The current voting membership of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee will decide at their meeting if such vacant seats will be filled, and by whom, prior to the start of the nominating convention. Any new members seated to vacant slots on the committee will have full voting rights for the convention.

The executive board of the Linn County Democrats, according to a letter made public on their Web site, petitioned Kiernan and the Iowa Democratic Party to set the nominating convention prior to the regular monthly meeting. Such a move would have ensured that those voting in the nominating convention would be the individuals already elected and serving in the 11 Cedar Rapids precincts represented by House District 33.

…From our perspective, holding the Convention before the October Central Committee meeting would be a superior time line. All votes would be cast by current Central Committee members, who through their past attendance and work, have show a commitment to the Linn County Democrats. Our proposed time line would be ultimately fair to each of the candidates who will have equal opportunity to solicit the endorsement of the current Central Committee members. Moreover, Linn County would be spared the divisiveness and disruption that these events may promote…

Following a telephone meeting of the State Central Committee for guidance, Kiernan cited the need both for local parties to be as inclusive as possible and for county parties to be able to continue to govern themselves.

“As for the issue of filling vacant central committee seats, I will leave this matter to the Linn County Democratic Central Committee to decide in accordance with Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Iowa Democratic Party and Article I of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee By-Laws. The process to fill or not to fill the seats is the sole responsibility of the Linn County Democratic Central Committee as both documents clearly outline,” wrote Kiernan in a letter to Diane Hoffman, chairwoman of the Linn County Democrats, and Pat Murphy, Speaker of the Iowa House.

Two individuals have signaled their intention to run for the nomination by the Democratic Party. Norm Sterzenbach, Sr., 63, a military veteran who has been a steady presence in county politics for years and currently serves as the county Democrats’ second vice chairman, and Kirsten Running-Marquard, 32, who works in U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack’s office and is the daughter of former state Rep. Rich Running, are both expected to be nominated as candidates. The group will also entertain nominations from the floor.

The special election for the Iowa House seat will be the second in the state this year. In the previous special election, in House District 90, Democrat Curt Hanson bested Republican Stephen Burgmeier by a handful of votes. In that race, conservative special interest groups attempted to make same-sex marriage an issue. Because of the voter demographics of House District 33, the Democratic nominee will have a strong chance of winning the seat, which means conservative interest groups may take a less active role in the campaign.

One key factor in deciding the Democratic nomination will be support from labor unions. Sterzenbach is a former business manager with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and is known for his strong ties to labor. His son is executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party. Running-Marquard also has support from other key union members.

The vacancy in the state legislature occurred earlier this month when Rep. Dick Taylor, a Democrat who has represented the area since a special election in 2000, announced his retirement. The monthly meeting and the nominating convention will be held at the Best Western Longbranch Hotel and Convention Center.

Misti Kloubec

Misti Kloubec, a Cedar Rapids resident and administrative officer in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, received the award from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder during an Oct. 21 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“Many people in our office played critical roles in responding to the flood of 2008, but no one did more than Misti in helping our office establish effective operations at a temporary location in less than two weeks and ensuring a smooth return to our permanent office within five months,” said U.S. Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth. “Misti’s tireless efforts in finding practical and creative solutions to significant challenges in the midst of the flood and for months afterward were truly outstanding and deserving of this highest administrative support honor the department can grant.”

While presenting the award to Kloubec, Holder noted that she “carried out the important mission of the Department of Justice … with excellence and distinction.”

Douglas P. Dvorak, 46, received the prison term Thursday after an April jury verdict found him guilty of 22 counts of mail fraud, 11 counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of money laundering.

Evidence presented at trial showed that between late 2005 and early 2007, Dvorak defrauded the Medicaid health insurance program by submitting claims for services he never provided. He used the identities of more than 30 under-aged Medicaid beneficiaries in executing the scheme, and engaged in financial transactions with the proceeds that were designed to conceal the location and control of the money. His intention, according to trial evidence, was to defraud Medicaid, a government program designed to help individuals and families with low income access health care, for more than $120,000.

Dvorak was sentenced to 85 months in prison — 37 for the mail fraud and money laundering, and 48 for aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $71,375.82 in restitution to Iowa Medicaid Enterprise, and a special assessment of $3,900. He will serve a three-year period of supervised release after his prison term.

The Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station, the site of today's press conference with FEMA Director Craig Fugate, sat in the heart of the flood zone and was literally submerged in flood water.

The group was joined by additional state and local officials for a press conference at the Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station, one of many city buildings that was decimated by flood waters in June 2008. The federal government has promised more than $5 million for repair of the facility.

“Today’s trip was an important opportunity to see first-hand the collaborative efforts taking place to ensure Iowa communities have the tools they need to recover,” Fugate said. “There is a strong partnership between FEMA and the state, as we work toward the common goal of supporting community recovery.”

Fugate also signaled that the role FEMA has played in Cedar Rapids has changed from that of management of the emergency to future flood prevention. Representatives of the agency will continue to be involved as state and local officials set priorities and action plans related to prevention.

Following their public appearances the elected officials adjourned to private meetings to discuss recovery successes and challenges, flood prevention and the roles of the various contributing agencies in the years to come. According to a White House spokesman, officials attending the closed door meeting were Culver, Loebsack, Fugate, Rebuild Iowa Office Director Lt. Gen. Ron Dardis, Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran, Cedar Rapids Flood Recovery Director Greg Eyerly, Linn County Supervisor Linda Langston, Cedar Rapids City Council member Chuck Wienke, FEMA Iowa Recovery Center Director Kay Phillips, FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Art Freeman and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director David Miller.

According to information from FEMA, the agency has obligated more than $876.2 million for Iowa flood assistance since the 2008 storms. Of that, $737.1 million has been in public assistance aid for state and local public buildings and roadways. The agency reports that 23,287 Iowans have received more than $122.2 million under the FEMA Housing Assistance program; and that 8,521 Iowans received $16.3 million through the agency’s Other Needs Assistance program. Cedar Rapids, a city that lost more than 5,000 homes and 700 businesses and suffered an estimated $6 billion in damage, has received roughly $184 million in public assistance.

Fugate’s visit was at the bequest of Culver, who met with the federal official earlier this summer. Culver is also optimistic that Fugate will return to Iowa to view recovery efforts in Iowa City at the University of Iowa.

The event, which was billed as a forum, was set up a bit like a job fair. Presenters provided remarks in a large crowd setting and then sat down at tables in the lobby to answer specific, one-on-one questions from attendees.

General overviews of what has been offered and/or accomplished were provided by representatives from the City of Cedar Rapids, the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Iowa Department of Economic Development, Iowa Small Business Development Centers, Iowa Finance Authority, Jumpstart Housing, Linn Area Long-Term Recovery Coalition and the Rebuild Iowa Office.

Greg Eyerly, flood director for the City of Cedar Rapids, openly praised residents of the city for their patience and hard work during the 15-months since the flood. He also cautioned that much more work remained to be done.

“Midwestern people are truly unique,” Eyerly said after noting that he has had opportunity to live in many other regions in the U.S. and abroad. “They have a value system you don’t see in any other parts of the country. … We will be a stronger community. We have to have faith. We have to have faith in each other and we have to work together.

“We should be proud of our accomplishments — but should not be satisfied with where we are today.”

Eyerly noted:

• The city continues to “muck and gut” 280 residential and 15 commercial properties that have not been touched since the June 2008 floods. The goal is to complete this project by the end of October.
• Local, state and federal agencies are still conducting walking tours of damage in major public facilities, often with additional information being discovered during the tours. These should be physically completed by Sept. 8, and hopefully will be followed by recovery funds for those facilities by the end of October.
• The numerous databases in place since the flood — volunteers, impacted residents, flooded business owners, property specifics, etc. — are in the process of being merged into one.
• 71 properties considered imminent threat are in line for acquisition and demolition by the city.
• The city has roughly 1,300 total properties that need to be demolished, and the current goal is to have all of those done by this time next year.
• An additional $516 million in Community Development Block Grants is available to Iowa from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Although applications will be submitted for those funds, any disbursements will likely not be seen until December due to the federal review process.
• Ten vertical wells have been raised for the city’s water supply, providing an additional 10 million gallons.

Cedar Rapids residents and business owners with recovery or other flood-related questions should contact the Rebuild Iowa Office. Those experiencing stress can also contact the Iowa Concern Hotline, 1-800-447-1985.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin took time during the re-opening ceremonies for a Cedar Rapids community clinic to discuss health care reform efforts in Congress.

“There is just a lot of misinformation out there, and you’ve just got to cut through that clutter,” Harkin said, while one man near the back of the crowd was taken aside by law enforcement for a conversation about inappropriate behavior. Although no charges were brought against the vocal and disenchanted man, who was threatening to hit another audience member that had taken his photograph, the officers successfully diffused an escalating situation.

The few disruptions, mostly in the form of yelling, had more of an impact on audience members than they had on Harkin, who simply continued to speak despite the noise. In fact, Harkin spent only a few moments at the beginning of his public comments to address the ongoing controversy of reports of a few out-spoken individuals disrupting congressional events involving health care reform across the country.

“As we have seen in recent days, there’s a lot of effort, I think, opponents are pulling out all stops to kill our reform bill,” Harkin said, acknowledging a highly vocal minority of the audience that exploded with shouts and applause.

The crowd of roughly 200 people that greeted U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin in Cedar Rapids on Monday was primarily comprised of individuals supportive of government health care reform.

“Calm down,” Harkin responded. “I said half-jokingly earlier that I think people are learning bad habits from television. It seems like every time you turn on your TV, someone is shouting at somebody. And on all of these talk shows they interrupt you. I’ve got to tell you, that’s why I don’t go on them. … I figure, let someone have their say, and if there is a question, let’s deal with it in a very civil and straight-forward manner.”

Harkin added that he doesn’t “lump everyone into one big ball of wax,” and believes that people come to the forums and town hall meetings hosted by members of Congress mostly for legitimate reasons — to gather information or learn more about possible reform. There are only very few, he said, who simply want to shut down discussion so that nothing gets accomplished.

Following his public comments, Harkin said that he has already heard concerns and comments about health care reform during his Iowa meetings that he will take back with him to Washington.

One reason for Harkin's visit was to participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Linn Community Care, a community health clinic heavily impacted by the June 2008 floods. The clinic has received more than $500,000 from the federal stimulus package to rebuild and is slated to receive roughly $250,000 more in the coming weeks, according to Harkin.

“I’ve had questions asked by people that I want to go back and get some better answers to,” Harkin told The Iowa Independent. “For instance, this morning in Waterloo a woman wanted to know what we were going to do to stop fraud and abuse … As I was driving down the road from Waterloo to here, I read and thought some more about that, and now I’m wondering if an amendment on the floor of the Senate might really be in order to tighten down more on that.”

Harkin admitted that comments and concerns from Iowans can still impact him on the particulars of the bill, but not on the primary goal.

“I can be swayed on a lot of things,” he said, “but I can’t be swayed on doing nothing. I will not be swayed on sticking with the status quo. But, yeah, there are a lot of other things I’ll be more than willing to take a look at.

“As I said, this isn’t the Ten Commandments. We aren’t chiseling in stone. This is a law, a bill. Obviously, it will change as times change and conditions change. We just have to do the best we can do right now to cover as many people; have stable costs, stable coverage, and stable quality; and put a huge emphasis on prevention and wellness.”

The complete audio file of Harkin’s public remarks and the question-and-answer session is available.

The money, part of the $830 million program designed to help the state rebuild after last year’s tornado and flooding disaster, includes $20 million for projects in Cedar Rapids, one of the cities that was hit hardest by the 2008 floods.

“This is only the beginning, and I look forward to working with all Iowans as we rebuild this state, create good-paying jobs, and build a brighter future for all Iowans,” Culver said in a statement.

The I-JOBS Board, which will oversee $165 million of the infrastructure and flood relief money, will begin accepting applications for the remainder of the money later this week. The program is being paid for with bonding, with the state paying it back over the next 20 years with gambling revenues.

The projects approved today were:

City of Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Public Library ($5 million)
The Cedar Rapids Public Library was more than 50 percent damaged during last year’s floods. I-JOBS funds will help the library rebuild its main facility and expand the library’s Westdale Mall branch.

City of Cedar Rapids, Paramount Theater ($5 million)
I-JOBS funds will help repair the historic Paramount Theater, returning it to its original condition. Additional renovations include enhancing the sound system, expanding the backstage area and adding a pre-function bar/café.

City of Cedar Rapids, Public Works Building ($5 million)
The city of Cedar Rapids will use I-JOBS funding to rebuild the Public Works Building, including its mechanical and electrical systems.

City of Cedar Rapids, Steam System Customer Relief ($5 million)
The floods of 2008 rendered Cedar Rapids’ steam system inoperable and extensively damaged the steam distribution system. Temporary boilers and rudimentary repairs meant customers were able to take advantage of steam service through the winter but at a drastically increased cost. I-JOBS funds will help steam system customers convert to more affordable individual heating or steam supply systems.

City of Elkader ($500,000)
The city of Elkader will use these funds to build a new fire station. Their existing fire station has flooded several times – including in 2008 – and has fallen into disrepair. A new fire station will be built on donated land outside the flood plain and will include adequate space for equipment and training, a helo-pad, a tornado shelter, a post-disaster shelter and room for possible expansion.

Linn County, Human Services Campus ($10 million)
The floods of 2008 displaced several nonprofit service organizations in Cedar Rapids. I-JOBS funds will be used to build a new Human Services Campus in downtown Cedar Rapids that will provide space for seven to 10 nonprofit organizations that provide services to more than 13,000 people annually.

Linn County, Options Building ($5 million)
Last year’s floods meant Linn County lost 80 percent of its county infrastructure, including the Options and Witwer Buildings that housed several public services. I-JOBS funds will be used to construct a new building to replace the two that were damaged. The new building will house Linn County Community Services, General Assistance, Mental Health and Developmental Disability Services, Veterans Affairs, Home Health and Youth Services.

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library ($10 million)
The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids will use I-JOBS funds to build the museum’s operations. The project includes four components: restoration of an historic building in the Czech Village that will serve as administrative offices, restoration of two historic homes, construction of an exhibition center and research library and construction of a permanent exhibit that focuses on the Czech and Slovak American immigrant experience.

First Lady Mari Culver was in Cedar Rapids Wednesday helping to hang siding on one of many Habitat for Humanity homes being built. (Photo by Lynda Waddington/Iowa Independent)

CEDAR RAPIDS — There was very little pomp and circumstance surrounding First Lady Mari Culver’s volunteer work Wednesday on one of 20 homes under construction by Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. The legions of twenty-something volunteers maneuvered amid the the houses on Cedar Rapids’ far west side, measuring vinyl siding, hauling bundles of shingles to bare rooftops while barking occasional orders to one other.

Had it not been for the steady stream of television and print news crews showing a great deal of interest in the tan siding slowly climbing the side of one home, it’s likely Culver, clad in jeans and a souvenir hat from a previous Cedar Falls Habitat effort, would have been just another volunteer.

“I love to support the work of Habitat,” Culver said while indulging in a short break from hanging siding. “I’ve met several of the home owners today, and several of them were displaced by the floods a year ago.

“This is just a great way to serve the community and try to help rebuild an even stronger Cedar Rapids — nail by nail, piece of siding by piece of siding.”

Culver took obvious pride in the work she had accomplished that morning, noting that she had experience “previously helping with siding” on a different Habitat building project. She also acknowledged that the Cedar Rapids project, which combines the forces of local and national Habitat for Humanity groups in a $3.2 million undertaking, is different.

The massive 20-home undertaking by Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity has become an opportunity for individuals and groups at the local, state and national level to be more directly involved with recovery in Cedar Rapids. In the photo above, volunteers at the construction site are provided a free hot meal by the Linn County Democratic Central Committee. (Photo by Lynda Waddington/Iowa Independent)

“There are between 500 and 600 AmeriCorps and Vista volunteers from all over the country working here in Cedar Rapids,” she said. “I’ve not only had the opportunity to meet the local home owners and learn their stories, but I’ve been able to meet these wonderful young people who have heed President Barack Obama’s call to national service. It’s just really neat and such a great movement. I wish I were twenty-some years younger because I’d be an AmeriCorps volunteer for a year or two.”

The volunteers were welcomed to Cedar Rapids Sunday evening at a rally featuring Arizona Cardinals quarterback and native son Kurt Warner. Warner and his wife Brenda raised more than half a million dollars for the project through their First Things First Foundation. The couple remained in Cedar Rapids after the initial rally to physically help with the building of walls and raising of roof trusses.

While the Warners are definitely the most celebrated of the dignitaries lined up behind the project, Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity President Karen Hufnagle reports they aren’t the only ones who have weathered Midwestern rain storms to help and celebrate the week-long building efforts.

Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity President Karen Hufnagle reports more an estimated 550 young adults from across the nation have volunteered in Cedar Rapids to help build more than 20 homes, many of which will go to residents displaced by the 2008 floods. (Photo by Lynda Waddington/Iowa Independent)

“We partnered with Habitat International and the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon, and that has allowed us to bring in some very high profile people like Kurt Warner. But we’ve also gotten a lot of help from all levels — local, state and national,” Hufnagle said. U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Mt. Vernon) and numerous state and local officials have visited the building sites either during or in the lead-up to the current mass raising.

“We just have had tremendous support,” she continued. “So many individuals and organizations have turned out to help in any way they can. Also, city government here in Cedar Rapids has been fantastic.”

Members of the local affiliate went to the city last fall, according to Hufnagle, and requested assistance. The group wanted to build  20 houses this year, but also wanted to build an additional 20 houses during each of the next two years. The project was born not only of the realization that much of the city’s affordable housing had been washed away during the 2008 flood, but with a belief that the Cedar Valley affiliate needed to ramp up and sustain greater productivity. The city agreed to provide the organization enough land to accommodate the lofty project for the three-year span.

In order to qualify for a Habitat home, future owners must provide a down payment and maintain a monthly mortgage. In addition, the home owners provide “sweat equity” by physically contributing to the construction of their home and those built for others. Applications are available on the organization’s Web site.

The massive influx of volunteers are expected to finish raising and finishing the homes’ exteriors this week. Local contractors will provide electrical, plumbing and other interior specialties. That being said, Hufnagle and the Cedar Valley crew anticipate they will be needing more volunteers in the weeks to come. Anyone interested in helping out can visit their Web site or phone the Hiawatha-based office at (319) 366-4485.