Politicians running for office are essentially job seekers, asking to be hired by the voters. Currently, there are two candidates for Mayor of Eagle Grove: incumbent Mayor Sandy McGrath, and challenger Mike Boyd, a former City Administrator of Eagle Grove.
It is a long standing American tradition that candidates for office (especially executive offices such as Mayor, Governor, or President) are presented with a candidate questionnaire by the local newspaper's editor, or editorial board. The questions asked in such a questionnaire amount to a job interview on behalf of the public, and are traditionally published verbatim, as written and submitted by the candidates, so that the voters can compare their full answers, and decide who to support.
This tradition has served the United States of America well for nearly two and a half centuries, and in the spirit of this time tested tradition, the Eagle Grove Eagle has submitted a list of twenty questions to each candidate. The questions were carefully crafted to get to the heart of matters such as each candidate's positions on matters that affect the city of Eagle Grove, and matter to its people, its businesses, and its visitors. Each candidate was asked exactly the same questions, word for word. Below are those questions, and each candidate's verbatim responses, as submitted by them, word for word.
1. Tell us your elevator pitch for why you should be elected (or re-elected) Mayor, including why you want to be Mayor.
Boyd: "I would like to be Mayor to give back to the city of Eagle Grove.I have spent most of my life here and the people here have been good to me and my family,I felt i needed to step up and do my part. I hope to work with the council and the rest of the community in a positive way."
McGrath: "As a registered nurse, I must focus on assessing, diagnosis, planning, implementing, and evaluating challenges to develop practical solutions. This skillset allows me to serve Eagle Grove and work towards achieving our community’s fullest potential. My ability and proven track record of working with our partners and stakeholders has created success in our community. My experience writing grants at the Federal, State, and local level has brought additional funds for critical services in Eagle Grove and Wright County. As the Mayor of Eagle Grove, I have overseen a growth period for our population and an improvement in essential services, infrastructure repairs, and amenities offered to our residents and visitors."
2. Who are the top financial backers of your campaign? Please list any that gave over $1,000.00, and/or the top three. List the amounts they've given.
McGrath: "I have not asked for financing backing nor do I intend to. If someone wishes to financially donate to my campaign, I will ask that those donations be directed towards the Eagle Grove Food Pantry or a non-profit organization of your choosing to better our community.
Boyd: "irrelevant (less than a thousand dollars and I am spending my money for signs and advertising except for a 50 dollar donation made by a local citizen)I will not be accepting any more donations for my campaign."
3. Have you created a formal political campaign organization? If so, what is its legal name, and how much money has it raised at the most recent accounting? If no accounting more recent than two weeks has been done, then perform one before answering this question, or skip the accounting portion of this question.
Boyd: "no and no"
McGrath: "Yes, I have created the campaign organization “Sandra McGrath for Mayor to ensure that I will comply with all applicable law. A candidate is required to register for a candidate committee with the Ethics Board should the candidate raise or spend more than $1,000 in a calendar year for the candidate’s election (including the candidate’s own funds). I have not spent more than $1,000, but created the organization for compliance purposes. I have followed the placement of political signs that state a sign can be placed with the permission of the property owner or lessee, but cannot be on property owned by the State, County, City or political subdivision (i.e. tree berm)."
4. What is the number one challenge, which in your view the city has both an ability and a duty to address, which is facing the residents of the city of Eagle Grove?
McGrath: "There are many issues which face the residents of our community and each one may be different. However, one that impacts all the residents is our public safety. A large share of a City’s general fund is used for public safety. This would include law enforcement, fire, and EMS. These are essential services and need to supported. One of the ways I have eased the general fund is working with our partners to create an EMS coalition throughout the county. This coalition not only works with each ambulance service, but also with the Board of Health, Board of Supervisors, Mayors, and Iowa Specialty Hospital. This created over a $100,000 funding mechanism per year. Our public safety services are more active in the community through 911 responses. Training and requirements have also been increased. It is imperative that we continue to find solutions so that when you call 911 – we respond. I ask every resident to understand the time and dedication that our Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS contribute to this community. These men and women respond day and night under difficult conditions and heartbreaking situations. Your support can be as simple as a ‘thank you”, offering help with their children if they are responding, it could be donations to fund raisers or just speaking positively. These departments are the backbone of our community and deserve our recognition."
Boyd: "To provide the community with the public services they need in a responsible, timely and consistent manner. We need to work with all departments within the city , to provide the tools needed to deliver those services "
5. What is the number one challenge, that in your view the city has both an ability and a duty to address, which is facing the small businesses of the city of Eagle Grove? What action(s) should the city take (or continue to take)?
Boyd: "We need to work with Chamber, listen to our business owners and provide every resource possible to help them succeed"
McGrath: "The City encourages citizens to shop local, and support the organizations that are geared towards small business, such as the Eagle Grove Area Chamber of Commerce and the Eagle Grove Community Development Corporation. The City has implemented a phased plan approach a strategy to improve the heart of the community – downtown. We’ve been able to do this by securing Federal and State grants and by offering those grant dollars for downtown revitalization to improve the exterior of the downtown business district. The downtown street project was also completed with the added benefit of a water quality initiative that works to reduce nutrients from entering into rivers. The City is currently supporting an upper story conversion program to add housing and income to the downtown businesses. This was completed by using a combination of grant dollars, TIF dollars and business owner dollars. The street project was all grant dollars. The next phase to this plan is by working with our partners to provide resources to fill downtown storefronts, support events, and continue working with our local partners to improve our small business environment."
6. What is the number one challenge, that in your view the city has both an ability and a duty to address, which is facing the major industrial businesses of the city of Eagle Grove? What action(s) should the city take (or continue to take)?
McGrath: Workforce is the number one challenge for major industries. The City can support the many resources available, such as the ICCC Career Academy. We need to work on housing and amenities to draw that workforce. A good strong parks and recreation program, the rec center, chamber events, and supporting our local small business add to a stronger community where people want to live. The City has a strong relationship with our major businesses and we’ve been able to see dramatic capital investment in our community because of those relationships we have been able to cultivate and because of our community’s continued approach to our comprehensive plan. If you’ve driven around Eagle Grove, we have new buildings being constructed, new processes being implemented, and more employment entering our community. It’s really impressive what we all can accomplish together.
Boyd: "same as 5"
7. The Rec-Center has been controversial from the start, but at this point it is well along in it's construction. It is therefore no longer a question of whether or not the Rec-Center should have been built, but how best to make the most of it. What's your vision for use of the Rec-Center, and how would you leverage that use as Mayor to give the most advantages to Eagle Grove's residents, businesses, and visitors?
Boyd: "This is an issue that will take alot of hard work and sacrafice by our whole community to bring to a successful conclusion.Hopefully,we can work together or we all lose."
McGrath: The Rec Center has been on the community wish list for many years. The Eagle Grove Comprehensive Plan identifies the need for recreation space for individuals of all ages. The Rec Center will be equipped to provide many different types of activities, such as pickleball. With two full-size basketball courts and a walk-around perimeter track – activities are endless. The multipurpose space will be utilized for programs and classes and the weight room will be 24/7. As a previous business owner, I know the value tournaments and events can bring to our community. The Rec Center will be a value to all. Our goals would be to improve the health and wellness of our residents, develop skills for our student-athletes, create a sense of belonging for all ages, and to improve tourism into our community to create economic value for our small businesses.
8. Eagle Grove has a housing shortage. What steps will you, as Mayor, take (or continue to take) to help address this issue? What other types of initiatives, outside of direct city government action, would or do you support?
McGrath: The City identified a housing shortage with our comprehensive plan. A phased approach first looked at our existing housing. In that process we identified many houses that were abandoned with no utilities and in disrepair. The identified properties were either taken down or rehabilitated. Next, I worked on a commercial incentive grant to incentivize local contractors in the 50533-zip code to build. This brought the cost of new builds down and offered work for our local businesses. This program contributed to 52 housing units that have been built or are currently under construction. This is a combination of single-family homes, multi-unit complexes, and downtown apartments. Once the property is completed the incremental taxes that are paid after completion is recouped by the city. This investment is recouped in 10 years or less on a 60+ year tax paying property. In addition to city incentives, we were able to assist in securing $2.6 million in state funding to complete these projects. Next was to develop a rental inspection program to require all rental properties to meet basic living standards. These projects have been a success and our processes are always under review to make sure that we are fulfilling our obligations to the community.
Boyd: "There is some good projects the city has been working on in this area,I hope to continue support in this area,housing is an important part of keeping our community growing."
9. Eagle Grove has several sections of roadways which are in need of repair, and currently has several areas that have recently been repaired or rebuilt. Briefly explain in detail how you think the remaining repairs should be addressed, and prioritized. Also, speak to your thoughts on the recent repairs and upgrades.
Boyd: "I will work with the street department and council anyway I can to see more work to improve streets,there has been some good work done in the last few years on roads we just got to move faster."
McGrath: The City of Eagle Grove uses a pavement condition index as a means to understand its roadway conditions and that data creates the Pavement Management Plan. Every Fall, this is used by the Mayor and Council as a tool to plan a goal of 7 blocks per project. Since 2019, the City has consistently been doing a street project. Currently, Parkview Drive is being looked at for its 2024 Street Improvement Project. We are currently working on engineering and a financial review to consider this plan which should be brought to a public hearing in December for final consideration and approval. Depending on the project, the City has the option to use Local Option Sales Tax, dollars from general fund, road use tax dollars, and/or debt service. While we do these projects, we also need to look at the infrastructure. Roadway maintenance has been made a priority in the last 6 years. While roads need to be maintained, public works equipment and vehicles need to be maintained. The City has taken drastic action to improve the fleet, staffing, and equipment of the Public Works Department to be able to serve the public and work to maintain roadways and infrastructure. Funding and priorities are always a concern for the Council and our current goal is 7 blocks of roadway per year based on type of construction and overall cost of the project.
10. As candidates for Mayor in this election, one of you is the incumbent Mayor, and the other is a former City Administrator. Therefore, both of you have a record in carrying out the governance of the city of Eagle Grove. Speak to that record. What are your accomplishments as a city leader? Be specific. Please note that your responses will be fact checked. My accomplishments are:
McGrath: "Being part of creating Wright County EMS Coalition easing some burden on the general fund and improving our EMS response. Completing downtown revitalization projects using grants. Creating a commercial incentive program and bringing new housing to Eagle Grove. Bringing in large industry to our area to ease user rates and tax burden. Responding to and declaring a disaster proclamation and setting up the cleanup of our high wind event in 2016 which left major tree and power line damage. Rental Inspection program. Tackling drainage district role as trustees and used funds to slip line storm sewer lines that infiltrated water out and in, and cleaned drainage ditches to improve flow, incentivized the hotel, increased assessed value of Eagle grove approximately $40 million dollars, increased population since 2010 census. Recreation center, annual street and/or infrastructure projects."
Boyd: "Governance of the city is broad in its scope and requires many duties and responsibilities. I worked for the city for 6 years on multiple projects with 3 different mayors and several different council members. I also worked with the different departments of the city and their employees. I am not going to take credit for the work of any single project because it was always a team effort with many of the employees, council and mayor working alongside me in getting things done."
11. What is your vision for the future of the city of Eagle Grove?
Boyd: "My vision for Eagle Grove is to work with our people and make it a great community we can all be proud of."
McGrath: "My vision is to continue to govern the future of Eagle Grove through setting up Eagle Grove to continue to thrive and grow. Eagle Grove showed population growth in the last census which many communities did not. Do not stop that forward progress or eventually momentum starts moving backwards. Eagle Grove will have more amenities, more businesses, better streets and infrastructure improvements, and our goals in our community-led comprehensive plan will be achieved."
12. Explain the basics of city financing and funding in layman's terms.
McGrath: "City of Eagle Grove finances are based on cash-based statements of activities. 2 Functions are governmental activities expenses with the programs of (public safety, public works, culture and recreation, community and economic development, general government, debt services, capital projects) The other function is Business type activities such as water and sewer utilities. General receipts or revenue are received from property tax, TIF financing, Local option sales tax, commercial/industrial tax replacement, American rescue plan dollars, loan proceed, sale of assets licensing and fee, charges for service. The City of Eagle Grove has an audit completed every year and our last year end 2022 showed all accounts demonstrated accountability and that disbursements were within the budget limit. The audit also looks at council minutes that showed no transaction made that should have been approved by the council. No instances of non-compliance with the revenue not resolution. Activities from grants may have a negative effect on the budget until portions of the project are complete and dollars placed back in. These are funding streams for which the City can utilized for certain items and other funds for other items. It is imperative to understand that certain funding uses, such as TIF, do not impact our roadway maintenance priorities."
Boyd: "City finances can be complicated because you have different funding sources and sometimes different ways projects and other costs can be funded.. That is about as simple as I can make it This is government so many rules are in place as well in how and when funds can be distributed. There are often contracts between the city and different entities that require them to pay out or receive revenue. Property tax revenue is generally a cities largest funding source. The city budget is a document that helps explain it.The state of Iowa treasurers website has many tools to help explain it. The city financial officer is the expert for the city and spend much of their time working details of specific financial matters and should be able to answer any questions you may have. There is much to learn about finances of a city, including different types of bonds, debt and debt service."
13. Explain the financing of infrastructure projects in layman's terms.
Boyd: "Financing of different projects can also be provided by multiple sources.Here again, things can get complicated and hard to follow. We had an infrastructure project(DD94) from 2009 to 2015 with multiple funding sources, primarily federally funded which required a mountain of paperwork. It is hard to keep simple."
McGrath: "Infrastructure, such as water, sewer, and storm water utilities, are paid for using revenues from your water bill. The monthly base and usage charge for water and sewer are used to pay for water and sewer operations. The capital improvement fees are used to pay for capital improvement items. Water and sewer projects can receive a 3-year 0% State Revolving Fund loan for planning and designing capital improvement projects. There is also a construction loan available for around 3.25% for 10 or 20-year terms. This allows our City the ability to improve infrastructure at a low-rate. The City has also received a $600,000 grant for water and sewer improvements in the last few years and is currently looking to apply for another $600,000 grant for a large project on the north side of town and to build a new a sanitary lift station."
14. There is a lot of competition for qualified first responders, such as police officers, fire fighters, and emergency medical technicians. In layman's terms, what do you think is the best way Eagle Grove can attract and keep qualified first responders?
McGrath: "Firstly, we need to support our first responders in a positive way. We have and are looking at wages for public safety personnel to attract talented individuals. I feel strongly about wages for those that are here rather than a sign on bonus like other communities have done. We want them to be invested in our community. We are looking at compensation and adjustment for our volunteer fire fighters as they spend a lot of free time training, and they leave paying jobs at times to respond for our community. Keep in mind these are 24/7 services that needs to be manned. Lastly, we offer training reimbursement for those that complete an EMT course, the law enforcement academy, or fire fighter I or II courses. This relieves a barrier to support individual growth and education. I am proud to say that the City has recruited two new medics for our EMS Department and three new drivers. We appreciate everyone who gives their time and wants to serve our community. Call City Hall for more details!"
Boyd: "Treating them with respect, paying them well and helping them understand how much we need them."
15. In terms of whether it should be done or not, how do you believe a proposed infrastructure project should be evaluated?
Boyd: "I would say every infrastructure project requires some planning unless an emergency arises. Project priorities are often brought up through the different department managers. If it involves sewer and water ,for example, the utility board makes the decisions about their projects and not the city council. Many of the smaller projects that do not require engineering are determined by the department manager for that area. Some major projects that require bonding are determined by the council as to whether they move forward."
McGrath: The Utility Board and Council have a capital improvement plan. The Utility Board has as 5-year maintenance plan on sanitary mains and priorities hydrant and valve replacements for infrastructure. Should a main break or a main collapse, which is common, City personnel take care of that issue. Projects are evaluated based on cost and importance to the system. Every year, the City detects water main leaks, flushes hydrants, and works valves. Any defects, is placed on a list to fix. The City Council and Utility Board work together to determine if any infrastructure issues should be address when a street project is being performed. If so, that work is included in the upcoming project. We have to manage keeping rates affordable for our residents, but also manage a system that has aged. We are making great strides. In the past 5 years, we have replaced over 20 manholes, lined over 4,000 linear feet of sewer main, looped water mains, replaced and fixed hydrants and valves, and improved our water and wastewater treatment plants. The work is far from over, so it’s important to note that it takes a long-term plan with results to continue moving in the right direction.
16. Are you willing to commit to making live streams of official city meetings available to the public, such as the meetings of the City Council, the Utility Board, the Planning and Zoning Committee, the Airport Commission, and any other such meetings? Excluding when in closed session, as regulated by the Iowa Open Records law. And, are you willing to commit to making the recordings of such meetings publicly available for later viewing on a free-to-the-public platform such as Facebook or Youtube?
McGrath: "We currently working on the best method of live streaming. By November, all meetings will be livestreamed, recorded and on the City’s website. So yes, our effort and work in this matter can be guaranteed. We have a few adjustments to be made since we had the Council Chambers renovated and are working to improve operations at the Police Department. We always welcome the community to attend also in person."
Boyd: "I think it is important to make meetings available to the public through technology but I would encourage those who are interested to attend in person whenever possible. Watching meetings through livestream is usually about as interesting as watching paint dry but if there is public demand it should be provided whenever it is practical to do so."
17. Name one type of business or amenity that Eagle Grove currently lacks that you would like to see brought into Eagle Grove.
Boyd: "I would love to see our city have a movie theater again."
McGrath: "What I think our community lacks or needs may be different than what other residents think. It is important to note that the Chamber hired the Downtown Resource Center from the Iowa Economic Development Authority who conducted a survey on this matter a few years ago. It would be interesting to see if those priorities are still valid. Therefore, over this winter, the City will work with its partners to conduct a community-wide survey so that our residents can voice their opinions and we can strategize the best way to accomplish the community’s wish list."
18. You've been asked to speak to your own record in city leadership. Now speak to your opponent's record. What have they done in city leadership that you approve of, if anything? What have they done that you disapprove of, if anything? Explain why. Please note that your responses will be fact checked.
McGrath: "My overall opinion of any candidate that is local, state or government is as follows. Any promise or statement needs to be followed by a “how will you do this?” statement. We have to stop the open statements of “I will lower taxes.” or “time to change.” How will this be done? The community deserves a right to know how these will be accomplished and how will this impact services and our community’s future. We have good people and volunteers working on projects and services to improve Eagle Grove and we need to respect that. I can only speak to myself and my qualifications only. Since I have been mayor, the city has tackled and completed numerous projects using grant dollars, taxes, and user fees, I always looked at a project that will set up our future for growth, many times these projects do not net instant returns, but I will stand behind the future return. Nothing is too big if we work together. Some of my decisions have not been the most popular but I was voted in this position to offer leadership and sometimes leadership is uncomfortable."
Boyd: "I prefer to not say anything."
19. Speak to the importance of ethics and civility in our society, of upholding our institutions, of respecting each other's rights, and of showing common courtesy to one another. What are your feelings on these subjects?
Boyd: "Ethics and civility should always be a top priority in working together in our society. Even when we may disagree, we can be respectful in how we share our opinions."
McGrath: I pride myself in equality and ethics is human nature that stands us apart to allow us to co-exist. Everyone does have a right to freedom of speech; however, common courtesy and respect also aligns with this. Problems can be solved by communicating. Our society right now is struggling with where we get our facts. We need to use trusted sources with educated, data or research driven information. Ask your questions to the right people, seek out clarification before a wave of mistrust and doubt is launched.
20. Aside from what you've already said, what are your goals if you were to be elected for the coming term?
McGrath: "Continue to seek opportunities to thrive and grow, continue to work with stakeholders and partners to offer a safe, secure, enjoyable community to live. My plan is to continue improving our roadway system through our pavement condition index, public hearing process, and council approval. My plan is to present a budget to the public for consideration for FY 2024-2025 that once again lowers the City’s tax rate. The City is working to consolidate departments, reduce overhead, and improve revenue streams to reduce the tax burden on our residents. Our goal is to do this without minimizes services, reducing maintenance programs, or hindering our future. Other goals would be improving parks, add rec programs, improve transparency through our new FrontDesk system, and continue accomplishing projects that our residents want. Lastly, I will continue to represent Eagle Grove’s interest on the EMS Advisory Committee and other Boards and Commissions this great position entails."
Boyd: "A primary goal would be to serve, work hard, unify the community, support our public employees and listen to the people."
About our methodology: Our questions were carefully thought out, and designed to help reveal each candidate's competencies as city leaders and positions on substantive issues that affect the city of Eagle Grove, its residents, businesses, and visitors. Each employee of the Eagle Grove Eagle reviewed the questions before they were sent to either candidate, and all agreed that the questions were relevant, and comprehensive. Both candidates were issued the exact same questions, which were sent to both candidates on Thursday, October 19th, before noon. Both candidates were given until noon on Monday, October 23rd to submit their responses. Both candidates were personally informed that their answers to the questions would be published. Neither candidate was given any assistance with their answers by any newspaper staff. Neither candidate's answers have been edited in any way, and any spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors in the text are verbatim as submitted by the candidates. Nor have any such errors been noted or pointed out in any way, including the standard "(sic)" notation. And in order to avoid giving either candidate an advantage in having the first or last response, we have staggered the candidate responses so that neither candidate's response is presented first or last in any two questions in a row.
