By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
SIGOURNEY – Gary Iosbaker, a software engineer and member of the Sigourney City Council, is running for mayor.
“I think it’s important to give back to the community,” Iosbaker told the News-Review. “That’s kinda a cliche, but it’s how I actually feel about it, and I actually like the work. I find helping, pitching in, taking part in local government, trying to facilitate the expansion of our economy, the longevity of our community and our county very appealing work…I’ve had four years to learn how the city government works, understand some of the problems that we face. I participated in some of the solutions that we have been able to bring about, and so I’d like to now, even though one gives up the vote when you become the mayor, I’d like to take an active role in really helping set the agenda.”
Iosbaker was elected to the council in 2021 and worked on the façade project. If elected, he plans to continue to work to improve the community, by adding walkability signs, working with the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Department of Natural Resources to improve housing, and fixing the city’s law enforcement problems. Iosbaker is also the executive director of Keokuk County Economic Development and a board member of the Keokuk County Childcare Network. He intends to continue working with these organizations as mayor.
“It’s a joint effort, not only with KCED, but also with the support of the council, and it goes hand in hand with the work that both entities are doing with supporting the schools, because community growth really centers around a number of specific issues,” Iosbaker said. “Because, community growth really centers around a number of specific issues. In our view, stellar schools being one of them, child care being another, recreational activities, places to live and jobs, of course, you have to have jobs. So these activities that we’re engaged in right now are really very intentionally focussed on making Sigourney, and by inference, the county at a large an attractive place for younger families to live.”
Iosbaker was born and raised in Sigourney. He left town in 1974 and got a job in the tech sector, where he worked as part of the groups that introduced the first ATMS. He currently works in telecommunications, as a software architect for cell phones. Iosbaker and his wife moved back to Sigourney in 2011, after deciding Iowa was the place they wanted to be.
Iosbaker noted that sigourney has a very finite tax base and that the city’s ability to levy taxes for community projects is being constrained by the Iowa Legislature.
“Now, I don’t like paying taxes any more than anybody else, and I would certainly join a chorus saying ‘I’m paying enough.’ But, the reality is, one of the things you learn from working in city government is, that it’s tax that the engine works on,” Iosbaker said, “So the community has come to expect, rightfully, in my opinion, a certain level of service. And one of the big challenges that the council faces and the mayor is how to most effectively deliver those services that we’re obligated to provide with the money that’s available to us.”
