County attorney race, new LCHD building on ballot Tuesday

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR
LEE COUNTY - Two hotly contested issues will be in front of voters on Tuesday with Lee County polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters in the county will be deciding who will be the next Lee County Attorney and whether or not the county will spend up to $2.6 million on a new facility for the Lee County Health Department.
Ross Braden, the current county attorney, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the vacancy left when long-time county attorney Mike Short retired, is going up against Clinton Boddicker for the Lee County Attorney's position.
Braden came from a private practice when he was appointed to the position by the Lee County Board of Supervisors. Boddicker has been an assistant county attorney for the past nine years under Mike Short. The two have had three debates leading up to the election focusing on issues such as courthouse safety, the impact of drug activity in the county, nuisance properties, and staffing at the county attorney's offices.
The campaign did have its share of dirt when it was revealed that Braden had a past record of convictions for OWI and possession of drug paraphernalia from his collegiate days. Boddicker has been openly criticized for his propensity to make plea deals. Braden has said his past is behind him and he is completely qualified to do the job and is ready to be the county's attorney for decades to come as this is the pinnacle of his career. Boddicker has said that his case load is always heavy and plea deals are a useful tool in handling cases.
The Lee County Health Department, which is currently out of its current home due to an air quality issue, is looking for voters to approve the construction of a new facility on county-owned property west of the Lee County Sheriff's office.
Julie Schilling has said the impact to county residents will be around $7.50 for a homeowner with a $100,000 home. Agriculture and commercial rates would be higher.
Savings from rent and maintenance on the current building would be approximately 45% of the current bond amount over 20 years. The new facility would meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requirements and would be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The building will be approximately 9,000 square feet on the main floor with an additional 2,500 square feet of storage and HVAC space in the basement.
Polling locations are listed below.
Fort Madison
Ward 1
Ft Madison City Hall, 811 Avenue E
Ward 2
McAleer Hall -415 11th Street
Ward 3
Ft Madison Library - 1920 Avenue E
Ward 4A
Rolling Hall - 2210 Avenue I
Ward 4B
Rolling Hall - 2210 Avenue I
Ward 5/Madison Twp
Hillview Village - 1102 48th Street
Keokuk
Ward 1
South Lee County Courthouse 25 N 7th Street
Ward 2A
Heritage Center - 508 Main Street
Ward 2B
Heritage Center - 508 Main Street
Ward 3
Keokuk Art Center, Lower level of Public Library - 210 N 5th Street
Ward 4
Evangelical Free Church - 2315 S 7th Street
Ward 5
Learning Center - 500 N. 20th Street
Ward 6
First Christian Church - 3476 Main Street
Ward 7
Keokuk Nazarene Church - 3116 Plank Road
Charleston/Des Moines & Van Buren Townships
Central Lee High School - 2642 Hwy 218 Donnellson
Franklin/Cedar/Marion Townships & Donnellson/Franklin City/Houghton & St Paul and Harrison Township
Pilot Grove Savings Bank Community Room - 506 N Main Street, Donnellson
Jackson Township
Jackson Township Fire Station - 3640 Argyle Road
Jefferson Township
Lee County Conservation Center - 2652 Hwy. 61 Montrose
Montrose Township & Montrose City
Ivor Fowler Community Center - 710 Main Street Montrose
Denmark/Pleasant Ridge/West Point Townships/ West Point City
West Point Library - 317 5th St., West Point
Washington/Green Bay Townships
Grace Bible Church - 3526 175th Street, Wever
Clinton Boddicker, county, elections, lee county, Lee County Attorney, Lee County Health Department, Polling places, Ross Braden, Special election, vote

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