Council to appoint 5th ward replacement Tuesday

FORT MADISON – A new council person will be installed on Tuesday as city officials start framing what the new city manager position will look like.
An extended meeting is set for Tuesday with interviews being held with two candidates to replace councilman Chad Cangas who resigned last month after deciding to move out of his district.
The Fort Madison City Council will conduct interviews with Angela Salazar and Dustin Yager on Tuesday starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Mayor Matt Mohrfeld said he plans on one of the two being installed prior to beginning of the regularly scheduled council meeting. The council most recently installed Angela Roller by the same process when Tom Schulz resigned after winning a county supervisor seat in November.
“This will be the same process. We’ll ask questions and they will be interviewed at the same time,” Mohrfeld said. “After that they will ask for a recommendation in the form of a motion, vote on it, and seat them at the meeting immediately.”
In her application to the position, Salazar cited her volunteer support of the community through the Mexican Fiesta, the LULAC, the Eagles Club, and the Moose Lodge.
 “I want the 5^th Ward to benefit from my enthusiasm for hard work, my ability to understand complex problems, and expertise in managing multiple priorities,” Salazar wrote.
“I plan to support the residents of the 5^th Ward by bringing their concerns and ideas to the Fort Madison City Council.”
Salazar said she wants to focus on housing initiatives and public health. She’s a recently-certified public health worker.
“I would like to work with local agencies responsible for improving children’s health, quality of life, safety assessments, and outreach,” she wrote.
Yager, a Correctional Counselor at Iowa State Penitentiary, said he wanted to contribute to the momentum the city is seeing.
“I am passionate about making Fort Madison better every day, not only for current residents but for future residents as well,” Yager wrote on his application.
“If given the privilege to serve on the City Council, I believe that my ability to communicate effectively with people would make a positive impact on not only the citizens I would represent, but also the other council members I would be working with.”
Yager said he will look at issues and make decisions and opinions based on personal beliefs and values.
“I believe these attributes would allow me to step into that vacant position on the Council and immediately get to work, continuing to make Fort Madison better as an organization.”
The council received one other application, but that person has since rescinded interest in the position.
After the session to fill the vacancy, the council will immediately move into a work session to discuss the vision for the new city manager’s position.
Former City Manager David Varley resigned in May and the council, along with Mayor Mohrfeld, want to spend some time redefining what the role of City Manager will look like in Fort Madison. After that work session, the Council will enter its regular Tuesday meeting agenda.
Several changes to the city’s personnel manual are on the agenda in a single item. Peggy Steffensmeier is recommending that upgrades to the policy manual including early retirement language that allows employees to elect early retirement at any time after reaching full retirement age and prior to turning 65.
The council will also vote on a measure to allow parking restrictions to be set by resolution rather than a three-read ordinance.