Mayoral candidates talk visions, roles, city deserts, and chili

(Editor's Note: This piece is a look inside the candidacies and personalities of the five mayoral candidates. Their answers are candid and printed ver batim from their responses to the questions with the exception of any inflammatory responses at our discretion.)

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison is seeking a new mayor in the November 4th election. The mayoral forum gave the five candidates the opportunity to differentiate themselves to the community: Melinda Blind, Rodney Hoskins, Carl Rippenkroeger, Tom Schulz, and Roy Woodsmall.
Of course, in any election, some people have already made up their mind on who they will vote for.  I gathered five questions from community members and one of my own for the candidates to answer, to keep this short and sweet.
Whether your mind has already been made up on who to vote for, these candidates’ answers will give more insight into who is running and their outlook on our town. My opinion on who to vote for isn't what matters, yours is. 

What’s your favorite thing about living in Fort Madison?
BLIND: I cannot pick only one! It's the people - where you can walk down the street and say "hi" and smile at a stranger and they smile back (you do not get that in a lot of other cities). It's the river - a reminder of the magnificence of nature. The trains and barges are the sound of Fort Madison. It's our parks - which are each a mixture of history and leisure.
HOSKINS: My favorite thing in Fort Madison was when I young I did my share for anything I put my mind. Never back down from any challenge. Keep positive intake whether I got a yes or no but as when I have got older I got a little more smarter or wiser, kept my ears up, and paid attention to know what I wanted for self.
RIPPENKROEGER: It has beautiful scenery and iconic features but for me it is the people who live here. Everyone seems so friendly and kind. The community is so welcoming of out-of-town visitors.
SCHULZ: The people, everything else is useless without good people. San Francisco is beautiful but you would not want to walk around in most of that city today. I find this community has a good heart but they need a real advocate, someone that understands their day-to-day struggle and will work to build a community where their opinion matters.
WOODSMALL: What I love most about living in Fort Madison is the people. This town has a way of keeping you grounded. You can walk into almost any place and see someone you know, and if you don’t, you probably will by the time you leave. There’s history here, there’s heart here, and even when times are tough, folks still show up for one another. That sense of community is what makes Fort Madison special, and it’s why I care so deeply about seeing it reach its full potential.

If the town was a ship, as mayor, do you see yourself as the rudder, the sails, or the person calling out directions and why?
BLIND: The Mayor is the rudder and the person calling out directions. The Mayor doesn't power the ship, it is the workers, citizens and community organizations that move a city forward. The rudder provides direction, purpose and guides the ship forward. 
HOSKINS: Calling the shots without sticking to one side is what a mayor needs to keep the direction going.
RIPPENKROEGER: These all are important parts of a ship and need each other to fully operate, but the person calling out the directives, ( the captain ) is the one that needs to make sure the rudder and sails are working in unison to get where they need to go.
SCHULZ: Chief of the Boat
Liaison: Between the citizen and the staff and the City Council
Moral and Welfare: Focus on quality of life, recruiting and cheerleading Fort Madison for tourism and business development.
Discipline: Financial discipline making sure money is spent to the best benefit of the citizen.
WOODSMALL: If Fort Madison were a ship, I would see myself as the one calling out directions, but not from some high deck yelling orders. I would be up front with everyone else, helping spot what’s ahead. The people of this town are the sails and the rudder; they are the ones who make us move forward. My job as mayor would be to help make sure we are heading somewhere that matters, that when the waters get rough, no one is left behind and we stay steady on course together.

If big cities have food deserts, what would Fort Madison’s desert(s) be?
BLIND: This is a very tough, thought provoking and far reaching question that someone could easily spend a month on just researching. But here are a few that stand out to me: The majority of Fort Madison lacks entertainment options for youth. Some areas of Fort Madison qualify as a food desert for persons who do not have access to transportation. Fort Madison is a desert with no public transportation with regular stops each day. SEIBUS does serve as public transportation but it's a scheduled service and not like a bus service available in larger communities where you can go somewhere at the spur of the moment.
HOSKINS: I don't have a food craft, so I would not even want to answer the dessert question. Other than, it would probably be called "Rolling Thunder on the River." Because, that's basically, we're on the river, so in some cases it'd be kinda like a cake donut or even like a cake. It'd be basically, "Rolling on the Thunder..on the River." 
RIPPENKROEGER: If Fort Madison was to become a food desert we would have to look into several ways to fix the situation. Maybe start with funding food pantries and looking into federal programs like the supplemental nutrition assistance program. As the Food Service Director at the Penitentiary I always kept a three month supply of food in case of a natural disaster so maybe a well kept food supply bank would be a good idea. We could also provide a transportation plan to take people to areas that have the food supplies needed. We could check into tax breaks and grants to entice needed grocery stores to open up in the area and even a large farmers market. I don't see this ever happening in Fort Madison since we already have the resources needed but its always good to be prepared.
SCHULZ: If we have a desert it would be shopping. While we have GREAT local companies that I use for everything I can, there are many items you just can't buy here. When they kept Walmart out of Ft. Madison it was a mistake. They bring in other businesses and help a community grow. Keokuk and Burlington have not been hurt but have been helped. 
WOODSMALL: If Fort Madison had a desert, I would say it is the space between potential and action. We have no shortage of great ideas or passionate people who care, but too often things get stuck in meetings or buried under red tape instead of turning into real progress. That gap, that stretch of “almost but not yet,” is where too many good ideas dry up. My goal would be to turn that desert into fertile ground, a place where ideas can take root and grow into something the community can see and feel.

How much of the role do you think needs to be visionary v. day-to-day?
BLIND: I would say at least 20% visionary vs. 80% day-to-day. While the vision percentage doesn't sound like a lot, a vision is needed for the future. The visionary part is being open for new ideas or interacting with others (people, business, industry) and realizing what can be possible. You have to have an open mind and be willing to accept others' point-of-view.
HOSKINS: 100 percent of the role is visionary cause the future is what we shoot for cause we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
RIPPENKROEGER: I would say 80 percent day to day vs. 20 percent visionary. I believe the day to day operations is what builds the long-term visions which we are seeking for the community and its needs.
SCHULZ: Pretty even split. The mayor should know city budgets and operations very well and be able to build a consensus on critical issues and find innovated solutions to operational issues. A sounding board to city staff and a conduit for the population. The mayor is the face of the community. (Writer's Note: An offhand comment was removed to maintain professionalism and prioritize kindness.) We need a strong advocate for Ft. Madison and I am well placed to work with my Republican friends at the county, state and federal levels.
WOODSMALL: To do that, I think you need a balance of vision and day-to-day work. Vision gives you direction, but it is the daily effort that gets you there. You cannot just talk about change; you have to be out there helping make it happen. A good mayor, in my opinion, keeps one eye on the horizon and the other on the ground, making sure what is being done today builds something stronger for tomorrow.

What is the percentage of people in this town in poverty and what would you do to change this?
BLIND: Nearly 15% of Fort Madison's residents live in poverty and a great many more live just above the poverty line. The reasons for persons living in poverty are varied so there is no "one size fits all" solution. The City's best strategies will involve working with others and focusing on basics such as housing, jobs and community connections.

What the Can do is:
1. Use city-owned or vacant buildings or lots for low to moderate income housing opportunities.
2. Support community gardens which provide food for persons with food insecurity.
3. Include people with "lived" experience in city planning efforts.
4. Continue to support small business, industry and entrepreneurs.
5. Continue to leverage grants like Community Development Block Grants and HOME funds.
6. Continue to participate in Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission's SEIBUS program which provides low-cost transportation.
7. Continue to promote recreation and wellness with parks and trails.
8. Continue to work with economic development groups to attract business and industry.
HOSKINS: 3 to 7 percent on the poverty building a place for everyone to be safe and be active among us citizens salutes the fact of being help and equally willing to be helped and understand the resources given out is being update to their current situation(s).
RIPPENKROEGER: The last I had seen Fort Madison was around 14.5 percent of the community. Most of this is due to factory losses over the years and lack of higher paying wages. Some is due to lack of education, transportation and high housing costs. I believe we need to focus on economic development and workforce training through local colleges. We could also look into programs for childcare and transportation assistance to help those willing to work.
SCHULZ: I think we are about 13.6% compared to Burlington at close to 16%, Quincy at 15% and Keokuk a little over 20%. We fix this with education to break generational poverty. Much of this is lifestyle training. We can work to bring in more jobs, but are a lot of jobs out there with good pay but they take good work habit, a strong work ethic and the understanding it’s not always about what you want to do but what you should and need to do. We need more trade schools.
WOODSMALL: Right now, about 15 to 17 percent of people in Fort Madison live in poverty. That is not just a number. Those are families trying to make ends meet, seniors stretching their budgets, and young people wondering if they will ever have the chance to get ahead. The key to changing that is investing in our own. That means supporting small businesses, strengthening trade and technical programs, and creating local career paths that keep people here instead of pushing them away. We do not need to wait for a big company to come in and save us. We can build our own success story right here, together.

What is your chili recipe?
BLIND: Warning - my chili recipe can change depending upon what's in my kitchen or my mood.
Small batch Chili
1 lb. ground beef or sausage (again, whatever is on hand) 
½ c diced onion Garlic, minced or powder (to taste) 
Chili powder (to taste) 
Cumin (to taste) 
15 oz can of tomatoes (stewed, diced or soup ready) 
Brown sugar (to taste) 
Salt and pepper (to taste) 
1 c beef broth 
1 c V-8 
1 15 oz can of kidney or pinto beans 
1 15 oz can of chili beans
Green peppers (seeded and diced) (if I have any) 
Jalapeno (seeded and finely diced) (if I have any) 
Cook ground beef and onion, drain grease, then throw everything in a crockpot and cook on Low for 8 hours.
Note: If I have any leftover carrots or celery, I'll dice those up and put those in too.
HOSKINS: No chili recipe yet.
RIPPENKROEGER: Well not to brag but out of three chili cook offs I have two first place and a second place finish. Of course I can't fully disclose my whole recipe but I will tell you it starts with fresh canned stewed tomatoes and juice from my garden. I believe that makes a big difference. I also prefer venison burger over beef if I have it available.  One other secret is to make it a day ahead, its like overnight something magical happens with all the ingredients coming together. Ive said too much already I better stop there!
SCHULZ: Having been fortunate enough to win my share of Chili cook offs, I would need to see a top secrets clearance, a government issued certificate of need and a non-disclosure agreement before I reveal that. My recipe to make Fort Madison Great Again is to bless me with your vote for Mayor.
WOODSMALL: And as for my chili recipe, that one is a family secret. All I will say is that it has some kick, it feeds a crowd, and if you ever get to try it, you will remember it.