The filing period for candidates interested in running for a city council position in the state of Iowa is Aug. 12 through Aug. 29, but one local incumbent is already announcing her plans to run for re-election this fall. Carolyn M. Siemann became a council member, representing Carroll’s Fourth Ward, in January of 2006, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy. She has been in that seat since. Siemann is timing her announcement to answer questions that have been ramping up in frequency as of late.
Siemann says the library issue is one she has been an integral part of since she first joined the council. The common thread she saw among many residents was a desire to keep the Carroll Public Library in its current, centralized location.
She says another long-term project that was rolled out in 2007 is a proposed expansion and update to the Carroll Rec Center.
After that, Parks and Rec Director, Jack Wardell, pulled the master plan, which includes a renovation of the pool area and an addition to the gymnasium. Siemann says she is excited to continue to work on the project as they move toward a tentative referendum in March of 2020. Other project priorities include a new street maintenance garage. This, according to Siemann, will be funded largely by money the city has been able to set aside. She says she is most proud of this aspect of her tenure, that the city is very financially solid and they have been able to actually lower the tax levy from $13.11 per $1,000 in valuation to a stable rate of around $11.58. All of this while also providing the amenities and services the public wants and needs. A large part of Siemann’s history with the council, and what she will rely on during her campaign, is the opportunity to hear what the people of her ward, as well as those from around the community, see as priorities.
The last time she ran, she says she heard the residents when they had concerns about safety issues. Now, she sees the citizens calling for more control over that issue as well as nuisance properties. Siemann says she is here to serve the people, and they expect results. It is her goal to help them to realization.
