Five vie for two supervisors seats

Voters have a diverse group of five candidates contending for a seat on the Clay County Board of Supervisors.

The top two vote-getters on Tuesday night will be elected to a four-year term on the board. Residents are assured of one newcomer -- Sylvia Schoer's fifth term on the Clay County Board of Supervisors is set to expire at the end of the year. She did not file to run again.

That leaves Spencer incumbent Del Brockshus and four challengers to fill the two available seats. Brockshus is seeking his fifth term on the Clay County Board of Supervisors. The Republican is joined on the ballot by fellow party nominee Joe Skow of Spencer.

The Demo-crats who emerged from the June 3 primary are Tim Kehoe and H Schar, both of Spencer.

Jim Umscheid Jr., of rural Spencer ran as a Republican in the June 3 primary. He was nominated by petition to appear on the general election ballot.

The Daily Reporter distributed questionnaires to each of the candidates. The following is some background information and their responses, in alphabetical order:

D.R. DEL BROCKSHUS

Del Brockshus is 68 and lives in Spencer. He and his wife Charin have three grown children: sons Todd and Ross and daughter Jill. They have two daughter-in-laws, Barb and Beth and one son in law, Mark Hulshof. They have 10 grandkids.

Brockshus is co-owner of Del's Garden Center, Inc. and has been in business 41 years. He has a B.S. in Horticulture from Iowa State University.


He has served 10 years on the Spencer Community Schools Board of Education and is in his 15th year as a member of the Clay County Board of Supervisors.

He is a member of Bethany Lutheran Church and has served on a number of boards there. He is past President and Hall of Fame member of the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association. He is the recipient of the Iowa Lakes Corridor 2006 Chairman's Award. He serves on a number of boards as it relates to his duties as a county supervisor.

Q: Tell us about one experience in your life that reflects your leadership skills or values.

A: It would be investing everything I owned and could borrow for a dream. Putting my family in financial peril for a dream. Giving 200 percent of myself for a dream. Successes and failures with hard lessons learned, but learned well. The value of family, friends and associates. The value of integrity and service. With this comes the satisfaction of a dream come true. Leadership is not about leading. It's about sharing with those around you the values, dreams and rewards of an expected outcome.

Q: Do you see waste in county government? Explain.

A: Every organization has waste. A pen or pencil taken home, a paper clip thrown away or paper used in excess printouts wastes materials. A long lunch hour or coffee break wastes time, but what about the waste of putting a snowplow on the road while it's still snowing? Wouldn't it just be better to wait until it quits snowing? What about the waste of sand and salt on icy roads? Wouldn't it just be better to have everyone drive slower? You see, it depends on how one defines waste. I find it hard to believe that anyone in Clay County government is purposely wasteful. What's the point… it's their tax dollars, too. We can, however, be more efficient and that's the responsibility of every county employee.

Q: Flooding in Iowa and the recent financial downturn nationally will change the way state and federal agencies prioritize money. Do you see an impact at the county level? How would you handle that?

A: Yes, there could be a significant impact in Clay County. If valuations of property were to decline over a period of time, less dollars would be available to run county government, however, there would be time to make needed changes. But, if the state and federal government were to decide to stop payments in the next few months, Clay County would immediately lose about 50 percent of its income. The county would have no recourse other than eliminating non-mandated funds given to non-profit agencies here in Clay County and reduce services to our residents. I don't think it will happen… I'm not worried about it.

Q: Five people have stepped forward to apply for a job in county government. One more time, tell the voters, your employers, why you should be one of the two choices.

A: I admire anyone who has the interest and fortitude to run for public office. I'm a little older than the rest of the candidates. Along with the creaky bones of age come experience, wisdom and patience. I feel these are good attributes to have as a member of the board of supervisors and, while I am older, I still dream of expected outcomes and sharing those good outcomes for the good of all.

TIM KEHOE

Tim Kehoe is 51 years old, lives in Spencer and is a lifelong resident of the city and Clay County. He and his wife Ranae have three adult children and 5 grandchildren.

Kehoe has been the General Manager of the AmericInn Motel and Suites since 1995. He has worked in various business and agricultural-related jobs since college. After graduation from Spencer High school in 1975, Kehoe attended Iowa Lakes Community College and went on to attend Iowa State University with a major in Agriculture Education and Agriculture Business. He finished his studies at Buena Vista College with a major in Business Management.

He has served on various community organizations including the Clay County Thrivent Financial Board as Chapter President, Thrivent Financial Advocate in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill, Lutheran Family Services Regional Area Council, Spencer Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, Spencer Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee, City of Spencer Renaissance Initiative Committee, Upper Des Moines Opportunity Policy Council, Hy Noon Kiwanis International member and board member, member of Spencer YMCA Men's Club, Clay County Pals, previously served on Spencer High School Advisory Committee and Clay County Extension Board along with active church responsibilities.

Q: Tell us about one experience in your life that reflects your leadership skills or values.

A: It is not just one single experience but all of my experiences put together that exemplify the way that I live my life. It is the committees and boards that I have served on and the individuals I have had the pleasure of serving and working with to be able to come up with a common understanding and to achieve the best end results. I have the ability to understand and listen to the concerns of others no matter what age and the best example is my leadership role as General Manager at the AmericInn of Spencer. We employ 16 people part time and they have ranged in age over the years from 16 to 84, all bringing something different to the table because of where they are in their lives and how their generation functions. I understand the needs of others and am able to direct and help make wise decisions. In 2006, I had the opportunity to be a part of Leadership Spencer, hearing firsthand how the different areas of government and services work and how they work together.

This past June I was an advocate on Capitol Hill meeting with our State Senators and Representatives and currently I am serving on the Spencer Area's Visioning and Planning project. This project is a group of 30 area individuals who are assessing and setting the direction our community should be moving in the next 5 to 10 years.

Q: Do you see waste in county government? Explain.

A: Yes, to some extent, but not necessarily government waste, we need to look at ways we can be more fiscally responsible and efficient. The taxpayers of Clay County expect certain services and the county supervisors are obligated to provide some of those services; for example secondary roads maintenance including snow removal. It is the job of the county to provide this service to the taxpayers in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible. It is everyone's responsibility to be conscious of how they perform their jobs and they need to have available the tools and resources to do their jobs most effectively to provide the taxpayers the services they need and expect. We certainly need to look at ways to cut costs without jeopardizing services and this is best done by everyone being conscious of it and also being accountable on a day to day basis.

Q: Flooding in Iowa and the recent financial downturn nationally will change the way state and federal agencies prioritize money. Do you see an impact at the county level? How would you handle that?

A: First of all there are monies already earmarked for Clay County, one of these projects being $5 million for the west bypass project. There are services that are mandated by the state to be provided and that funding should not be affected. Services that are not mandated will be the first to be affected. We certainly don't want to jeopardize any services that the people are used to but we will certainly need to budget the monies received more wisely in the future. This will definitely affect all of us and I will work closely with our local legislators as an advocate on behalf of the Clay County taxpayers to see that Clay County receives a fair share of State and Federal monies.

Q: Five people have stepped forward to apply for a job in county government. One more time, tell the voters, your employers, why you should be one of the two choices.

A: When electing me as County Supervisor I will bring you leadership, wise and sensible decision making, the ability to listen to you the people and a willingness to find out the facts. I am qualified to be an effective leader in the county as your next County Supervisor because I am honest and fair, open minded and sensible and committed to getting the job done. I am willing to listen to all Clay County residents and I am interested in your views. I am committed to and ready to serve all the citizens of Clay County as your next County Supervisor with fiscal responsibility. I have a background in Agriculture, being raised on a diversified family farm and I have a strong business base with experience in service. Also, family values and community involvement are important to me. I am genuinely concerned where our communities will be in the next 5-10 years and beyond, especially with the state of the national economy. I have a political interest and desire to make a difference.

H SCHAR

H Schar is 61 and lives in Spencer. His wife is Joanne (Dyhrkopp) Schar and he has two children: Sarah and William.

Schar is a self-employed management consultant. He enjoys working at Del's Garden Center in the summertime. He has a BA in History/Political Science, Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

He has worked in the design, evaluation and implementation of Agriculture and land use planning projects in Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and the U.S. over the last 30 years. He also has been an adjunct instructor in African History and English for Agriculture at Iowa Lakes Community College.

He's been requested for numerous speaking engagements and presentations for church, service and other groups throughout the area. His wife, Joanne, and he periodically exhibit their collection of African artifacts at venues including Arts on Grand, Lakes Art Center and the Moorhead Cultural Center.

Q: Tell us about one experience in your life that reflects your leadership skills or values.

A: I have an established reputation for professionalism as an agricultural economist and consultant. As only one example, I worked for four years as regional director of an agribusiness and rural infrastructure development project. The project exceeded its objectives in numbers of firms supported and miles of road and railroad rehabilitated. We established an outstanding record for staff performance and loyalty. The U.S. Ambassador and the governor each cited our project as the most outstanding in the region.

Q: Do you see waste in county government? Explain.

A: Local government is the closest to the people, and thus most easily open to scrutiny by the public. This is why waste is not generally a problem at this level. The most serious problem in local governments is rather how to stretch limited resources to meet the increasing demands for services by the public. Local officials are obliged to make hard decisions to allocate funding among relatively equally deserving programs. In this process some people do not get all of what they are expecting. However, most people usually get something of value from their government.

Q: Flooding in Iowa and the recent financial downturn nationally will change the way state and federal agencies prioritize money. Do you see an impact at the county level? How would you handle that?

A: In any emergency or natural disaster situation, government agencies at all levels are obliged to re-orient the use of their limited revenues to pay for disaster relief and rehabilitation services. Often, this means that the budget resources for ordinary services are constricted. While the flooding last spring did not directly affect Clay County as much as other areas, we will be feeling the pinch as state, federal and private funds ordinarily available are allocated to other areas for relief and rehabilitation. This will require board members to be even more careful in how our limited financial resources are used. Sacrifices may well have to be made. It will be essential that the board accelerate its consultation with the various constituencies in the county to assure that the burden of these sacrifices is reasonably distributed.

Q: Five people have stepped forward to apply for a job in county government. One more time, tell the voters, your employers, why you should be one of the two choices.

A: The most important consideration in local government is managing the discrepancy between the limited resources available and the number and scope of the services required. I have 30 years experience working in managing agriculture, agribusiness and land use planning projects. In all these situations I have had to work under tight budgets to provide the best possible outcomes to the most people possible. As a result I have developed the management, decision-making and consultative skills that will enhance the Board of Supervisors overall ability to address the needs and concerns of Clay County citizens as efficiently as possible.

JOE SKOW

Joe Skow is 56 years old and lives in Spencer. He and his wife, Sue, have been married for 34 years. The Skows have two grown children, Nate and Jessica. Both children are married and the Skows have five grandchildren.

Skow retired as a sergeant after 30 years with the Iowa State Patrol. He currently works part time at Warner Funeral Home. He graduated from Maple Valley Community School in Mapleton and received his AA degree from Western Iowa Tech in Sioux City.

He has been a volunteer throughout his adult life and gained local governmental experience serving as a Spencer City Councilman for two years. A promotion required him to temporarily relocate. He serves on the SMU Program Committee, is a member of the Daybreakers Kiwanis Club, and co-founded the Blackhawk Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. He's also co-founded a youth wrestling program, coached T-Ball and most recently has been a Hospice volunteer. In 2006, Skow was chosen as the Hospice Volunteer of the Year.

Q: Tell us about one experience in your life that reflects your leadership skills or values.

A: Several come to mind, but the "Beyond the Call of Duty" project is one that sticks out in my memory as it was my idea, which, I was able to initiate and see succeed. When I was a member of the Iowa State Patrol, I heard of tissue typing through the University of Iowa and thought it would be great to get as many officers as we could typed and registered. After many phone calls, meetings, and writing a lot of letters we got it done with more than 400 Public Safety employees added into the Worldwide Registry. It was a group effort with Governor Vilsack and the Commissioner of Public Safety appearing on the promotional video and a U of I sorority adopting the project as well. And remarkably, within a year, Sgt. Brad Krei, from right here in Spencer traveled to Iowa City and donated platelets. By doing so we helped save a life, and have the chance to save more.

Q: Do you see waste in county government? Explain.

A: I believe there most likely is waste in almost all government. I plan to spend time in each department of our county and go over their budget with the directors. Of course, I have heard some complaints as I go around the county, but until I have a chance to speak with the department heads and employees, I hesitate to be specific as to what is waste and what is not.

Q: Flooding in Iowa and the recent financial downturn nationally will change the way state and federal agencies prioritize money. Do you see an impact at the county level? How would you handle that?

A: There will be an impact, and we should anticipate and prepare for it. There is only so much money, whether it is state, federal, or county, and it needs to be prioritized. I would handle it by sitting with the rest of the board, and go over each item in "discretionary spending," and then stick to our budget when requests come in throughout the year. The county still has debt, and several lawsuits pending. We may have to consider a temporary hiring freeze at some point. As far as the county budget, I will be your whistle blower. If I see any indication of financial trouble, YOU the taxpayer will hear it from me first. It is your county and your money.

Q: Five people have stepped forward to apply for a job in county government. One more time, tell the voters, your employers, why you should be one of the two choices.

A: I believe I have all the skills and experience to be the best candidate. I have had many years of making tough decisions without the luxury of having a week or more to check with others or constituents before making them. I have an ag background which is important when serving a rural county. I have city council experience which helped me learn you are just one vote and to be effective you must work with the entire board to make good decisions. I am the only candidate besides Del who has attended nearly all the supervisor meetings since January. Most importantly, I have common sense. I have been in every corner of Clay County and we are blessed to have such a great cross-section of people living here. We are so fortunate many community volunteers give to our community every day, whether in serving as a volunteer fireman, school board member, 4-H leader or a member of any civic organization. I want to work with you to keep Clay County one of the friendliest, safest and most prosperous places in the country. I would appreciate your vote on Nov. 4.

JIM UMSCHEID, JR.

Jim Umscheid, Jr. is 53 years old and lives 6 miles northeast of Spencer in Meadow Township. Umscheid and his wife, Mary Jo, have been married for nine years. He has three grown stepdaughters and two grandsons.


Umscheid owned and operated the Greenville Locker for 25 years. He sold the business in 2007. He also operated the Greenville Post Office for 16 years. He is a graduate of Clay Central High School in Royal.

He has supported the 4-H program at the Clay County Fair for over 20 years.

Q: Tell us about one experience in your life that reflects your leadership skills or values.

A: Owning and operating a small business in Clay County for many years was a great life experience for me. It started as just a business, but turned into a lot of friendships over the years. I retired from my business almost 2 years ago now. I don't miss the work much anymore but I do miss all the people. In those 25 years that I was in business, the experiences I learned, the leadership skills I gained and the people I met, I would not trade for anything. By owning the Greenville Locker, it gained me many experiences in life and over time I attained the leadership skills needed to make it very successful.

Q: Do you see waste in county government? Explain.

A: To balance the budget in these economic times will not be easy. Overall, the county does a pretty good job with county funds. Although, I feel that in some areas of the county we are overspending or wasting county resources. It is time to be better conservators of the resources we have instead of overspending and wasting county dollars. We need to review all areas of the county and reduce spending where we can, yet still maintain the quality services we are accustomed to now.

Q: Flooding in Iowa and the recent financial downturn nationally will change the way state and federal agencies prioritize money. Do you see an impact at the county level? How would you handle that?

A: I think in the coming years, state and federal revenues will be constant or reduced and that will have a big impact at the county level. We will need to watch our expenses. Only funding necessary or immediate projects will be our main objective during current economic times. Some projects may have to be prioritized based on revenue availability, put "on hold" or funded in phases. Higher taxes are not the answer -- sound board decisions are.

Q: Five people have stepped forward to apply for a job in county government. One more time, tell the voters, your employers, why you should be one of the two choices.

A: I live in rural Clay County and have been a resident of Clay County for 44 years. I have owned and operated a small business in the county for 25 years. I am willing to listen and represent all the citizens of Clay County if elected. I am honest and hard working. With my business background experience, my ability to work with people on a friendly basis, the ability to make solid decisions, plus being retired gives me the flexibility and time to work on issues as your county supervisor. I am looking forward to working with the experienced and dedicated county employees who provide the valuable services to the citizens of Clay County.