Meet the candidates for Polk County Board of Supervisors District 2 in Urbandale, Johnston

Three candidates are competing to replace longtime Polk County supervisor Robert Brownell, who will retire from his District 2 seat at the end of the year.

Republicans Jill Altringer and Bob Start will square off in the June primary to represent the district on the Polk County Board of Supervisors, which includes Johnston, Urbandale, Grimes, Polk City, Alleman, Elkhart, Mitchellville, Bondurant and a portion of Sheldahl. The winner will face Democrat John Forbes in November.

Brownell, who's serving his sixth term, announced his retirement in March 2023 following his wife's diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease.

To help voters, the Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal, Des Moines area legislative and local candidates running for political office this year. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

The primary election is scheduled for June 4 ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.

More: Early voting has started for Iowa's June 4 primary election. Here's what you should know:

Who is Jill Altringer?

Age: 48

Party: Republican

Grew up: Storm Lake

Current town of residence: Grimes

Education: Bachelor's in biology/chemistry from the University of Iowa; Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law; passed the Iowa bar in 2001 and the federal patent bar in 2002

Occupation: Attorney and small business owner

Political experience and civic activities: City Council, 2006-2021; Polk County Conservation Board, 2017-2024, chair 2023/24; Grimes Leadership Academy Board 2023-2024; Middle School Mock Trial coach 2016-2024; Metro Advisory Council (MAC) and MAC executive committee; Economic Development Committee; Water and Waste Water Committee; Library Board; Park and Recreation Board; Fire Department Board; Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); Bravo; Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) and DART Strategic Planning Committee; Iowa Women in Agriculture Board; Grimes Kiwanis Board; 2011 “Forty Under 40” award, Des Moines Business Record

Who is Bob Start?

Age: 67

Party: Republican

Grew up: Omaha, Nebraska

Current town of residence: Granger

Education: I attended Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska, and then Hastings College of Nebraska.

Occupation: I am the owner/CEO of American Moving.

Political experience and civic activities: I have held multiple leadership and board positions in Rotary Club and at my church, as well as being a musical director for bands and jazz groups since the sixth grade.

Who is John Forbes?

Age: 67

Party: Democrat

Grew up: Eagle Grove

Current town of residence: Urbandale

Education: Bachelor's of pharmacy, Drake University, 1980

Occupation: Pharmacist

Political experience and civic activities: State representative 2013-present, Urbandale City Council 2005-2012, Urbandale Library Foundation Board member 1995-present, Central Iowa Honor Flight coordinator 2009-2024, past president of Polk County and Iowa Pharmacy associations

What is the most important issue facing Polk County and how would you address it in office?

Altringer: Polk County residents are facing economic uncertainty. As supervisor, I'll safeguard Polk County taxpayers through careful budget oversight, find ways to cut costs and waste while maintaining crucial services, and ensure responsible spending. In doing this, I commit to openly discussing financial issues, listening to residents, and always putting taxpayers first. My ultimate goal is to cut the property tax levy and focus on accountability and transparency to ensure Polk County families keep more of their hard-earned money.

Start: I believe the most important issues facing Polk County are over taxation and economic development. We need to work on letting our hardworking residents keep more of their hard-earned money, which will give people more opportunities to create thriving small businesses.

Forbes: I would like to make sure the county continues to take care of our most vulnerable residents, ensuring that we continue to address mental health, homelessness and food insecurity. Instead of taking people to jail for mental health crises, we should continue to focus on programs that will direct help for these individuals. We also need to address homelessness in the county and facilitate in helping find housing for individuals who are in need. Food insecurity is a problem countywide and we should work with local food banks to ensure no person or child goes hungry in our county.

What new programs or initiatives would you advocate for under your leadership?

Altringer: One initiative I would advocate for is transforming senior meal sites into local hubs for mobile health and legal services. This would involve collaboration with health care and legal experts at the established sites in order to enhance accessibility to seniors. Offering health check-ups, screenings, and telemedicine access would improve health care accessibility for our seniors. Adding legal clinics for estate planning and benefits advice would address simple legal concerns. Collaborating with community groups and using technology for information sharing would improve services to meet the needs of our seniors while also boosting the well-being of the community.

Start: Polk County is an extremely diverse place, both demographically and geographically. One of the issues I hear most about is transparency, and one of the biggest issues is that the board meets at one place and during working hours. I would strongly advocate to move meetings to an evening time, as many counties have done, to allow more residents to attend. I will also champion a policy of moving the meeting around to other towns/cities in our county to allow the board to hear from all of our residents.

Forbes: I want to make sure Polk County is a leader in renewable energy, addressing climate change and ensuring clean water to our residents. We need to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels and encourage use of alternative energy. I will work to explore expansion of wind and solar programs for Polk County residents and address the need to reduce and eliminate nitrates and pesticides in our drinking water.

How would you manage rising personal costs for taxpayers while maintaining a county budget that provides essential services to residents?

Altringer: Managing rising costs while maintaining essential services requires prioritizing community needs, making operations more efficient, and identifying cost savings through expansion of shared regional services and better utilizing technology. My priority is to focus on cutting waste from the budget while exploring alternative revenue sources such as public-private partnerships or grants to diversify funding streams. Furthermore, open communication is key to transparent budget discussions and will lead to better understanding and support from residents; this coupled with a regular review of the budget priorities and expenses helps ensure the county is responsive to the community’s changing needs and economic conditions.

Start: If we allow our residents to keep more of their money by reducing skyrocketing property taxes, then I am confident the economic development/stimulation we will see from that will make up for revenue lost, especially if we reduce the levy gradually.

Forbes: I have voted in the Iowa Legislature to reduce property taxes for all Iowans and I will continue to address property tax increases at the county level. I want to keep property taxes as low as possible, in order not to price hard working Polk County homeowners, many of whom are seniors, out of their homes. The bonds to pay off Wells Fargo Arena, built over 20 years ago will expire in one to two years, which will free up millions of dollars that can be used to reduce property taxes. We need to make sure we continue to provide superior services such as public safety, public health, and maintaining our county road and facilities for our citizens.

What is your approach to balancing the needs and interests of residents in growing cities and in small towns?

Altringer: Balancing urban and rural needs is complicated and requires a multifaceted approach. We must prioritize needs, allocate resources, develop infrastructure, and provide services equitably to communities throughout the county. This can be done through collaborative planning with urban and rural stakeholders to ensure decisions consider diverse perspectives and needs. Innovative policies tailored to each area's challenges should be evaluated while promoting overall growth to the community and investing in infrastructure that connects urban and rural areas fosters economic opportunities and social cohesion. With a comprehensive approach, we can effectively manage growth, reduce disparities, and cultivate thriving communities across diverse landscapes.

Start: District 2 is extremely diverse geographically. It is the most rural district in Polk County, but it also has booming suburban areas. One of the things I would implement immediately once elected is to begin regular town halls in a rotation of every city/town in the district. I am running to be a voice on the board for our entire district, from Urbandale to Elkhart to Bondurant. It will be the No. 1 priority for me to get out into these communities and hear the specific needs of all of our residents.

Forbes: Having grown up in a small town in north central Iowa, I understand the needs of both small towns and growing cities. A large part of District 2 is located in rural areas of our county. My work in the Legislature over the past 12 years demonstrates my commitment to rural Iowa and their needs. It is critical to make sure our smaller communities have up-to-date water treatment facilities, adequate power needs and a clean source of drinking water, which is vital for the continued growth of these smaller, but growing cities.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Meet the candidates for Polk County Board of Supervisors in Urbandale