fullsteenahead

There were six questions submitted to the Indianola Independent Advocate for the three mayoral candidates to answer.  With permission, I am posting my responses here. I do invite you to subscribe to the Independent Advocate to read the responses from the other two candidates.

Question 1: What are your thoughts on the proposed combination library/city hall?

The special election for Mayor of Indianola is coming up quickly. 

Be sure you have listened to everything we candidates have said in radio interviews (KNIAKRLS.com - the local Indianola station), have read everything we candidates have said in interviews (www.desmoinesregister.com and The Indianola Record Herald) or by reading the articles and our answers to questions sent in by the public in The Indianola Independent Advocate (indianola-ia.com). Go online with The Simpsonian, (thesimpsonian.com, the Simpson College online paper).  If you were in attendance at the Mayor's Youth Council panel at the high school, consider our introductions of ourselves and the answers to questions.

I haven't finished visiting businesses and talking to people.  I love meeting people.  With "social distancing" necessary, it has been nearly impossible to present ourselves in front of service clubs, church groups, etc., because most aren't meeting on a regular basis or are only meeting by Zoom, Skype....

A lot of thought went into answering the questions submitted by the public to The Indianola Independent Advocate and the interview questions conducted by Amy Duncan, George Shillcock, Andrew Swadner and Paul Hyatt.  Those reporters were thorough.  Thank you to all of you and to Becky Lane, sponsor of the Mayor's Youth Council, for arranging the panel for the high school students.  Though most of the students are too young to vote, they showed great interest by their presence that morning.

Communication, which means speaking and listening, are critical to the success of any leadership position.  Those two ingredients determine a good or mediocre leader.  I want your vote for Mayor of Indianola, Iowa; my home town, your home town.  Do your "home" work.

Today, Thursday morning, February 25, I had the pleasure of being on a zoom call with Paul Hyatt, Junior, and staff writer for Simpson College's student-run newspaper, The Simpsonian. We discussed a lot about how Simpson fits with the City of Indianola. I believe it was a profitable, worthy conversation.

If anyone wants to check The Simpsonian out, go to thesimpsonian.com. To contact Paul directly, go to [email protected] 

The article about the mayoral candidates won't be posted for a couple of days. This is an online newspaper.

Seven a.m. (7:00 a.m.) is early.  But I'll tell you something. When you get up and around to be at a meeting at that time, you know it's important and you want to be there. This is when the Mayor's Youth Council meets at Indianola High School. 

That's what I can say about the three of us running for Mayor in the special election on March 2, 2021, and about Becky Lane who sponsors the Council. I can say it, too, about the twenty high school students who attended, right on time at 7:00.

They opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm impressed. The candidates for Mayor were then given three minutes to introduce ourselves and explain why we want to be Mayor of Indianola. After our introductions, the students were given the opportunity to ask questions.

My main point, and this applies to anyone of any age, is that people have to be involved. People with ideas need to surround themselves with "help." I made the point that my list of everything I've done (which just touched the surface) sounds like bragging - but weren't just done alone. Everything took help by various numbers of people. 

If we don't get involved with the start of each process, we have no business complaining when the decision/s don't go our way. There's no "I told you so" allowed if you haven't opened your mouth. 

Example, which I didn't tell this morning, is that due to a pretty awful car wreck where the drunk driver who hit us was killed, I got involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Because of our experience and because of getting involved with MADD, I spoke at the Capitol before the Iowa Legislature to help convince them to lower the acceptable Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) for drivers. Which they did.

Not much can be done successfully, well or lasting without many people working together. I have been on many Boards and Committees where solutions have been found through studying the issues and making plans. But when other people find out the outcomes, many times they complain and question it all. ~Squeaky wheels.~ If they had been involved from the beginning, there wouldn't be as much arguing or push-back.

Like a well-oiled machine or a winning team, people need to get involved and work together. That is what I think the students on the Mayor's Youth Council will do. They are already beginning their involvement. I'm proud of them.

I find the right words so very hard to choose to start this particular blog. Fun. I'm having fun. But serious. It is important and serious.

When my grandpa decided to run for Mayor of Indianola, I was in 5th grade. I don't remember if he discussed it with the family. I don't remember if he asked for help with signs and flyers. I do remember him sitting in a car doing a radio interview. Why a car, I don't know. It wasn't like he could get away from us noisy grandchildren and do the interview with his cell phone. Not in 1965. The reporter probably used a tape recorder to record the interview. I don't remember ever hearing it.

As an adult, I've been involved with many political campaigns. Local County candidates, State candidates and Dr. Ben Carson for President.

I've said before, but it's true, I would be honored to serve Indianola as Mayor, even for the ten months left in Mr. Shaw's term.

News you should know about this week is that our local radio station is airing interviews done with the three candidates during "Let's Talk Indianola." Our 3-year-old, local radio station will air an interview I had with Andrew Swadner on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Stephanie Erickson's was aired today (Monday 2/22), mine will be tomorrow and Pam Pepper's on Wednesday the 24th. The radio station is KNIA 94.3 FM. If you miss hearing them at the time the radio plays them, you may go to the website and listen to them online. The link for that is KNIAKRLS.com 

I can also tell you that the Simpsonian College Newspaper will interview us this week. The purpose is to help students realize the ability and necessity to participate in the election process. I'll tell you more about that, about the student doing the interviews and writing the article, and how you can get a copy of the paper or read it online after it is completed.

I hope everyone will have a nice Monday, the start to a nice week. 

This is the last week to vote in the Special Election prior to election day. If you want to vote early, it's too late to request a ballot be mailed to you. You may go to the Administration Building, 301 N Buxton, Indianola, during the hours the building is open. I know that they close at 4:30, so it would be best to go no later than 4:00. They will take your temperature when you enter the building. You'll need your ID to be given a ballot. If you have questions for the Auditor's Office, the # is 515-961-1020.

If you miss voting this week, you can still vote there on Monday, March 1. On Tuesday, March 2, the poll where everyone will vote is at American Legion, on 1st Street, directly across from the Post Office to the east.

Vote for the candidate you believe will be the best Mayor. I hope you will trust me to be that candidate. I'll keep you informed, pay attention to your concerns, I'll listen and direct your concerns to the right person. I'll do my best to respond directly to you, or will address issues here in this blog. There may be others with similar questions. Basically, I'll do my best to make myself available; in person, by phone, by email or blog.

     As I look out the window, today is a sunny, warm day for October in Iowa.  Other days have gray skies, tornado, even derecho winds, blizzard conditions or fog—many of which could happen in Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer here….  That is similar to the conditions of a city.  All leaders of Cities, States and Nations must realize the changes that might come gradually or unexpectedly.  Having things run smoothly is best.

     I grew up in Indianola, was a dancer, a cheerleader, participated in clubs, sang in the choir, was a founding member of the New Life Singers my Junior year; members of whom were kids from every church in the area.  I went to college in Ames and Iowa City.  My husband and I lived in the mountains of Virginia for a Summer and two years in Minneapolis.  We moved back to Iowa City, to Burlington on the mighty Mississippi, and then came full-circle back to Warren County where everything we got involved in was in Indianola.

     The Fetters and Steen families have been involved in Indianola for many years, in many ways.  Education, a dance band, athletics, civic involvement…. My grandpa died in office as Mayor in the mid-60s.  I know that Indianola is a different City than it was at that time.  But I have a passion for helping Indianola thrive.

     In a way, I’d love for the world to know about this City that sits in the heart of the Nation.  In another way, it’s a rather nice secret.

   Balloons that dot the sky every year, and any time the winds cooperate, are a sight to see.  I’ve ridden in balloons twice.  Fun!  We can brag about the great college that we can all benefit from; everyone taking classes or just to walk the campus.  Our Elementary Schools, Middle and High Schools send well-equipped young people into the world when they complete the grades.  And to my knowledge, none of them get left behind if they struggle.

     I would like a chance to sit in the office of Mayor; to complete the term left from Mr. Kelly Shaw’s resignation.  What I don’t know about or understand, I would get the answers.  I would like a chance to help citizens thrive as well as the City.  I would do my best to make Indianola continue to be a place of which we’re all proud.

     Your vote for me on March 2, 2021, would mean the world to me.  [updated: I’ve built a website so that people have a chance to contact me easily and voice opinions, concerns, needs….  It is ready now and readers may comment.  Go to www.fullsteenahead.com

   I will add here that Tom and I dated in High School, went to college together (after I transferred from ISU to Iowa), we married in 1975 and have three children and four grandchildren. Tom graduated from Iowa, played baseball for a season with the Houston Astros, then went to Grad School in Minneapolis. I graduated from Iowa in 1992 (no typo), with Tom, my parents and our three kids watching me walk across the platform for my diploma. I graduated with athletes such as Acie Earl and Danan Hughes; who my guys liked watching graduate more than their mother. Graduating in the way I did proves that there is no time limit on goals. If you want it, it can be done. And our family motto is "You've gotta try."

    Thank you for considering me for Mayor.  Michelle

March 2, 2021, is the date for the special election for Indianola Mayor. While this might not seem like a big deal, a vote for only one office, having the right to help choose the person who will be the Ambassador for your City really is a big deal.

I'd be honored to have your vote. I've said before that my grandpa was Mayor in the mid-60s. He died while in office, so there must have been a special election to replace him. I'm running to fill the office left open by a resignation. In a weird way, it feels like I'm completing Grandpa's term in office. I hadn't really thought of it that way before.

If there's a chance that you'll forget to vote on March 2, then please vote early at the Administration Building, 310 N Buxton, Indianola. Details below: forgive if the card is crooked : )