City Council
|
Early Vote
|
Nov. 5TH
|
Total
|
Percent
|
Haverkamp
|
133
|
221
|
354
|
63%
|
Lane
|
129
|
205
|
334
|
60%
|
Quezada
|
126
|
198
|
324
|
58%
|
Miller
|
121
|
175
|
296
|
53%
|
Nampala
|
118
|
165
|
283
|
51%
|
McGrath
|
123
|
134
|
257
|
46%
|
Hopson
|
120
|
122
|
242
|
43%
|
Leff
|
116
|
125
|
241
|
43%
|
Stewart
|
116
|
104
|
220
|
39%
|
Write Ins
|
4
|
9
|
13
|
Top 5 finishers elected to council
MAYOR
|
Early Vote
|
Nov. 5TH
|
Total
|
Percent
|
From
|
151
|
205
|
356
|
90%
|
Write Ins
|
26
|
15
|
41
|
Total Voters
|
Early Vote
|
Nov. 5TH
|
Total
|
242
|
317
|
559
|
When talking to the Press Citizen Tuesday night I was hoping to express that it is imperative for the new council to work to bring our community back together. It will take effort from all parties to do so.
Pro-development sweeps U. Heights
60.3 percent of registered voters cast a ballot,
which set a city record and led county in turnout
Voters turned out in record numbers Tuesday in University Heights, delivering a resounding pro-development message.
With 60 percent of registered voters casting a ballot, residents ousted the three City Council members who have stood in opposition of a developer’s plans to construct the mixed-use project along Melrose Avenue called One University Place.
Incumbents Rosanne Hopson, Jan Leff and Brennan McGrath — who have fought the proposed commercial and condominium project that has been at the center of bitter debate the past five years — each lost their seats. They will be replaced by Virginia Miller,Zadok Nampala and Silvia Quezada, a trio of first-time challengers who ran on pro-development platforms.
“I’m really looking forward to working together with the rest of the group and finally having a green light for the development going forward, the way people in University Heights want to see it,” said Nampala, a 30-year-old master’s student in social work at the University of Iowa.
Pro-development incumbents Mike Haverkamp and Jim Lane retained their council posts with the top two showings, garnering 63 percent and 60 percent, unofficially.
In total, 559 of University Heights’ 927 registered voters cast a ballot, or 60.3 percent. It was by far the highest percentage of any city in Johnson County, and set a new city record for turnout, surpassing the previous high mark of 534 voters in 2011.
Although past elections amid the One University Place debate have been decided by razor-thin margins and resulted in councils with clashing development philosophies, the coalition of pro-development candidates ran away with the race this time around.
Still, rather than touting victory, Haverkamp and others stressed moving on from the contentious and sometimes ugly debates of the past few years and bringing people back together.
“The thing to always remember is we’re a small town where we know everybody, so I think what’s important is to remember the entire community functioning together is the only way we’re going to move forward,” said Haverkamp, a 53-year-old teacher. “I think the responsibility the citizens of our community have entrusted us with is something I take very seriously, and I’ll make sure I’m responsible to everyone in the community.”
Lane, a 68-year-old investment consultant, said the pro-development camp presented “a positive vision” that resonated with voters. However, he said much of the heavy lifting lies ahead, particularity the looming question of how much financial support the city will contribute to One University Place.
“Quite frankly, the work is just beginning,” Lane said. “We have to figure out the right development, especially the financing. I don’t want to see the community get financially strapped.”
Quezada, a 39-year-old attorney, said that even though Tuesday’s five victors campaigned as a “loose coalition,” they each will bring distinct approaches to the council in how they’d like to see the development take shape.
“I think the voters are ready for smart, intelligent growth in our community, and I’m ready to do the people’s business and protect our best interest going forward and setting us up for a bright and fulfilling future in University Heights,” Quezada said.
Miller said that with St. Andrew Presbyterian Church set to finalize the sale of the property to the developer and relocate in the coming years, she’s eager to help University Heights “start trying to move forward.”
“We now have a pretty firm time line of when the church is moving out that we can work around, so there are not as many unknowns as there were in the past,” said Miller, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mother.
Mayor Louise From, who ran uncontested, will serve a fifth term as mayor after collecting 90 percent of the votes.
With 60 percent of registered voters casting a ballot, residents ousted the three City Council members who have stood in opposition of a developer’s plans to construct the mixed-use project along Melrose Avenue called One University Place.
Incumbents Rosanne Hopson, Jan Leff and Brennan McGrath — who have fought the proposed commercial and condominium project that has been at the center of bitter debate the past five years — each lost their seats. They will be replaced by Virginia Miller,Zadok Nampala and Silvia Quezada, a trio of first-time challengers who ran on pro-development platforms.
“I’m really looking forward to working together with the rest of the group and finally having a green light for the development going forward, the way people in University Heights want to see it,” said Nampala, a 30-year-old master’s student in social work at the University of Iowa.
Pro-development incumbents Mike Haverkamp and Jim Lane retained their council posts with the top two showings, garnering 63 percent and 60 percent, unofficially.
In total, 559 of University Heights’ 927 registered voters cast a ballot, or 60.3 percent. It was by far the highest percentage of any city in Johnson County, and set a new city record for turnout, surpassing the previous high mark of 534 voters in 2011.
Although past elections amid the One University Place debate have been decided by razor-thin margins and resulted in councils with clashing development philosophies, the coalition of pro-development candidates ran away with the race this time around.
Still, rather than touting victory, Haverkamp and others stressed moving on from the contentious and sometimes ugly debates of the past few years and bringing people back together.
“The thing to always remember is we’re a small town where we know everybody, so I think what’s important is to remember the entire community functioning together is the only way we’re going to move forward,” said Haverkamp, a 53-year-old teacher. “I think the responsibility the citizens of our community have entrusted us with is something I take very seriously, and I’ll make sure I’m responsible to everyone in the community.”
Lane, a 68-year-old investment consultant, said the pro-development camp presented “a positive vision” that resonated with voters. However, he said much of the heavy lifting lies ahead, particularity the looming question of how much financial support the city will contribute to One University Place.
“Quite frankly, the work is just beginning,” Lane said. “We have to figure out the right development, especially the financing. I don’t want to see the community get financially strapped.”
Quezada, a 39-year-old attorney, said that even though Tuesday’s five victors campaigned as a “loose coalition,” they each will bring distinct approaches to the council in how they’d like to see the development take shape.
“I think the voters are ready for smart, intelligent growth in our community, and I’m ready to do the people’s business and protect our best interest going forward and setting us up for a bright and fulfilling future in University Heights,” Quezada said.
Miller said that with St. Andrew Presbyterian Church set to finalize the sale of the property to the developer and relocate in the coming years, she’s eager to help University Heights “start trying to move forward.”
“We now have a pretty firm time line of when the church is moving out that we can work around, so there are not as many unknowns as there were in the past,” said Miller, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mother.
Mayor Louise From, who ran uncontested, will serve a fifth term as mayor after collecting 90 percent of the votes.
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