JOHNSON COUNTY — Five candidates are on the ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 8 general election seeking two open seats on the County Board of Supervisors.
Incumbent Democrat Jon Green is seeking to retain his seat. Also on the ballot are fellow Democrat V Fixmer-Oraiz, Republicans Phil Hemingway and Jammie Bradshaw, and Eric Heick (no party).
In an effort to present these candidates to our readers, the Solon Economist reached out to all five campaigns with a series of questions. This week, Eric Heick and Jammie Bradshaw have responded. Bradshaw’s responses are printed below. Phill Hemingway’s and V Fixmer-Oraiz’s responses were printed previously.
Jammie Bradshaw is a wife, mother of four, ten-year Air Force veteran, and a breast cancer survivor.
“I have spent my entire life serving my community and country in some fashion or way. I have always believed that in order to make any place the best it can be everyone must put in the work. I have taught my children that hard work truly helps to carve out an amazing world where everyone feels valued. When I was in the military I worked as aircraft mechanic, turning wrenches every day to prepare aircraft to launch around the world. My job was to make sure that the aircraft I worked on were safe and could complete the mission. The air crew and nation trusted that I would do the hard work and complete the mission. Later in my career I worked in the hazmat and mission planning. I was responsible for making sure all hazmat was taken care of correctly and to plan missions, making sure that the resources and people were all managed correctly. When I left the military I worked for Boeing and developed the maintenance program for the new KC46 aircraft. I was trusted that I could do the research with the hard work and find the solution. I moved to Iowa to work with Green and renewable energy with drone/AI technology. I was trusted to put this process in place for safe and renewable energy that is currently being used in Iowa. I was trusted by all these positions and have proven I have what it takes to find the solution. I want to bring this knowledge and experience to find the solutions to make Johnson County the best it can possibly be.
Why are you running for a seat on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors? And why do you feel qualified to hold such office – why should the voters hire you to represent them?”
“I’m running for Supervisor because I feel that Johnson County deserves a supervisor that is going to put the people first. A supervisor who has the knowledge and experience of working with people from different backgrounds. As a veteran who has deployed during Operation Iraq Freedom, and Enduring Freedom I have worked with cultures around the world. This has taught me what really matters, the mission and the people. Combine this history and the fact that I am a mom, and this is why I am running for supervisor. I want to teach my children that if you truly want to make a difference you have to be willing to put in the work. I believe that I have the skills and experience to make Johnson County a great place and I feel that as a supervisor I can make this a reality.”
What do you see as the highest priority issue facing Johnson County? Why? And as one vote on the board, how would you address it?
“Trust had been lost in the board. People across the county feel forgotten by the board. This trust needs to be restored. The county and the people need to be represented by a board who truly represents them. We need to focus on bringing a transportation system to all of the county. This will create jobs and allow all of Johnson County to be successful. We need to restore the trust that the board will truly put what matters most first, the people and the county. It’s time that we focused on making the county a place that people look to as a beacon of hope and inspiration for what a county truly can be. Let’s restore this trust in a board who listens to the people and we can make this an amazing place to work and live.”
What are some other high-priority issues, as you see them?
“The next four years are very important in my book. If I am elected by the people of Johnson County to serve as supervisor, I want to put my words into action. I want to work with the rural areas and towns to figure out what sort of public transportation system would work best for them. I want to expand the hours that the buses in Iowa City run in order to take care of people that work on 3rd shift or off hours. I want to work with local construction companies to put together a housing program that will create a path to home ownership and not the same standard “affordable” housing that we have always used. I want to work on making sure that the people in the towns surrounding Iowa City really have a voice in what happens in the county. This would be done by pushing to move meetings to the different towns and if I cannot get the whole board to move, then making sure that I attend the local town halls and also have times in which the people of each town can come to their local city hall and meet with me. I want to make sure the people of Johnson County are truly taken care of and have the opportunity to prosper and grow.”
With a currently 100% Democratic Board of Supervisors, do you feel Republicans/conservatives have a voice in Johnson County and that their interests are being represented? If elected, how would you ensure all residents of Johnson County are heard and represented?
“In the last 60 plus years there has not been a conservative to serve on the board for a full term. Because of this the conservative side and rural side has not had proper representation. A board with members that all have the same mindset does not create a place where everyone is represented. As a person who lives, works, and farms in rural Johnson County I will make sure that those in rural Johnson County have the voice that they deserve. As someone who has worked with people from different cultures around the world, I have the experience and know how to work with those whom I do not always agree with. The biggest part of working to make sure that all of Johnson County is represented is bringing respect to the table and the willingness to listen to each other.”
Anything else you want our readers to know about you?
“If you look at my campaign you will find I have chosen not to run a smear campaign. I believe that if you are going to possibly work with someone this does not show respect. I want to represent Johnson County and slandering someone for months does not foster respect. Having that respect even if we disagree will allow for me to have conversations that lead to real results. I want to be a voice for the people and what the people want is what truly matters.”