Write-in mayors sticking to job

When Iowa election returns rolled in late Tuesday, some of the winners were people who never wanted the job in the first place.

Write-in candidates swept elections in several small southwest Iowa towns where not enough people have enough time to run city government.

“I didn't put my name on the ballot. I didn't put a sign up; I didn't ask anybody for their vote,” said Massena Mayor Mike Cormack with a laugh. “So be it.”

Cormack went to great lengths to let people know he didn't have time to serve another term as mayor, even writing a letter to the local paper, giving citizens advance notice of his intentions to step down.

But, as the election grew near, people contacted him — worried about the prospect of not having a mayor. Cormack, elected two years ago when nobody ran for the office, told people to go ahead and write him in.

“I wouldn't leave the town in a lurch,” he said.

Cormack's sense of civic obligation is lacking in some of the younger residents of Northboro in Page County, said Mayor Doyle Parmenter.

Parmenter didn't run for mayor, but he fully expected to be elected for a third term through write-ins.

“I guess it's my duty to keep the town going,” Parmenter said. “Nobody else is interested.”

Northboro, population 55, has a five-person council and a mayor to draw from its small populace.

Lifelong resident Parmenter, 66, wants to see the town make some positive moves. Its only business recently closed. After the only convenience store closed last year, residents must drive 18 miles to gas up their cars.

“I'd do anything to keep the town alive,” he said.

That sentiment was echoed by several write-in winners.

Rose Schoening, mayor-elect of Silver City, conducted a short write-in campaign — less than 48 hours — after people campaigned for her to run.

Silver City, like most small towns, has “controversial personalities,” Schoening said.

“To step into the role of mayor or city councilperson, you're kind of leaving yourself open to some major criticism,” said Schoening. “People are just tired of it and don't want to do it.”

As a former councilwoman and mayor pro-tem, Schoening knows what she's getting into, she said. In the end, her obligation to the town is stronger than her desire to stay out of the fray.

Cumberland Mayor Julie Edwards made it clear she wanted to move on, but the town isn't ready to let her go.

The library has an expansion project on the horizon, and Edwards says the library board wants to have her around for that. She's worried about the time commitment, and she's not excited for the small town conflict.

“It's hard in a small town, when you're dealing with your relatives and friends and neighbors, if they're doing something they shouldn't,” Edwards said. “People complain to you, and then you have to put your mayor hat on and be the bad guy.”

Despite that, she's ready to stick it out for Cumberland.

“I just was hoping someone would step up and start a campaign and take some interest,” Edwards said. “I guess we'll wait two more years.”

Contact the writer:

444-1310, elizabeth.ahlin@owh.com

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