A spool of ‘I Voted’ stickers rests on a cart at Clutier City Hall during a past city-school election. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TOLEDO – The deadline to file as a candidate for the Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 city-school election came and went last month, and while a significant number of incumbents chose to run for reelection, a pair of directors from both the North Tama County and Union school boards made the decision to not seek another term.

“The youngest of my six children is a senior this year. Through the 25+(!) years we have had children enrolled in the [Union Community School District], my husband and I have striven to be involved in their education and the activities of the school district. We are grateful for the experiences and preparation that all of them have received, and now I think it is time to turn the page to a new chapter,” Union District 2 Director Maureen Hanson told the newspaper in an email when asked to comment on her decision not to run again. She will now finish out her first and only term.

“It has been an honor to serve the district the past four years on the board, and we always will remain steadfast Knight supporters,” Hanson, who currently serves as the board’s vice president, continued. “The school district is the heart of Iowa’s small communities, and we are very proud of ours and excited for its future in serving our young people and their families!”

No one filed to run for Hanson’s seat which means it will be open to write-in candidates.

In addition to Hanson’s seat, no candidate filed for the Union District 1 Director seat currently held by Reid Carlson of La Porte City. Carlson mounted a write-in campaign during the 2021 city-school election after no one filed. District 1 encompasses portions of the Black Hawk County precinct Big Creek/Spring Creek/La Porte City including the city of La Porte as well as the immediate surrounding area bordered by Kober Road to the west and East Eagle Road to the north, while roughly following the Cedar River to King Road in the east. The Black Hawk-Benton county line provides the seat’s southern boundary.

The newspaper reached out to Carlson for comment but had not heard back as of press time.

According to past reporting by the newspaper, if an individual elected by the most write-in votes declines the seat in a city-school election, several steps ensue. The write-in candidate may submit a letter of resignation to the city clerk or school board by 5 p.m. on the 10th day following the official canvass. If that does not happen within 10 days — and the winner fails to take the oath of office by the beginning of the new term — the office is considered vacant.

But if a letter of resignation is submitted within the time frame after the final canvass, the individual who received the next-highest number of write-in votes is notified and allowed to accept the seat.

If this second highest vote-getter declines, however, the city council or school board may appoint someone to the office within 60 days of the vacancy, according to Iowa Code.

In total, Union has four seats up for election this fall including one At-Large seat and one At-Large seat to fill a vacancy.

Incumbent Lindsay Pipho of rural Dysart filed paperwork to run for her At-Large seat after first winning election in 2021; no other candidate filed.

Incumbent Cady Schmidt of Dysart was the sole candidate to file for the At-Large vacancy. Schmidt was appointed by the school board last October following the resignation of then-board president Corey Lorenzen. Schmidt will run for the remainder of the four-year term ending January 2, 2028.

North Tama School District

The North Tama County Community School District has four seats up for election including District 1, District 2, District 3, and District 4 directors. Incumbents Rod Zobel of District 1 and Cheryl Popelka of District 3 both chose not to run for reelection, while fellow incumbent David Calderwood of Traer was the only candidate to file for District 2.

“I’ve been on [the school board] for 12-and-a-half years, the last eight as the board president, and thought I’d let someone else have the opportunity to help with the school,” Zobel told the newspaper when contacted regarding his reasons for stepping down. “The boys are out of school now, so [I thought] I’d let someone else help.”

Two newcomers filed for Zobel’s District 1 seat, including Jordan Hagedon and Seth Seda. District 1 is a rural seat, stretching to the north and east of Traer.

In District 3, the seat left open by Popelka, Leroy Staker was the sole candidate to file. District 3 is an urban-rural mix that includes the western quarter of the City of Traer.

“I believe I have been on the board for 13 years, so it is just time for a change,” Popelka told the newspaper when asked about her decision to step down. “I am very proud of my time on the board and very appreciative of the administration and other board members I have worked alongside through the years!”

A three-way race has shaped up for the District 4 race including incumbent Martin (Marty) Dostal and challengers Denny Berger and Jayme Roudabush. Dostal was appointed to his seat in October 2024 following then-board vice president Haley Blaine’s resignation.

Dysart city election

In the City of Dysart election, three city council seats are on the ballot this year. Incumbents Steve Stoner and Jenna Alpers both filed to run for reelection alongside newcomers Lydia Goken, Ken Midyett, and Brian Sparks. Incumbent Derek Neegaard did not file paperwork for reelection. Dysart City Council is a four-year term.

Traer city election

In the City of Traer election, a contested election is again shaping up for the position of mayor with both incumbent Mayor Peter (Pete) Armstrong Holden and challenger Kennan Seda filing paperwork for the two-year term in a repeat of the 2023 election.

Two seats will be on the ballot for city council with only incumbents choosing to run including Jamie Erhardt and Aaron Mennenga. Mennenga joined the council this past January after being appointed to a vacancy left by councilman Jon Panfil who resigned.

Clutier city election

In the City of Clutier election, the entire city council’s five, two-year term seats as well as the two-year office of mayor are on the ballot. After zero candidates filed in 2023, incumbent Mayor Linda Pearson filed for reelection this year after winning two years ago by write-in vote. No one else filed for the mayor’s race.

Alongside Pearson in 2023, Carley Bolhuis, Dianna Cowan, Sue Kupka, Katherine Seye, and Emma Winkelpleck won council seats, also by write-in vote. The six constituted Clutier’s first all-female governing body at the time.

For the upcoming 2025 election, five candidates filed paperwork for the five seats including Donald Hutchings, Duane Parizek, Cowan (the only incumbent), Shelley Kriz, and Gregg Riese.

Public Measure BK

The Union Community School District’s $18.5 million bond referendum will also be appearing on the November 2025 ballot. The one-question public measure asks voters to approve the following:

“Shall the Board of Directors of the Union Community School District in the Counties of Black Hawk, Benton, Buchanan and Tama, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $18,500,000 to provide funds for safety and security improvements at all school buildings; to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip portions of the High School and Middle School buildings; to construct, furnish, and equip additions to the High School building and improve the site; and to construct, furnish, and equip a bus barn?”