In addition to casting their votes for President, U.S. Representative, State Senator, Iowa State Representative, County Board of Supervisors, Auditor and Sheriff, and the judicial ballot, Scott County registered voters will also consider candidates for non-partisan seats on the county’s Soil & Water Conservation District Commission; Agricultural Extension Council. They include:
Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner
Webmaster’s Note: In the Oct. 31 print edition of The North Scott Press, we neglected to include the information for candidate Kim Strunk. The error was ours and Strunk has reiterated that he is still running for Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner.
There are four names on the ballot for the Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner, an unpaid position. Vote for no more than three.
Kim Strunk, who lives on a farm in Cleona Township, has previously been water commissioner and city alderman in New Liberty.
He is a science teacher at Davenport West High School and part time adjunct professor at Scott and Muscatine community colleges. Strunk was a adjunct professor at St. Ambrose University for 10 years. He is also seasonal ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and former water patrol officer for Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Strunk has served 13 years as a volunteer firefighter in New Liberty and was a volunteer firefighter for two years in Alaska.
Strunk has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree with a biology emphasis from Western Illinois University. He also obtained credits from Drake, UNI, Iowa and WIU.
Strunk has two sons: Matt, 30, and Andy, 27.
Jane Weber of Bettendorf (incumbent) has held the position of SWCD commissioner since January of 2001, currently serving as co-treasurer. She was past chair 2006-08, past vice chair in 2005, and past co-treasurer 2001-3, and 2011-12. Weber assisted with both tree and flower sale fundraisers, as well as booths at the QCCA Expo and Forestry Workshops.
Jane Weber
She has represented the SWCD on the Partners of Scott County Watersheds since October 2001, and currently serves as board chair (since 2007). She was treasurer from 2002-2006. Weber is a certified IOWATER Citizen Monitor for volunteer water quality monitoring, and represented Scott County at large on the Interstate Resource, Conservation and Development Board.
She participates in Conservation District of Iowa (CDI) Legislative Partnership Day in Des Moines each January, representing Scott County SWCD, and serves as vice president of CDI. She was appointed by the governor to represent CDI on the Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board in 2010 and currently is vice chair. She also represents CDI on the National Association of Conservation Districts Legislative Committee, attending North Central NACD meetings in Washington, D.C.
Weber testified at the House of Representatives Farm Bill hearings in Galesburg, Ill., last March.
Weber attended North Scott, Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley schools, graduating from Pleasant Valley. She attended Iowa State University. She earned an associate’s degree from Scott Community College and a bachelor’s and master’s degree from St. Ambrose University.
She has operated greenhouses for floricultural production and produces fruits and vegetables for area farmer’s markets since 1977.
Weber and her husband, Gary, are the parents of two grown sons, David and Daniel, and have four grandchildren.
Kathy Henningsen
Kathy Henningsen of Long Grove is also an incumbent. She has served on the SWCD Commission since 1996.
A graduate of North Scott High School, Mt. St. Clare College in Clinton, and St. Ambrose College.
She has been employed by North Scott Community Schools, at Alan Shepard Elementary and North Scott High School.
She and her husband, Harvey, have been married for 30 years. They have five children and 10 grandchildren.
Donald Swanson of Davenport is running for SWCD Commissioner for the first time. He has not held a public office before.
Swanson graduated from Davenport High School and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years. He completed a four-year carpenter apprenticeship, the IOWATER introductory workshop and is a certified IOWATER citizen monitor.
Donald Swanson
He founded Swanson Construction Co. in 1967 and retired in 2008 as a carpenter, cement finisher and machine operator. He has his own cow/calf operation.
Swanson is divorced, with seven children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
County Agricultural Extension Council
Four candidates are running for seats on the County Agricultural Extension Council. Vote for no more than four.
As a member of the County Agricultural Extension Council since 2001, Jane Weber of Bettendorf has served on finance, personnel, program and marketing committees and participated in local meetings in Durant, Wilton and Muscatine.
She is a former boys’ 4-H club leader that transitioned to a co-ed club, and assists 4-H judges at the Mississippi Valley Fair. She has worked with Master Gardeners, commercial horticulturists and expanded the Food and Nutrition Education Program staff.
Suzy VenHorst
For her education and background information, see above.
Suzy VenHorst of Bettendorf is also an incumbent. She has served since 2009.
“I decided to run for this council because I feel strongly about the opportunities made possible by the 4-H program – as I learned more and more about Extension and Outreach – the programs and resources are endless,” says VenHorst. “I think one of our responsibilities as council members is to get the word out how valuable and helpful Extension can be to many areas of our county’s residents’ lives.”
A Davenport West High School graduate, she attended Marycrest and Augustana.
She and her husband, Bob, own VenHorst Farms. She is also employed part time at Genesis Medical Center – East Campus. The VenHorsts have four grown children, Amy, Matt, Jake and Kate, and three grandchildren.
Also on the ballot are Michael Ryan of Davenport and Craig Watkins of LeClaire, who did not respond to the NSP survey.
About Jeff Montgomery
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