Steve Hanken, council at-large

     Address: S. Main Street

   Personal history: I grew up on a small dairy farm near Pictured Rocks and attended country school to the fifth grade, after which I was transferred to the town school. I graduated from Monticello High School with the Class of 1968. After high school, I enlisted in the Army and served two years as an engineman on helicopters in Vietnam. After my discharge I completed a degree program at Kirkwood Community College and took a job at Collins Radio.

   When my working career ended, my wife Sharon and I decided to retire back to Monticello. We bought the home we wanted and have lived here eight years.

   Why do you want to run for city council? I have always been civic minded and have strived to assist and improve the community in which I live. Prior to our move, I served on the Linn County Commission of Veterans Affairs and on the board for the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program. I assisted with the creation of the Cedar Rapids Vet Center (federal).

   I look forward to serving Monticello as a member of the city council.

   What are two positive things about this community? What are two challenges/issues Monticello faces in the near future? I know Monticello has good people; it is our hometown, which is what attracted us to our move for retirement. We appreciate our quality public school system and the high graduation rate. Monticello has a lot to be proud of with its solid foundation of community, but there’s always room for improvement.

   I would like to see us concentrate on reducing waste and over-spending in the city budget. Obviously obtaining more money is always the answer, but money doesn’t grow on trees!

   Many cities our size are facing affordable housing shortages and lacking quality of life amenities (city services, recreational opportunities, educational opportunities, jobs, childcare, etc.). A lack of any/all impact attracting new residents, which increases the city’s tax base. What do you think could be done to tackle these issues? We need to deal with the lack of affordable housing of all kinds. You can’t fill jobs when only retired people can afford a house or place to live!

   To keep pace with inflation and the ever-increasing costs required of new materials and higher wages, the answer lies in a growing and vibrant population. As a result, we need to keep the enrollment in our schools growing and be able to attract good people to our workforce; this will spread the city’s operating costs over more tax contributors.

   Reordering the efforts of the city departments to find more efficient ways to operate and keeping an eye on spending will create a situation that puts the cart back behind the horse, where it belongs, and the city council holding the reins.