Another contested race in Greene County is for Supervisor District 5.

Democrat challenger Ginny Showman is a Carlisle native and moved to Jefferson four years ago from Waukee. She is retired, but has marketing and sales, as well as project management and financial experience. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio one of her main issues she wants to address if elected as a Supervisor is growing the county’s population and tax base.

“So my goal is to aggressively recruit new residents to Greene County, using initiatives already in place but under-utilized like the Home Base Iowa program, that was created to attract veterans. A coalition is being formed with Mike Bierl, who is the veterans affairs representative in Greene County, with GCDC (Greene County Development Corporation), with employers, and others, and we will be reaching out to underserved people who typically need help with relocation expenses, housing and that kind of thing.”

Republican incumbent Pete Bardole is an East Greene High School graduate and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Briar Cliff University, and currently works on his family’s farm in the Rippey area. Bardole says he wants to continue to improve the ambulance department and its budget, along with looking to build a new county jail. He talks about the condition of the current facility.

“It’s still safe. But it’s getting to the point that the inspectors are saying, ‘You need to start looking to do something else.’ It’s a need, but it’s something that I have a really hard time saying, ‘I want to spend the money on it.’ We may have to look at some other options out there for a jail.”

Greene County residents can vote early at the Greene County Courthouse in Jefferson or via absentee ballot through the mail.