An Iowa State professor is challenging a Simpson College faculty member in the race for mayor of Indianola, Iowa.

Kelly Shaw, lecturer of political science, said he believes he can bring a number of different skill sets to the mayorship, including his experience in economic growth.

“Prior to coming to Iowa State, I did work in economic development for six years, kind of wearing a number of different hats in a position I held at the University of Missouri, which involved economic development at both the international and state level, as well the regional level,” Shaw said.

Shaw also said he believed it was important for the people of Indianola to have another choice in whom to vote for during the race.

Jill Johnson, executive director of marketing and public relations for Simpson College, said she believes she has skill sets in marketing and communications that can be beneficial as mayor. She started her own market research firm with a partner 16 years ago and sold it two years ago.

“Here at Simpson, my job is mostly to market and sell the college, and frankly, I think that’s what Indianola needs now, too,” Johnson said. “We need someone who can really tell our story, get people interested from the outside from developers to businesses to residents who are looking to locate somewhere new.”

At the center of the Indianola political debate is the C Street issue. Recently Indianola closed C Street, which runs through the campus of Simpson College. Shaw said more transparency was needed in the decision with C Street, and he plans to bring transparency as mayor.

“C Street is really a symptom of a process. It’s not necessarily that people were that opposed to the closure of C Street, but they were opposed to the process and how it went about,” Shaw said.

Johnson also agreed that transparency is important and believes her background in communication will be helpful in that area.

“Having a communications background I can see where some of those things went wrong and that’s what I think that I can bring to the community is to kind of help bridge that gap and bring people back together again so that we can have constructive and intentional dialogue about how we can work together,” Johnson said.

Johnson said she does not believe her employment at Simpson College will be a conflict of interest as mayor.

“I don’t plan to put Simpson’s agenda above the community’s agenda,” Johnson said.

Shaw disagrees with this, and said he believes it would be difficult for Johnson to advocate for Indianola and not advocate for Simpson College at the same time.

“I’m not saying, certainly, that she couldn’t do it, but it becomes problematic in my mind,” Shaw said.

Johnson also said Shaw has connections with the National Balloon Museum in Indianola. But similar to her connections with Simpson College, she does not believe he would put the interests of the National Balloon Classic in Indianola above the community’s agenda.

Both candidates have used social media to campaign during the election and have also gone door to door across Indianola.