Seven Ames residents want to help make the decision on what factions of the city are funded, revitalized or reconstructed by representing their constituents on the Ames City Council. 

Ames City Council has five candidates running for the council this term, two of whom are running for re-election.

The election will be held on Nov. 3 and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Before voting, Ames citizens can hear from all the candidates in person at a forum from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the City Church of Ames – Des Moines. Admission for the event is $10.

Tim Gartin

Tim Gartin is running for re-election unopposed for the second ward. He is an attorney in Ames and has served a two-year term on the Ames City Council due to redistricting.

Gartin hopes the reason he is running unopposed is a statement of approval and not apathy by those in the second ward.

“I’ve tried to work hard for the last two years to represent Ward 2,” Gartin said.

Gartin said he is most passionate about getting more volunteering experience within the community and wanting to continue work on affordable housing.

Gartin said there is a lack of volunteering when it comes to outreach programs such as Youth and Shelter Services and Boys and Girls Club, as well as a lack of foster homes within Ames.

“With a town our size and our heart we should be more involved,” Gartin said.

As for affordable housing, Gartin said there is a reoccurring problem in the city of residents who work in Ames, but can’t afford to live in the community.

“We lose people every day to Ankeny and surrounding communities,” Gartin said.

Gartin said he has learned how well the city is administered while being on city council, and the city needs to continue to work hard on the way in which they interact with neighborhoods.

“It’s vitally important to have a conversation with those affected by our decision,” Gartin said.

Gartin said he makes it his goal to understand each point of view, which is a strength he brings to the council.

He said he is also looking forward to an upcoming workshop in November with the leadership of Iowa State, on how to make Ames a better entrepreneurial environment.

Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen

Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen is running for the at-large seat on Ames City Council, and will be running against business owner, Matt Converse.

Beatty-Hansen is currently the operations manager at Wheatsfield Cooperative, and she also has past experience as a business owner of Cycles Recycling.

She decided to run for a council seat, she said, because of her interest in politics and representation. She received a masters of political science from Iowa State and said Ames is special to her.

Beatty-Hansen wants voters to know–if elected–she wants to hear from a diverse group of people.

“I think I would bring a fresh perspective,” Beatty-Hansen said.

Issues Beatty-Hansen is focused on include affordable and accessible housing and the Ames transportation systems.

“We need to make sure that our transportation system will be able to take us into the future,” Beatty-Hansen said.

She said she thinks the current council has done a great civil job and she wants to help to continue that.

“I don’t have a huge agenda of change,” she said. “I think the community has done really well.”

Matt Converse

Matt Converse has lived in Ames all his life. He is an Ames High and Iowa State graduate. Converse started his own business, Converse Conditioned Air, out of his garage and has grown to provide 35 full time jobs.

Converse is running for the at-large seat against Beatty-Hansen and has wanted to be on the council since he was an undergraduate at Iowa State.

“I’ve always had a desire to serve on the Ames City Council,” Converse said.

Converse said he would bring leadership and a hard-working attitude to the council if he were to be elected.

As for issues relating to the city, Converse would like to see an increase in quality of life by modernizing the city’s parks and provide an increase in retail.

“There’s no reason why a regional community like Ames should have people driving to Des Moines to shop,” Converse said.

Converse said he would like to see more local internship opportunities for Iowa State students so they don’t have to uproot themselves for a summer or semester.

“That’s stressful,” Converse said.

He also said transportation changes need to happen with the future in mind.

“Iowa State isn’t going to stop at 36,000 students,” Converse said.

Converse said some of those changes need to be making CyRide available for everyone, traffic flow adjustments to Duff Ave. and throughout the city; and the extension of Grand Ave. to 16th Street.

“I will push to accelerate that [extension],” Converse said.

Chris Nelson

Chris Nelson is running for re-election for Ward 4. He will be challenged by Dan DeGeest. Nelson is the vice president of Nelson Electric Company, and was also elected to a two-year term due to redistricting.

Nelson said being elected to a two-year term didn’t allow him to get a lot of the things done after the initial learning curve. Nelson said the city has made a lot of progress, but there is more he is able to contribute.

“Two years in government time isn’t a real long time,” Nelson said.

Nelson wants voters to know that he is balanced and listens to everybody when making a decision.

“I’m paying attention to everybody,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he has experience in a lot of the things the city is involved in. He is able to see the city from a consumer’s perspective as well, he said, due to dealing with construction in his day job.

Nelson said affordable housing for low to moderate income families, and housing and rent affordability are growing concerns in Ames. Nelson said this affects everyone, including students.

The high housing rates don’t help retain students in Ames, Nelson said, and he would like to see students take jobs here in Ames.

“We have jobs. We want people to stay here. We want them to be a vibrant part of the community,” Nelson said.

Nelson is also focused on issues including: transportation, infrastructure and quality of life.

“The local option sales tax is what funds our social services budget,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he’d like to see less business being lost to Des Moines, and to continue activities and events in Campustown and downtown Ames.

Nelson said being on city council has taught him patience, and he loves the opportunities it brings in being able to talk to people from all wards on the issues in the city.

“I’ve really enjoyed the last two years,” he said.

Dan DeGeest

Dan DeGeest is Chris Nelson’s opponent for Ward 4, and he is a software developer at Workiva in the Iowa State research park. He has been a resident of Ames since he was a freshman at Iowa State.

“I’ve seen Ames from the student angle,” DeGeest said.

Ward 4 includes Campustown as well as some of the Greek community and dorms. DeGeest said he wants students to know they are valued and encourages them to get out and vote.

“The students plus ISU is what makes Ames have all the great things it has,” DeGeest said.

He added without the students and the university, Ames wouldn’t have many of the opportunities that the city has. DeGeest said students need to be integrated into the community, and hopes students will stay in Ames after graduation.

DeGeest said he would be at Cafe Beaudelaire on Oct. 7 to meet any students who want to stop by and discuss issues.

“I really would like to encourage students to get out and vote,” DeGeest said.

DeGeest said his inquisitive personality and liking to know all the details would be effective on the council. DeGeest also said his experience as a software developer would be an asset.

“I definitely can bring a lot of new ideas,” he said.

DeGeest has been very active on working with the city and the Ames Bicycle Coalition to make Ames transportation more multi-modal. He said having people out walking in the community makes people feel more at home and as if they are a part of something.

“I want to work on things that promote that,” DeGeest said.

DeGeest said he would also love to see Campustown to be continued to be revitalized, and to work on reducing the housing challenges for students and for people under the moderate income level.

“Overall, I want to keep Ames cool and make it awesome,” DeGeest said. “Make it the great city I love living in and continue to contribute towards that.”