Editor's note: A story on independent candidate Michele Stirtz, who is also running for Harrison County Board of Supervisors, ran in the Oct. 9 edition of the Times-News. Since a story was written on Stirtz in order to help readers understand who is on the ballot, the same opportunity for an interview and story was afforded to Republican candidate Rebecca Wilkerson. A story on Tuesday's candidate forum at the Rand Community Center will run in next week's paper, as it took place after the Times-News' deadline.
Since winning the Republican nomination for the Harrison County Board of Supervisors race at a special convention in July, Rebecca Wilkerson has been continuing her campaigning efforts around the county in preparation of the Nov. 5 election.
The convention, which was reported by the Times-News this summer, took place after the primary election failed to convey a winner due to none of the candidates receiving the required percentage of the popular vote.
In the primary, Dan Cohrs received the most votes with 422, followed by Wilkerson with 393 and Lary Clark with 286.
Wilkerson is adamant that the convention did what it is supposed to do in her eyes, as she received 41 of 77 votes when they were cast at the Mondamin Community Center in July. She alleged that, ahead of the primary, Democrats had told her to her face that they would switch over to vote for other candidates in the primary without knowing who Wilkerson was.
“When you get to the Republican convention, where only the Republican delegates can vote, that's why I got 41 (votes),” she said.
Wilkerson also pointed out that, in the primary, she didn't finish lower than second in any of Harrison County's 11 precincts. Other top vote-getters in Cohrs and Clark had finishes as low as third and even fourth, while Wilkerson finished first in four precincts, which was more than any other candidate.
“I've been going to the meetings for three years,” Wilkerson said about her preparedness for the position. “I've been participating, learning the job and what it entails — I'm better equipped to do the job. I'll hit the ground running because I'm already three years ahead.”
Key points of her campaign platform are accountability, accessibility, transparency and cutting of unnecessary spending.
Accountability and accessibility are fairly straightforward, with Wilkerson advocating for supervisors answering for the decisions they make and making sure they are available to be reached by the people, and that people can come to the meetings. Wilkerson has been a proponent of holding at least one meeting in the evening per quarter to see what attendance looks like when people are off work.
On the transparency side of things, Wilkerson said that, while minutes from the supervisor meetings run in the paper, they need to make sure they are getting online. She also said she would like to video record the meetings for people who are unable to attend.
Cutting of unnecessary spending is Wilkerson's most talked about campaign point, with Wilkerson saying that the current rate and rise of property taxes is unsustainable.
She has seen efforts at the meetings she has attended to reduce spending, but there are also decisions she has not been a fan of, like the $94,000 courthouse parking lot project.
“We're spending the reserve (funds) on things that aren't emergencies or absolute necessities,” Wilkerson said. “If you spend that reserve on things that aren't necessary instead of putting those things in your budget, then when an emergency comes along you're not going to have the money for those emergencies.
“I'm fiscally conservative, and I'm used to doing a personal budget. In the private sector, you can't just go ask your neighbor for more money. You have to get by with what you have.”
Wilkerson also mentioned that she is on the board of the Culavin Heights apartment building in Missouri Valley, where she assists with setting the budget.
There are certain aspects of county taxes that Wilkerson finds reasonable, though, with one of them being the funding of Harrison County Home and Public Health.
Noting that the county has an elderly population, Wilkerson said the ability to offer in-home care is imperative.
“Gone are the days of taking care of your parents in your own home,” she said. “It's hard to do that, because most people have to have two incomes so they can't take their parents into their house or care for them every day. That's where home health comes in, and people don't mind spending their tax dollars on things like that.”
In a year where there is also a presidential election taking place, Wilkerson finds it important to remember your local races. They have a closer and more immediate effect on your tax dollars and the things that affect day-to-day life, she argued. And it is just as important to make your voice heard in local races as it is in the presidential election.
As to why she is the person for the job, Wilkerson said that she has been doing this for the people of Harrison County, and did the work of going through the primary and being selected by the Republican delegates at the special convention.
“I've been working at this for three years,” Wilkerson said. “It's not something that I just decided to do because I didn't like who won. I've been doing it for the people. I don't get paid, I don't get a dime, but I care about the people in this county.”
