Candidate Q&As 2025: Jeff Holschuh for Newton City Council, At-Large

Name: Jeff Holschuh

Age: 43

Occupation: Business development director at Advantage Credit Union

Office seeking: Newton City Council, At-Large

1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to voters and explain why you are running.

My name is Jeff Holschuh. I have lived in Newton for 15 years. In 2010, I had the opportunity to build a career and family in this community. I’ve always had an interest in city government and how it functions. I like to be a part of things happening in our community and I’ve served on other boards in the past, including past president of the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, board member of the former Newton Convention and Visitors Bureau and currently serving as the treasurer for the Newton Rotary Club.

I have two children: Brenden, a junior at Northern Iowa University, and Owen, a sophomore at Newton High School. My wife, Denell, and I have been married since 2004. I am the Business Development Director at Advantage Credit Union, where I’ve been employed in various titles since 2017.

I knew I always wanted to run for a city government position and this is the best time for me to act on it. Being involved in the community is very important to me as I personally feel the civic responsibility to serve others in the community as well. Moreover, continuing the city’s efforts to make this town an attractive place to live, work and stay, as I myself did back in 2010.

2. Although the splash pad is completed, there is still work left to be done to finish out the park. But council seems to be split about some of the details and the cost. Where do you stand on this project? How should the city proceed?

I think the splash pad is a fantastic idea! I love that citizens have created an opportunity to have a cost-effective way to cool off in the summer. Plus, it ties right in to the continued effort to create a link between the downtown and Legacy Plaza. That being said, we have a responsibility to our citizens to make sure our tax dollars are used effectively. I’ve heard multiple numbers from both sides of the issue and, ultimately, I land on finishing up the restroom project and moving on to the next big thing. The recent donation of $125,000 will definitely help make sure we have a quality restroom that hopefully continues to draw even more people downtown in the future.

3. Upcoming legislative sessions forecast major changes to property tax systems. The city will no doubt be affected by these changes. How do you think the city should approach property taxes and budgets in the coming years?

First and foremost, we have to continue to provide the best basic essential services to our citizens. I cannot say enough positive things about the way our departments run. Police, fire, parks, library, etc. all have directors that absolutely want to provide top-tier services in our community. Those services will continue to take priority. Those services also come at a cost. Ultimately, we must play by the state’s rules and hopefully be able to continue to attract new residents and businesses to move to Newton. I’ll trust our city leadership to develop plans for additional revenue if needed and look forward to hearing feedback from citizens when and if that time comes.

4. Over the years, council has prioritized a number of parks projects. The public seems relatively happy with many of these new additions despite their high costs. How do you feel about the city’s priorities on parks given future cost constraints?

I believe the citizens have spoken quite loudly about making sure we have ample park opportunities for our residents. The bond was passed with a very large percentage. We need to finish out our obligations to provide great parks facilities but also continue to make sure our other services aren’t lacking either. If the citizens have another area of the city they’d like to focus on, I welcome the opportunity to hear about it.

5. What are some things you think the city does well? What are some things you think the city can improve? Explain your answers.

The city does a lot of things well. The library, for instance, does a terrific job in both children and adult programs among the day-to-day services they provide. Our parks are always clean and I feel our residents are happy with services the city provides. I hear many residents have some complaints about streets and the city could make a more concentrated effort to inform the public of the timeline of when those issues will be addressed. However, I also would recommend citizens use the appropriate channels to inform the city if there are issues that need to be addressed. For instance, if there’s a street issue on a low-traffic road, it’s up to the residents of that area to inform the city of the issue. We have great staff in the departments, but, unfortunately, they can’t be everywhere at once.

6. Any final thoughts? Are there any issues you would like the city to address?

I think we’ve put in a lot of work to see growth in the community. The D&D program is great and something that citizens see immediate progress. I was able to assist in the building of a Jasper County Habitat for Humanity home recently on a D&D lot. Continued efforts to see homeownership to become a reality for all income levels is very important. We also need to continue to hold ourselves accountable in driving business growth in downtown as well as making sure we have a plan for vacant buildings.

Newton is a fantastic place to live and raise a family. I want to be a part of a council that has foresight and looks for ways to improve the community and afford others the same opportunity I’ve had in calling Newton home.