Dean Eastman (No Party)

Can you tell us about yourself?

 My name is Dean Eastman, I’m 57 years old, I have been married to wife Connie for 36 years, and we have two sons and three grandchildren. I graduated from Riceville Community School in May and Reisch World Wide Auction School at Mason City in August 1979.

 My grandparents, who were farmers, moved to Howard County in the fall of 1930, and my side of the Eastman family has lived in Howard County since then.

 I’m a second generation auctioneer in the family business – my father started in 1956, and our two sons represent the third generation. I’m also a salesman for J&S Repair selling new/used JCB equipment out of the Grand Meadow, Minn. store. 

Groups/organizations:

I’m currently serving my seventh year as the Mayor of Riceville.

• I did one four-year term as a Councilman on the Riceville City Council in the early 2000s.

• 12 years as a volunteer fireman on the Riceville Fire Dept.

• One of three members on the original Jaws of Life committee. 

 • Charter board member on the Riceville Fire Assoc. (established to allow the department to keep monies they raised themselves instead of going into the City’s general fund).

 • Attended HazMat, Nims, and Incident Command classes.

• 11 years on the Howard County Tax Board of Review, eight years as Chairman

• 12 years on the Riceville Comm. Nursing Home board, six years as Chairman

• Seven years on the Howard County Conference Board

• Seven years on the Mitchell County Conference Board

• Seven years on the Mitchell County E-911 Service Board

• Seven years on the Mitchell County Emergency Mge Commission Board

• Second generation member of the Riceville Community Club 

  I also give back to the people and communities where we do business by donating my services as an Auctioneer:

• 4-H Ribbon Auction at the Howard County Fair for the past 25 plus years

• 4-H Ribbon Auction at the Mitchell County Fair for the past 39 years in a row

• 4-H Livestock Auction at the Floyd County Fair for the past five years

• WhiteTails Banquet held at Riceville for the past 15 years

• Pheasants Forever Banquet held at Chester for the past 25 years

• Pheasants Forever Banquets held at Cresco and Grafton each for the past three years

What motivates you to want to run for the Howard County Board of Supervisors?

  I have always called Howard County home, I have never lived anywhere else. Our grandchildren are the fifth generation of the Eastman family to be born and raised in Howard County. I believe this part of north Iowa is the greatest “place” to live, farm, raise a family and run a business. I just want to try to keep it that “place” for our grandchildren and their families someday. I also feel that everyone, in their own way, should be part of self government, part of the social fabric that decides how things get done.

What are some of the strengths of Howard County? Why do you see them as strengths?

For me it is the people who live here! Whether you are a farmer who plants a crop in the spring not knowing how many bushels he will combine or how much it will be worth or the entrepreneur, store or business owner who sells a product or service to his/her customers without knowing how much they will buy, it’s the people who stayed in Howard County after graduation that took a job, got married, raised kids and put down roots. All these people work toward a common goal of bettering themselves and in doing that, they better each other. 

What aspects of Howard County would you like to see improved? Why do you wish to focus on these areas?

I’m unsure how to answer this question . . . For the most part I don’t see any particular thing that gets my attention. We have less than two percent unemployment in the county right now, so wishing for more businesses isn’t the answer. We can’t keep the businesses we have now supplied with enough people. We must be building tax base, with all the construction that has been done here in the county for the past decade. I guess I don’t have a straight forward answer to your question.

If elected, what do you hope are some of your accomplishments while serving on the Board of Supervisors?

That we keep the county moving forward but at an affordable pace, as the Supervisors have been doing in the past. 

I do take some issue to the words “of your accomplishments” in this question. In any public or private office I have held or any organization I have been a member of, I have NEVER done it to get accolades, public notoriety or a pat on the back. In fact, as much as is possible, I feel I do my best work behind the scenes. I’m running for Supervisor, no more no less, and if elected I just want to be part of the process that gets the job done for the county.

What strengths do you bring to the Board of Supervisors? 

1. Common sense.

2. Since 1999 I have helped put together spending budgets, both public/private sector, and have overseen the implementation of the spending of those dollars on a monthly basis. (I believe the first thing a newly-elected Supervisor will deal with will be the county budget).

3. Solid Midwest personal values. When presented with a situation, I always weigh the “risk” compared to the “reward;” it has to be worth the chance or don’t do it.

4. Straight forward – when dealing with people, what you see is what you get.

5. I have conducted multi-million dollar auctions in the past, I stay composed in stressful situations.

6. For 11 years I owned a concrete/excavating construction company here in Riceville. I understand the work the county employees do, moving dirt, pushing snow, hauling rock, etc.

7. After being a member of the Howard County Tax Board of Review, I have an idea about some of the work done by the Assessor’s office.

8. As Mayor of Riceville I have had an opportunity, for the past several years, to work with Sherriff Miner as his department provides law enforcement for the City.

9. As Mayor I implement the Code of Ordinaces for the City of Riceville.

10. If elected, I will, to the best of my “ability,” represent the taxpayers of Howard County. To the best of my “ability” means “availability.” If you look back at the first questions and do the math, you will see that, just what I have listed adds up to over 500 meetings in the last 19 years, I have only missed a handful. There are many other boards that the Supervisors sit on – it isn’t just Monday board meetings. You have to be willing to dedicate the time needed to do the job right. 

What relationship do you feel the board should have with the people of Howard County? 

 Open, with information flowing both directions, but cordial and respectful also.

Where do see Howard County in 10 years?

  Continuing to do the things necessary, at the time, to go forward into the future.