Floyd County Supervisor Candidate Q&A – Jayson Ryner, District 3

Each of the candidates for Floyd County supervisor was sent a list of eight questions regarding current county topics of interest. Here are the answers of those who responded:

Jayson Ryner, age 51, farmer, teacher, ag tech start-up founder and CEO.

My elected experience is limited to faculty work and hobby organizations.

My wife Sarah and I have lived in Nora Springs since 1997. We have two sons, Gavin and Jordan.

Question 1) – Why are you running for a seat on the Floyd County Board of Supervisors?

When the voters of Floyd County voted to divide the county into districts the intent was to have a broader representation from the supervisors. When candidates were originally announced there was no candidate from the entire western half of the county. Now, being the only candidate from the western half of the county, I look to bring representation from Rockford, Rudd, Nora Springs, Floyd and the surrounding rural areas. As a person who farms in the district, I think it is important to have someone with active farming experience on the board of supervisors.

I grew up in rural Rudd, graduated from high school in Rockford, taught in Rockford and have lived in Nora Springs for 25 years. I have had a life of service to the people of the county as an educator for both RRMR and NIACC. My familiarity, dedication and passion to the people in these small communities drove me to throw my hat in the ring to serve them in a new capacity. The western half of the county voted to have representation. Someone needed to step up and provide it.

Question 2) – Do you support passing an essential services levy in the county to pay for emergency medical services? If yes, how should the use of that tax money be prioritized? If no, how would you propose supporting EMS services in the county?

Many of the residents of District 3 are served by the Nora Springs Ambulance service as well as mutual aid from Cerro Gordo county. In supporting the essential services levy, one thing to prioritize is response time to location of the medical emergency. Having resources distributed throughout the county so citizens can be helped quickly in their time of need is critical to the potential of a positive outcome.

Question 3) – Have county property tax rates been handled responsibly in recent years, and what, if anything, would you have done differently regarding specific spending?

It is important to keep taxes low so people have money to drive economic growth. Investment in infrastructure is also important for economic growth as well as public safety. It is important to spend the smart dollars that bring services to the county that residents want and need. Kicking the can down the road instead of making incremental updates to facilities and equipment places future decision makers in a bind. When the bind becomes too tight, something will give. As a Supervisor I will look to prioritize urgent needs, but also to look ahead and plan for future spending.

Question 4) – Would you favor increasing the size of the board of supervisors to five members? Why or why not?

The decision by voters to divide the county into districts shows the desire to have voices heard from across the county. Some however, want to be able to vote for more than

one Supervisor. Expanding the board of supervisors to five, with three district representatives and two county wide at large positions would create a balance between the former system of three county wide Supervisors and the three district representative model.

Question 5) – If it was entirely your decision, how specifically would you spend the more than $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that the county is receiving?

A $3 million boost to Floyd County infrastructure can help speed up projects that have been delayed due to tight budgets. I would look at projects outstanding and help develop a priority list of projects that would have the greatest impact on economic development in Floyd County. To have a predetermined answer in mind for the ARPA money without really understanding all of the needs of the entire county does not fulfill the role of supervisor responsibly.

Question 6) – If the power was entirely yours, what two things would you do the first 100 days of being sworn into office?

I plan to spend the first 100 days in office learning about the county’s resources, receiving and reading reports from our various departments, prioritizing needs as immediate, short term, and long term and developing a plan to wisely use our limited resources to best fill those needs. I would do the same if I had all of the power. To promise anything else would be a fool’s mission. I volunteered to run for Supervisor to bring my skills, experience, and training to serve the citizens of Floyd County and make the best decisions I can. I have no agenda or promises to make regarding the first 100 days.

Question 7) – What is the most important single thing you hope to have accomplished by the end of your term in office?

As the only candidate from Western Floyd County and the first from Rock Grove Township in years if not decades, I want to serve the people of the 3rd District and improve communication and understanding across the county. It is important that the citizens understand what the supervisors do and that the supervisors and other county elected officials understand the priorities of people from Rock Grove, Rudd, Rockford, Niles, Cedar and Floyd townships. That two way communication and understanding seems to have been lacking in recent years.

Question 8) – Why are you the best choice to be elected for your race?

My experience and education make me a strong candidate for the office of supervisor. Starting my own farming operation and making the management decisions for the last nine years, I understand the issues of our greatest economic generator. Starting my own ag innovation company provides me with experience in innovation, business start-up, fund raising, prioritization and business plan development. By serving on the Board of Directors for Omnitel Communications I have been responsible for budgetary decisions on a very large scale. I have been an educator for 28 years and served as chief contract negotiator for the RRMR and NIACC Educators Associations. This gives me labor side experience as well as managerial experience. Finally, I hold a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in strategy and economics which provides me with the formal training necessary to make business and budgetary decisions for the county. I will allow the voters of District 3 to look at this experience and education, compare it to that of my opponents, and decided who is the most qualified to make decisions with their tax dollars.

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