Letter to the Editor

My name is Shelly Hughes and I am running for City Council for the City of Waukee.  The election will be held Tuesday, November 8th.  I would like to take this opportunity to share some things about myself and explain why I decided to become a candidate for City Council.

I grew up on a farm in northeast Iowa and was raised by two hard-working parents and four older siblings.  My faith, values and work ethic stem from my upbringing, not only by my family, but also by many close friends, neighbors and other members of my hometown.  I have learned by having children of my own that it truly does “take a village” (or in our case a city!).  My husband and I chose Waukee as the place to establish our “roots” and raise our two sons for many of the same reasons you probably chose Waukee.  We want our boys to grow up in a safe and friendly, yet thriving, community.  I treasure the small-town feel of Waukee, but also love the conveniences of living close to a larger city. 

For the last eight years I have had the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom.  Prior to that, I attended school for Broadcasting and Journalism and was an Executive Assistant for a large commercial real estate company.  I have been a proven leader in the communities in which I have lived, serving on homeowners’ association boards, parent advisory councils, and supporting various charities.  Giving back to community is very important to my family.  My husband, Brian, was a volunteer fireman for many years and now serves on the Waukee Library Board of Trustees, the Waukee Parks and Recreation Board, and is a member of the Waukee Rotary.

This last year a rezoning issue arose in our neighborhood causing me to take more notice of the role our City Council plays in our daily lives.  The decisions they make are extremely important to every one of us.  Even if you have never followed city government, I urge you to do so now.  There is a lot going on in the world of politics around us and you, like me, may feel frustrated or jaded by the mudslinging and divisiveness of our partisan system.  However, we cannot work on the larger picture if we are not willing to take part in what is happening in our own backyard.  City and local elections are every bit as important as our national ones.  Get informed, know your candidates, and vote in your city election on November 8^th.

If you vote for me, I promise that I will work hard and listen to you.  I’m just like you in many ways; my family is on a budget, we work hard for what we earn, and work harder to save what we have.  I’m not entering this race with any baggage and I have no allegiance to any agenda.  I want to work on economic growth to offset our taxes, listen to you, and keep our city the safe place it is for our children.  I promise no mudslinging and no silly politics.   

I may be knocking on your door soon to introduce myself.  If you would like to know more about me, or show your support, please stop by and ‘Like’ my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HughesforWaukee.  You don’t have to be a member of facebook to view the page.  I also welcome questions or comments at the email or telephone number listed below. 

Thanks so much for your time,

Shelly Hughes

shelly.hughes@live.com

(515) 556-9928