Meet a Waukee Candidate: Shelly Hughes

On Nov. 8, Waukee voters will decide who should serve on the Waukee City Council and as mayor of Waukee.

There are two seats up for grabs in the election. Casey Harvey is seeking re-election, while newcomers Shelly Hughes and Chris Colter hope to nab a spot, as well. Mayor Bill Peard is running uncontested after challenger Daniel Pettit withdrew from the race in October.

Today on Waukee Patch we profile the second of the three candidates running for the Waukee City Council.

Name: Shelly Hughes

Age: 38

Occupation: Stay-at-home mom

Address: 90 Aidan St., Waukee

E-mail: shelly.hughes@live.com

Phone: 515.556.9928

Social Media: www.facebook.com/HughesforWaukee

Shelly Hughes' reason for seeking a seat on the Waukee City Council is simple: she wants to get involved in the city she lives in.

"I wanted to be more involved in shaping our community," said Hughes. "When the rezoning issue came up in our neighborhood, I had firsthand experience with the city council that was very positive. It urged me to want to get more involved and help make decisions for our community."

Hughes, a former executive assistant turned stay-at-home mom of two boys, believes she brings a fresh perspective to the Waukee City Council.

"I think I have a good feel for what a large portion of our population is experiencing in their lives," she said. "We're a young family and I think I can represent that demographic very well just by listening and understanding their concerns."

Hughes said in speaking with Waukee residents she found that property taxes are a topic on everyone's mind.

"You know, our property taxes haven't changed in 12 years but what has happened is that values have gone up and you really can't say that's a bad thing," she said. "Still, in speaking with residents, taxes are a big concern which means our objective should be to get those taxes lower by building a commercial tax base."

In the end, Hughes believes the key to a successful relationship between residents and the Waukee City Council is communication, primarily making sure everyone knows that council members are always open to hearing their questions and concerns.

"We can only do better if we find out what the people want," she said. "It's not about what the city council wants. It's an individual's responsibility to voice their opinion, come to a meeting and talk to the people who are making those decisions. I want to be very open to that."