Mayor. He and his wife have three children. Hes 44 years old. You had a birthday since the last time i talked to you . Mayor h ht no, i havent. Im looking forward to june 6th though. Ron well put that on the calendar. What a surprise for you, mayor brown. You promised a new leadership style. Youre just gegeing started. I knkn you did one thing together already, rang the bell for the salvation army. That was a great event. Any surprises so far . Mayor brown no real surprises. There was enough folks that surrounded me e d gave me advice before and after that theres a lot to learn, but weve got a very good city staff, so hang on to what they tell you as far as legacy i iormation that they have, Historical Information. So no real surprises. Maybe a lot more meetings than maybe i thought, even outside of cedar falls. The mayors position in cedar number of types in waterloo for times in waterloo to various Black Hawk County boards and things ke ron quentin, you were on the city council already. I notice right away you brought back prayer to the city council. How that is going . Any complaints yet . For him. Mayor hart yes, theres been a couple complaints, but i think one of the things that is absolutely refreshing is the opportunity to have mayor ground and i both who are cedar Valley Leadership institute, younger professionals well, we could have been in the class too. Ron right, exactly. I actually spoke to that group, fantasticgroup of dynamic young people in this area thats going to be the next leaders alread and to see their eyes when you talk about all the great things taking place in both communities, build that rapport and wait until you see our photo shoot. Ron you mean as a team . Ron we laugh at that, but thats what we need. Isnt there a team effort thats necessary here in the cedar valley to bring the communities together for the betterment of both communities . Mayor hart one of the things i think about and we discussed at that meeting, the cedar valley is in a very good situation to be one of t best corridors in the entire midwest and i think we are there, but theres so many opportututies that we have to attract business, to attract families to our local community, so i think any opportunity that we have, the both of us, to kind of work on that and push things together, i think the future looks bright in the valley. Ron sure. And Richard Mcalister ran the city for a long time. Hes gone now or going to be gone, retiring, anan so whwh kind of void does that leave and how do you fill that and what steps have you taken already to make sure that theres a Competent Person in there to do what dick did . Mayay brown sure, mr. Gagas is very knowledgeable. Ron we had him on the show too. Mayor brown yeah, he has either a photographic memory or visual memory. Some of the things he pullsup with differere questions i haveve for him, hes been very invaluable. As was dick in his departure. Some folks might have thought, there was concern there, the two top positions in cedar falls, might have concerns with that void, but i looked at it differently as really an opportunity for two new leaders to come in without, you know, losing a lot of that Historical Information that ron has to further cedar falls the way i wanted to have it furthered bo both of ous talked about Public Safety of us talked about Public Safety, key issue for both communities, perhaps maybe more so for waterloo because it attracts more publicity than does cedar falls crime, though it gets its share. What stepsre you taking along those lines that ensure residents that youre going to do what you said you were going to do during the campaign, and that is take care of the situation. States lying theme to dealing with publjc safety is trying to bilz public trust between build public trust between lawmaker and the community. Weve humanity and the community. Weve had meetings with the cool district and other entities. March 10th, i believe, there was some type of smaller meeting set up with a roundtable of folks thats going to be pushed back were dealing with our budget situation right now, and so the first three months, i wake up in the morning and i think about budget, but with regards to having that budget, were hoping to have that done march 10th, as i said. But we have to ensure that we have a proper budget for Public Safety right now to make sure that we could put them in a situation where they can enforce and become the Community Policing orientedtype of depapament were looking for. So protecting that budget is priority number one. Ron theres always attrition department. Do youounticipate with the budget youre working on right now that there would be any need for any layoffs in the Fire Department or Police Department . Mayor hart you just go right in, dont you . Ron im just asking. Mayor hart what were doing right now is we are televising every Department Head meeting, police has had an opportunity to sit down and d lk about their budget with the city council, but ultimately, its going to depend on what city council deems as bng priorities, and if blic safety is a priority with regards to our police and fire, well see if thats reflected in the budget. But were giving our city council an opportunity to take a look at line item by line item,m, from fuel expenseses to salary and personnel, and seeing what they would like to come up with and see changes. I cant say right now if there will be cuts. Well have to see as the ocess conversation a couple probably about a month and a half ago when i was running, i did help to bring back two of those Public Safety positions ch department because the community, they were asking for it. Ron after the grant ran out. Mayor hart no, after the grant ran out, but that was an absolute decision two years ago during our budget process not to fill three positions in police and three positions in fire. Ron and jim, what about your situation as far as your youre like waterloo, you have chief olson overseeing both partments as the chief does for waterloo. Are you anticipating any changes or layoffs that you might have to be looking at for your budget . Mayor brown i dont lieve so. The budget process is brandnew to me, one of the first things on my desk when i started. I dont have the six to eight years that mayor hart has with his sper stees, but ivep expertise, but ive vd very good converertions with the chief and the director and the one of the first reports ha came out, once city of cedar falls, outside of the campus of uni, so i think theyre on the right track. Obviously, one of my Campaign Promises was not to turn the taibs upside down, but ive certainly had conversations not only in terms of crime, but potential threats we might see get headlines at the national level, just to see if were prepared innthose circumstances. The flood as an example as well, and those two folks along with other city staff really have good things in place. Ron we always think it can never happen and look what happened in 2008. You never know what the river is going to do and what the weather is going to do. We have to take a break. Were going to come back and continue our conversation. Were also on 7. 3 on sunday mornings, were also on the main channel here and en obviously our whole program is always on kwwl. Com, so you can look at the full episode if you guys want to watch yourself, for example. Mayororrown ill record it at home. Do they even make ron welcome back to this weeks edition of the steele report. Were talking with mayor jim brown of cedar falls and mayor qurt of waterloo. Theyre the two new mayors, the new sheriffs in town, so to speak. Give me your top priority. What is the main thing you want to accomplish in the First Six Months of being in office . Mayor hart obviously the budget. Ron thats critical, isnt it . Because literally spending about 10 hours a day, probably about 40 hours a week dealing with our budget situation, but also, when we take a look at the way that we market the city of waterloo, we have some Amazing Things taking place within this community, and so were trying to work out a plan thth we can highlight and showcase some of those opportunities in a correct way. You know, working with council is a great opportunity that we have as well, working with our Department Heads, finding out whats going on are some of the great opportunities that i have right now to build upon, to move the city forward. And engaging people, visiting churches, visiting faithbbed organizationon going different places and making sure that im visible and accessible for people. Ron before we go further, we anticipate a bigger or smaller budget . And what is the waterloo budget going to be or what is it for this year, whats the one youre building on right now . Mayor hart i wish i could tell you that. The office. March 10th is the deadline to have the entire budget hopefully certified that day and voted on by the city council, so march 10th is the day were shooting for. Ron but generally what has the budget been over the last few years . Whats the actual that are amount . Mayor hart oh, my gosh. Depends on which silo youre talking about. Youre talking about at least upwards of 40 million and that doesnt include some of thth grantfunded programs we have throughout the city of waterloo. Whats been amazing and which is contrary to some of the conversation that weve been hearing, people talk about our levy rate. Our levy rate is currently at 17. 76, but it has consistently gone down over the last several years. Its not where our sister city cedar falls is at, but weve taken enormous steps to move to that. We have taken emmore muss steps to make sure that enormous steps to make sure that our tax asking over the last several i think were on the right track moving forward, but people need to understand that and realize that as well. Ron mayor brown, what does your budget look like this year . What has been i been the last few years kind of on average. You said this is a new thing for you. Were you shoction when you saw how much shoction when you saw how much moneyure dealing with . Mayor brown the short answer is yes. Shocked in terms of pure dollar amount. It w w one of ose fifit things put on myiey desk in a couple meetings and we had the committee as a whole meeting before the last council being. The description was fjne, but to regurgrgate that now, im not sure i can do that intelligently, but i know were still one of the top three or four communities in the state with the lowest tax asking. Ron communities like coralville and dubuque are thriving, but theyre also tatang on an incredible amount of debt, and thats been pretty controversial in those cities because they have all these new things going on and a lot of but theres also a lot of debt and the mayors dont seem to be concerned about that. Would you be concerned with taking o that kind of debt for waterloo . Youre hoping to not tokeep the debt at asas low a level as possible. Mayor hart the answer would be no, to make it plain and simple. Thats why weve been taking a careful look, putting information out to the public so that people can understand exactly the decisions that were trying to make on behalf of providing the services that they would like to see and they will like to have, and thats why, you know, if we have to spend 40, 50 hours aa week to try to make sure we put together a good product on march 10th, thats exactly what were going to do. So i have saw our Department Heads work absolutely hard and theres many different wants, many different needs from our different Department Heads, but we have to make sure that we we can continue to decrease our asking for our community. And its not its a tough balancing act, but its one that i believe that our Department Heads are up to the challenge. Our chief Financial Officer is up to the challenge, and one that i gholeheartedly embrace. I think if they had a budget pie, i wiwi probably gett a slice of pie when i go out to eat because ive been eating, sleeping, and breathing this process. Ron because its at the heart of everything that you can accomplish. If the money is not there, you cant really accomplish anything like that. So as far as priorities, besides the budget, mayor brown, what are you looking at in cedar falls . I mean, is there the roundabout controversy has simmered down since the election, probably sill out there. What are you looking at as far as g gng after things to improve the city . Mayor brown it really boils the last year. Ive been drinking from the fire hose and getting to learn everything from the city, it can get a little overwhelming, but oftentimes im back down and say wait a minute, my theme was business development, different communication and different leadership style and it helps guide me backcko where i thinkk one of the main reasons i got elected was my focus, so ive been talking to a lot of Business Owners just one a one, going and seeing how things are. Talking on our Economic Development folks here on staff and they just sort of share, were almost on i believe record pace again for midaskings upcoming in the fiscal year. I think the meetings have gone better in city council, just instilling a difference there and i hope to put a few things out in lhe next probably four to six weeks in terms of communication with the public. Thats been my focus. I cant say its been one thing. It takes a little time to implement and get acclimated to the whole position. State mayors that are full or parttime mayors. Are you guys finding that this is really a Fulltime Position . Mayor brown and then some. Mayor hart yes, yes. I think part of that discussion, i believe only three or power communities in the state that are full time and i think as cities get more competitive, and mayor hart mentioned we have great offerings here in the cedar valley, an is those cities get more competitive, its going to take a point person, i believe, to almost market and promote and make sure that folks have who are coming to town, have an individual there tohelp showcase the city and introduce them to various individuals in the city. I think its well worth it in my humble opinion, at least this early on. Ron is your management style going to be handson . Are you going to letyour Department Heads do their jobs . Are you going to say listen, i want answers and i want them now . What is your style . Mayor hart respect, first we have amazing people working for our cities and i will probably say we both are in agreement with that, and they know exactlywhat theyre doing, but there are a few things that i think would necessity some type of change. Structuring a department or two to make sure that we are meeting the demands that currently exist. Talked about working and put together and find a fulltime Economic Development person to work, so that is handson with regards to what he does, but ron to work with Noel Anderson . Mayor hart to work with noel. Those types of creative opportunities, i think i have the opportunity to bring that and depend heads have been absolutely open to a lot of those ideas. Ron again, your management style, mayor brown, is going to be what . Mayor brown it clearly is so far soaking up everything that these directors know, but no, it hart indicated there as well. Its more handsoff in relation to having these experts do their job. Theres oversight, clearly theres overerght that needs to take place, so thats more my style. It was when i was on the school board is having that role be associated with the position and so that may change. It may spike, it may go down, but so far, thats what it is. Ron were going to take one our show is also online on ron welcome back to our final segment this week of the steele report with the two mayors. The two newly elected mayors in the cedar valley, mayor jik brown of cedar falls, maybe quentin hart of waterloo. Mayor brown, in your campaign,n, you were talking about the previous administration, which was in office for a long time, mayor crews, as being a passive administration. You hope to change that. What did you mean by that and what is the plan to move forward to change that . Mayor brown sure. As you may recall many times in the canpaign, i believe it would be passive compared to what i thought i would bring to the table, but papa of theeey there is it worked. Again, i go back to the theme it worked well and that its time, because im not turning the tables upside down around city hall. For me its a matter of implementing my strength in terms of communication and leadership and that focus towards businessdevelopment. So it was never meant to be a derogatory statement towards what was working for a long, but it is exciting whats happening around city hall and around the cedar valley ks mayor hart indicated as well because there is many fresh ideaea and a fresh perspective in relation to who gets reempz out to reach out to and many times ive gone into businesses and they say its operate to see you. Johns strengths were more towards numbers and profit and that worked as well. Im just glad the folks thought it was time. Ron how difficult, mayor hart, is it to work with a council . You have to kind of develop a coalition kiki of with some of the Council Members to get anything passed, so whats your impression of this council . [ laughter ] mayor hart all of them have eir different strengths. They have their different bctions. They bring different backgrounds. They bring Different Things to the table and i think part of my job is running the City Council Meetings and making sure that i dont stifle creativity, that i dont stifle the opportunity for i try to key keep the Council Meetings free, and im not sayingngt did happpp before, but keep it from personal insults and those types of things, so that same expectation i have of the council, i also have of myself and i also have of the audience thats there to listen. I think every decision that we make, every conversation that we have, that businesses are looking, theyre trying to come to the city of waterloo, so we