City Council names finalists to fill vacancy created by Weiner's election to state Senate

Iowa City's City Council has chosen seven applicants from a pool of 21 to consider as it fills a vacancy left by the resignation of member Janice Weiner as she takes an Iowa Senate seat.

A decision is expected Tuesday.

The chosen applicants are a diverse group that includes both political veterans and newcomers. They are:

• Andrew Dunn, a legislative aide and unsuccessful primary candidate for the Iowa House.

• Na Li, president of the Iowa City Area Chinese Association.

• Mary Mascher, a former longtime Iowa state representative.

• Sean McRoberts, director of operations and development at the Wesley Center at the University of Iowa.

• Joshua Moe, a local architect and business leader.

• Elizabeth Miglin, a UI student and former city liaison for the Undergraduate Student Government.

• Mandi Remington, founder and executive director of Corridor Community Action Network.

Supporters of Remington, a member of the city's police review board, flooded the City Council's inbox before Saturday's meeting with emails expressing support for her application. Dunn also garnered several emails from supporters.

The council members took less than 10 minutes to deliberate before deciding on the finalists and were nearly unanimous in their nominations. John Thomas also nominated University of Iowa mathematics professor Bruce Ayat, who did not make the final cut.

Weiner's resignation went into effect Jan. 3 and she is set to be sworn in Monday to the Senate, representing most of Iowa City and University Heights.

When they meet Tuesday, the council members will hear from the finalists before their vote, and their new colleague will immediately take the oath of office and join them for the remainder of the meeting.

Who is Andrew Dunn?

Dunn recently ran in the Democratic primary for Iowa House District 90, narrowly losing to Adam Zabner, who went on to win the seat. Dunn said on Election Night that his involvement in politics was not over.

A former University of Iowa political science student, he is a legislative aide to Iowa state Sen. Claire Celsi and has volunteered for local, state and federal campaigns. He also is involved in local organizations including the Center for Worker Justice, Johnson County Democrats, the Iowa City Federation of Labor and Teamsters Local 238.

In his application, Dunn said he thinks Iowa City is at a critical point in its history because of a tight housing market, leading to out-of-state property management companies instituting higher rents, and wants to become one of the council's only renters. In addition to housing affordability, he said he wants to address issues including wage theft, social justice and improving public transportation.

He said his position as an aide to Celsi will give the council an up-front seat to critical issues facing local governments in the upcoming legislative session and that having been a University of Iowa student gives him strong connections to the university community.

Who is Na Li?

In addition to serving as president of the Iowa City Area Chinese Association, Li successfully pushed the Iowa City Community School District to recognize the Lunar New Year as a student holiday. She and other organizers said the holiday is "single most important" for ethnic Chinese around the world and that children often weren't able to participate in the festivities because of their school schedules. She also participated in a "Stop Asian Hate" rally in 2021 in response to attacks at Atlanta spas that left eight people dead, including six Asian women.

Li is a long-time resident of Iowa City who graduated from the University of Iowa and now is an adjunct professor there. In her application, she listed her experience organizing events and becoming an activist for the Asian American community. She said has come to appreciate Iowa City's inclusivity and diversity and wants to use the platform of City Council to push for equality, justice and humanity for all.

Li also said she wants to improve representation of the Asian American community as a voting bloc in Johnson County. The only other elected officials of Asian or Pacific islanders heritage in the Iowa City area are Hai Huynh on Coralville City Council and Johnson County Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz.

Who is Mary Mascher?

Mascher held one of the two Iowa City seats in the Iowa House of Representatives for 28 years until she left office at the end of last year, setting the record as the longest-serving woman in Iowa House history.

Born in Iowa City, she grew up on a century farm in Johnson County and was an elementary school teacher and counselor in the Iowa City school district for 33 years. While she said in 2021 that she knew it was time to leave the Iowa House, she didn't rule out continued participation in politics.

In her application, Mascher said she has benefitted from many city services and institutions, including the library, senior center and Iowa City Farmer's Market, and wants to provide meaningful feedback as a council member.

Mascher also touted the strong relationships with lawmakers and other city and state leaders she's built over the years. She expressed support for the city's efforts to provide more affordable housing and child care.

Who is Sean McRoberts?

McRoberts is a pastor in Iowa City who has served with several congregations, including St. Mark's United Methodist Church, and now is working as the director of operations and development at the Wesley Center at the University of Iowa. McRoberts identified as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.

McRoberts said in their application that their work involves fighting racism, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia and economic oppression. They said they've learned the importance of listening, leadership skills and speaking both to and on behalf of the community.

McRoberts said they think they can aid the council in responding to emerging needs in the community and prioritizing equity and accessibility in long-term planning. They also said they are familiar with organizational finance and can help craft a budget that reflects the hopes of the city.

Who is Elizabeth Miglin?

Miglin is a third-year University of Iowa student studying international relations and poetry and served as the city liaison for Undergraduate Student Government, or USG. As a constant presence at Iowa City Council meetings for the last two years, Miglin has built a relationship with the members and city staff.

Miglin graduated from Roosevelt High School in Des Moines and has worked as a clerk in the Iowa Senate under state Sen. Amanda Ragan of Mason City. Miglin also was the policy director for the Iowa Youth Climate Strike, a collaboration with Des Moines-area high schoolers.

As the USG city liaison, Miglin worked to revitalize the affordable lease gap housing program through the Iowa Memorial Union, which has helped house more than 30 students.

Miglin said having a student on City Council would provide a unique perspective and an opportunity to demonstrate a genuine interest by the city in student concerns and inclusivity.

Who is Joshua Moe?

Moe, a project architect with OPN Architects, has served as the chair of the Iowa City Area Business Partnership's Community Leadership Program. He graduated with a master's degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati and has served on numerous nonprofit boards in Iowa City, including Old Brick, Friends of Historic Preservation and Preservation Iowa.

Moe said in his application that he's worked as a consultant for the city, forged relationships with the staff and becoming familiar with the city's capital improvement plans.

He said that as a council member, he would seek to encourage wise investment in public infrastructure, facilities and fiscal reserves and leverage his experience with area nonprofits to promote an inclusive and resilient economy. As a member of the LGBTQ community, he said, he would address social justice, racial equity and human rights.

Who is Mandi Remington?

Remington is founder and executive director of Corridor Community Action Network, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide services to residents and raise awareness about opportunities to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids area. She also is a member and former chair of the Iowa City Community Police Review Board.

Remington has lived in Iowa City since 1999 and said in her application that she's experienced life in the community as an adolescent, student, small business owner, single parent, University of Iowa employee and community activist.

She said she has promoted alliances among many local and statewide activist and advocacy groups and wants to provide those allies and the greater Iowa City Community with a voice on the council.

Is a special election for Iowa City Council still possible?

City Attorney Eric Goers said there has not been a valid petition submitted to force a special election to fill Weiner's seat, but that such a move is still possible. A 14-day window will open after the City Council appoints her replacement on Tuesday.

A petition would require 743 signatures from eligible Iowa City voters. The petition form for a special election is available at the Iowa Secretary of State's website.

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (319) 214-5039, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Seven finalists named to fill vacancy on Iowa City's City Council