Mertz puts a wrap on time with Waukee council

Sat December 22 2007
Posted Dec 22, 2007
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By MICHOLYN FAJEN • REGISTER CORRESPONDENT Outgoing Waukee City Councilman Jeff Mertz has no plans to sit still. Mertz attended his last council meeting Monday after deciding not to seek another term. He plans to pursue his interests in bicycling, woodworking and spend more time with his family. Service to charities and bicycling organizations will allow him to continue to give back to his community, he said. Mertz calculates he's spent the majority of his six-year marriage to his wife, Jennifer, sitting on the council. Council meetings, subcommittee forums and resident gatherings have all been fulfilling, he said, but the time has come to focus on his family. "It takes a big commitment of time at this level with the city and you definitely don't do it without the support of your family. I certainly couldn't have done this without their support and understanding," Mertz said of his wife and two stepchildren, Madie and Paxton. An employee at Meredith Corp., Mertz is a designer and furniture builder for Wood magazine. His talents extend beyond work and he said he fills orders for friends and family regularly. Mertz and his wife have taken up bicycling in the past year, which helped him lose 70 pounds. Calling his discovery of cycling life-changing, Mertz has immersed himself in the race scene, volunteering as a race director and a bike racer. "It's something I can do with my family and I've met some really neat people who are active in the biking scene that, in turn, has allowed me to help with local charity events. It's something I can do that has an impact," Mertz said. He rode in the Multiple Sclerosis 150, raising $2,000 for the cause. Mertz's contributions while on the council helped pave the way for growth in Waukee. Mertz said Waukee joining the Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority was a huge opportunity for the city. Buying Sugar Creek Golf Course and establishing a developers' roundtable to work through zoning and code issues were other important steps, he said. Councilwoman Darlene Stanton said Mertz is a forthright individual who brought a valuable perspective to city issues. His work experience in construction and with developers brought a value to the city four years ago when officials revisited the city codes, she said. "He helped bring those building ordinances up to a higher standard because of his knowledge and experience. That left a lasting impression with me. He's given generously of his time and he will be missed," Stanton said. Not every aspect of his time on the council was positive, though. Mertz filed ethics charges against Mayor Bill Peard in 2005, claiming Peard had pressured then-City Administrator Mark Arentsen to campaign on Peard's behalf. The charges were dismissed by the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board and Mertz said that placed him in a whistleblower position, losing clout and influence for the remainder of his term. "It was tough ordeal for me going through that process," Mertz said. "I firmly believe it impacted the committees I was assigned to afterward. "Overall, the city has a great staff and it was great to work with those people. When I look back at those things I'm really proud of, Jeff Kooistra, the new city administrator, is one of them."