18-Year-Old Elected Mayor of Small Iowa Town: ‘You Need to Start Somewhere’
- Posted on November 12, 2011 at 10:55am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Aredale, Iowa's newest mayor, 18-year-old Jeremy Minnier. (Image source: KIMT-TV)
The newly elected mayor of Aredale, Iowa plays saxophone in the high school band.
That’s because 18-year-old Jeremy Minnier is still in high school.
Minnier won a write-in campaign in Tuesday’s election, beating his 76-year-old incumbent opponent and getting himself elected mayor of the tiny, 74-resident town. Just 32 ballots were cast, and Minnier won 24 of them to incumbent Mayor Virgil Homer’s eight.
“I’ve been a leader my whole life,” he told MSNBC in an interview. “I’ve always volunteered in different things throughout the community.”
He said a few people approached him about running as a write-in after no one else in the town came forward to run for the spot. Even Homer said he’s glad he did, telling the Des Moines Register the only reason he ran himself is because no one else wanted to do it.
“A lot of people were surprised because I’m not the most outspoken person at school,” Minnier said of his win.
But, as he told the Register, he has a list of issues he wants to get to work on, including:
The overall appearance of downtown Aredale, including barren planters that lacked flowers this year.
The city septic system needs to be addressed — perhaps with construction of a new leach field.
Hookup to rural water for the city, which currently relies on individual wells.
Minnier said he didn’t spend any money on the write-in campaign, though some local businessmen printed and handed out cards with his name written on them.
Though he’s the president of his local Future Farmers of America chapter and holds a part-time job in addition to his band activities, he said plenty of people tried to dissuade him from his mayoral ambitions.
“I’ve had a lot of people say, you’re only 18, you can’t do this, you don‘t know what’s going on,” he said.
Still, he doesn’t see his age as a hindrance, and said everyone should be able to have a hand in running their community.
“I’m a young adult. We are the future, we’re the next generation, we’re going to be running this country someday,” he said. “You need to start somewhere, and if you can start making a difference in the world today just imagine what it would be like in the generations to come.”
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Comments (78)
Wakeup Maggie
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:14pmbet he does a better job thuan BO….then again–that won’t be hard to do
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:23pmWell the article says he is president of the FFA so he already has some idea of rules of order in a meeting so he has a start, I wish him the best. I hope the other town officials help him out instead trying to cut his throat and undermine his efforts in making the town a better place to live!
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:28pmI don’t know, he’s already spending money?? I do wish him well though.. he says that his age is the future and in someplaces, that is a scary idea.. to kids who have been given everything on a gold platter?? I hope he can do it, because now the country is watching!
Report Post »Vechorik
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:41pmIn a town nearby, they elected a 19-year-old mayor (university town). He did a great job! Got cold beer approved for sale, etc. No one regretted it.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on November 13, 2011 at 11:53amI like his attitude. Good luck.
Report Post »steveh931
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:07pm74 resident town with a 18 year old Mayor, great idea. Congratulations and serve your community with pride. Don’t forget the U.S. Constitution, listen to the people and keep the budget balanced with a reserve set aside for a rainy days.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:13pmHe better keep it balanced and 10% in reserved, any other option for a city is violation of state law!
Report Post »steveh931
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:24pmHe seems like a good kid from the short video, I’m sure the citizens will keep him on the straight and narrow, they might even have some fun with this.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:03pmYOUR NOT GETTING MY GUNS
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:53am
@ GARYM
How big of a city did you work in?
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Report Post »Small town just like his, about 400 pop!
garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:00pmThis young man being a quite person by his own admission will be required to conduct a formal monthly meeting, there are rules of order in running a meeting, he will have to know much about what motion trumps what motion, when he allowed to vote and not to vote. Much to know and a short time to learn it. Rules of order and conducting the meetings just scratches the surface on what he will need to know about municipal law. Granted a town of 74 most likely has no police dept or lots of business. His responsibility for the state money the town receives is just as real if it were NYC. The Mayor is accountable for where that money goes and there are municipal laws on how that money can be spent unless the towns have thrown the laws out like our president has done with the federal laws!
Report Post »jptrucker
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 3:45pmGood for him. I hope it all works out for him.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:59amGood Luck… Aredale… hope it works out better than Obama!
Report Post »Oilstone
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:58amWish I had had his courage at that age.
Report Post »When you look at the big responsibilities guys like George Washington and Charles Spurgeon took on at a really young age, I see no reason to bash this town for electing a youngster. Sure he will make mistakes. Those guys did, too. But if his attitude is right, he’ll do something worthwhile with himself.
SamIamTwo
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:55amHe will run into the political establishment and the only thing that will get fixed is the beautification part. Easy kill…raising taxes for the projects or reducing other thing for those projects will cause conflict. But you need to start somewhere for sure.
A dog in OR was once elected mayor of a town, cause of all of the bureaucratic nonsense.
Good luck young man…you are on the path of learning and the curve is steep…steer to the right as you navigate the ship. Do not compromise good sound policies and practices, do listen and understand/study the impacts of implementing a new policy or practice.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:03pmSort of on topic but:
Ohio voted in John Kasich to take on the debt issue of the state and the good voters of the state said no we really want to keep the state employees in the life style that they have come accustomed to…
Silly people really believed those union ads on the boob tube…They want their cake and eat it too…the know not what they just did.
Now you think they are going to vote for more taxes to support the state employees and give them those dandy benefits.
You see a democracy does not work effectively…the Government should have taken care of business and not let the voters try to have it both ways. John has got to be pulling his hair out today, eh? A republic does really really work cause the masses (mmmoooooooo) really really do not know how the loop de loop works.
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:01pmSamIamTwo:
Report Post »I live in Ohio and voted YES on Issue 2, but the problem was created by Kasich. If he had left the Police and Firefighters out of the mix, IT WOULD HAVE PASSED IN HIS FAVOR. But NO, he had to include everyone. It passed in another state WITHOUT THE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, which are absolutely needed, no matter what. We can do without teachers, nurses, etc, but Police and Firefighters are a necessity. I hope Kasich will try again WITHOUT the Police and FF. ALSO, there was never the PR or marketing to vote YES. We got phonecalls from Freedomworks.com, but no one else. There were extremely FEW signs to vote YES – very, very few. I could not believe it. So, what do you expect? The leftists, who just love to spend the taxpayers’ money, went all out to get people to vote NO. I was so disappointed, but I am glad that Issue 3 passed (YES vote), refusing Obama’s Healthcare. We also had an issue where they wanted to raise the Judge’s age to like 70 or 80 and I was furious over that one. It failed, thank goodness. So now, Kasich has to go back to see what he needs to do. I HOPE HE LAYS OFF THE MOST GOVERNMENT WORKERS HE CAN TO MAKE HIS POINT. He has to make up that money somewhere. Where would you all suggest? And, because Issue 2 passed with a YES, Kasich will be blamed in his next election for not saving the state’s economy. At least, that is how the LEFT will portray him. I am sick to death of progressives.
I support God's Israel!
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 2:29pmOOPs, sorry. Issue 2 in Ohio went down with a NO 62% (NO) and 38% (YES). In other words, the unionists won this battle, BUT, THEY WILL BE SORRY, I GUARANTEE IT. While I agree that a deal is a deal, WE ALL MUST MAKE CONCESSIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY AND NOT JUST FOR THE GOOD OF EACH ONE OF US. Besides, government workers who are unionized should be laid off, as ME, THE TAXPAYER, is not sitting at their bargaining table when their contract is up. GOVERNMENT WORKER UNIONS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL and that is what this country needs to do: ABOLISH GOVERNMENT UNIONS – PERIOD. They should work and put away money like the rest of us. But NO, they make more than the taxpayer who pays their salaries. IT IS INSANE.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:55amWow, Mayor Virgil Homer must have been a winner! 8 votes our of 32, and most of them his immediate family!
Report Post »Go Jeremy! Obviously you couldn’t be any worse.
garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:11pmMost likely the old Mayor just drew his small pay check and didn’t ever do anything. Many towns have Mayors who have been there so long they drawn the conclusion they are just a permanent part of the system. Most of the time, no other person desires the job because it pays so little. A person would have to have an interest in serving others and have other income or they wouldn’t give running for Mayor of a small town a second thought. Lots of responsibility with very little pay!
Report Post »Vechorik
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:43pmYep, small towns tend to keep the mayor for years. Mostly, they want the state pension. Do you realize that town officials get 1.25 years credit toward retirement. They can serve as JP along with the mayor position and get DOUBLE time toward retirement? If they work at a university, serve as JP AND mayor, they get TRIPLE time toward retirement! The system sucks big-time.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:51amWay to go. I wish him luck. Sounds like he might be a conservative. Hope so!
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:56amYea he sound just like a conservative since all the stuff he talked about doing requires spending money.
Report Post »Comeandtakeit
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:50amGood for him! He seems to have enthusiasm for trying to help his community and some good concrete ideas to help. And the old guy was tired of doing it, too. Maybe he can get some young volunteers involved to help him with the projects.
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:57amHe won his first election before he got his first erection.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:45amjaxy
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:28am
Yeah, wouldn’t want anyone to have any ambition, Garym. Just stay in bed kids don’t worry your pretty little selves about adult stuff. Give me a break, go back to your lackluster life.
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Report Post »I don’t have any problem with a young man with ambition, I encourage that. I just know first hand how much knowledge of municipal law it takes a person of any age to keep their butt out of a sling and out of trouble. You see, I’m a former city official who had to cram all that knowledge in two months prior to taking office. I could see afterwards how much trouble I would have been in if I hadn’t learned what I did in that two months. Our nation was built on electing men as leaders of an older age, with experience in life and men who what the job entails. Why do you think America is in so much trouble with a guy who was elected and has no experience in anything? None of you who replied to me have any idea what you are talking about!
YOUR NOT GETTING MY GUNS
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:53am@ GARYM
Report Post »How big of a city did you work in?
ajentoranje
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:59amI agree Garym…. kids at 18 have no clue about real life or the real world. Whether they have ambition isnt the issue….its knowing how the real world works and knowing what it will take to fix problems.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:03pmSo if everyone elected to office doesn’t follow your prescribed method for learning the ropes then no one is a viable leader? Hmm. Sounds a little narrow minded. You’re talking about a town of 74 people not a bustling metropolis of which you were in charge. If the people encouraged and voted the man in do you think they might have anticipated his lack of life experience and a possible problem? Give him and the people that voted for him the benefit of the doubt. If he can’t handle it, oh well. It doesn‘t sound like there’s anything lost on these people.
Report Post »Quagaar Warrior
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:34pm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Post »Well, GaryM, I‘m certainly glad I don’t live in your town! I wouldn’t have wanted to live under your authority. You assume that no one is capable of learning or gaining experience except yourself, and only by your method. Where is he supposed to gain this experience that you so highly value? None of the experienced people in this town were willing to serve; he is. Yes, he’s going to make mistakes and learn from them, just as most of us do. I notice that you say you’re a “former city official”. Were you voted out, fired, indicted, etc? Why are you so sure this young man is going to be indicted? I’m sorry that your time as a city official was so horrible that you feel the need to lash out at this young man instead of hoping for the best for him. And before you assume I’m just another young snot-nose kid or crackerhead or someone who doesn‘t know what I’m talking about, I’ll assure you that I am neither young nor stupid. You sound like a bitter old man whose chewing on sour grapes!
P.S. I hope he is elected time after time because he serves his community well.
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farming2feedtheworld
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:42am@Garym,
The only crack head you need to worry about is the one staring back at you in the mirror. This very type of reasoning and thinking is exactly why today‘s youth and tomorrow’s future have alot of us worried. If we not only demanded and expected more out of our youth but also supported and gave them opportunities to succeed and gain trust and respect we as a country might have a much better feeling about the future. Your kind of reasoning or should I say the lack of it is what has given us Obama, and we all know what kind of future we have with him, SOCIALISM!
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:46amYour kind of reasoning gave us Obama, crackerhead!
Report Post »flatdaddio
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:41amnice to hear he wants to work for the town, not a political party…
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:39amThe town is only 74 people. The fact that he volunteers tells me he knows the community. Don’t underestimate him because of his age. He appears to be quite mature for his young age. Good for him, I wish him the best. Maybe, I should move to this town.
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:10pmI think it would be appropriate for the mayor to deliver my paper every morning! He does have a paper route, doesn’t he? Seriously, kudos to this young man! What a great start for a political career! Already he’s got more going for him that that half-******* in the White House!
Report Post »Unix
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:37amHmmmm, since I don’t know what his positions are politically I cannot comment much. How is this young man going to get to class when he is running the show? I applaud his character for running and all, and it is nice to see young folk getting involved, at least he is not camping in a square, doing drugs and spewing violent messages! Maybe it will work out for him and that apathetic town! Where are the adults?
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:09pmThe guy he replaced was 76 yrs old.
Report Post »My guess is he didnt move to fast and didnt get much done either.
I could be wrong…they will find out…?
I hope he’s wise beyond his years.
Your right ,the story didnt give a very good back story.
He appears to be a GO-GETTER.
notsofast
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:36amA decade ago a young man, 18 years old ran for the local municipal court judge. They said “you cant’ do that, “you’re too young“ and ”you’ll be making too much money for someone your age”. Well he did do that, he was voted in by a handsome margin( if I remember rightly), and he proved to be very good at his job, so good that he still draws down his big paycheck as each time he is up for re-election, he gets elected.
Good luck to this young man. You’ll do just fine and most likely your town will see some real growth in the future.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:34amHow bad was the old mayor ,that some snot nose kid beat him out . I guess with 12 votes it was probably his family that voted him in. Then again he does have a whole 18 years of leadership under his diaper .
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:42amYou are making an assumption hear that this kid is a snot nose kid. You do not know this kid, so how can you make this assumption without any facts. If you bothered to read the post, he volunteered around the community, does that sound like a snot nose to you… It does not to me.
Buffoon!
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:32amLook somebody decided that obama was smart enough to run a whole country of over 300 million so i would say this young guy has a shot at this, besides how much damage can he do compared to the imposter in chief? You go kid show obammy how its done.
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:53amYea, that “somebody” was an overwhelming majority of the public. Sorry, but you guys lost big time and got humiliated and you STILL haven’t stopped crying about it.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:26pmLook bible quotin’ american yes we did lose big because of a bunch of dummies who didnt LISTEN to the freak when he said he was going to destroy the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! So yes we all lost big time but we who didnt vote for him were NOT wrong,but dont worry us cry babies will do every thing we can to fix yalls dum A$$ mistake……………..
Report Post »sweathog1948
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:29amOf cource he has a lot to learn, but he comes in free from policts and the curse that follows them, with all the lobyist padding their hands with money he starts out as a statesman who wants to good for his community. Who knows perhaps he is the next George Washington.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:29amHe would have beat obama, I guarantee that… But imagine the aloonsky attacks they would have come up with!
Report Post »johnnyrockett
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:22amI wish him the best. At least he isn’t occupying his town. He is trying to help it. Nice to see young people step up instead of waiting for someone else to do it.
Report Post »pattybbb1
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 4:21pmBest wishes to him. And I hope he watches GBTV!
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:22amI could go either way on this kid..Yea I said kid..
But our….. FIRST PRESIDENT…Was surveying when he was a “kid ” too..
Only negative is ,I wish he played some other kind of musical instument,
Anything but a…. Sax. : > )
His parent have to be proud,they did somthing right.
Report Post »Nice story of Hope…!
barber2
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:20amSince so many of today‘s adults aren’t really adults, so….( I do worry about the fine line between optimism and arrogance in today’ s youth. ) Wish him well.
Report Post »jakartaman
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:08amGood for you Jeremy
Report Post »Best of luck
Just the little I have heard from you, I think the town is lucky to have YOU
garyM
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:06amI hope he is aware that unless he takes a quick thorough course in Municipal law, his butt is in a sling. The council and the Recorder/Treasurer will have him indicted for something before the end of his first year. These young crack heads think they don’t have to have any knowledge to operate a city office, he’ll find out!
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:28amI think there was a kid who was elected Mayor somewhere in Texas who was 11 or 12 years old and won. I think he died of a heart attack in his 20′s. Don’t think it had anything to do with crack…
Report Post »jaxy
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:28amYeah, wouldn’t want anyone to have any ambition, Garym. Just stay in bed kids don’t worry your pretty little selves about adult stuff. Give me a break, go back to your lackluster life.
Report Post »tarrsik
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:33amSure, he seems a bit cocky. But he just won his first Office. Insulting the kid isn’t the way to start. Lets see if he sinks or swims, shall we?
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:55amYou’re talking about a town of 74. Not NYC.
What interests me is where does this kid think he‘s gonna get the money to fix the sewage system if they can’t even buy plants? He should raise taxes. lol
Report Post »