I wish I could ask each and every person that owns property or lives here that question. Preferably in a face-to-face conversation!
Where’s ‘here,’ you ask?
Welcome to Vinton
I live in Vinton. It is the county seat in Benton County, Iowa with right around 5000 people according to the 2020 census. Located on the Cedar River, it is Home of the Vinton Vikings, site of the former Iowa Braille School, and birthplace of former Major League Baseball pitcher, Wesley Obermueller.
Here in Vinton, we have been having some issues with city officials. The code enforcement officer, Blake Hansen, is a strong candidate for ‘public enemy number one.’ He was appointed to his current position by police chief Ted Paxton in the summer of 2021. In addition to being the code enforcement officer for Vinton, he is also the Floodplain Manager for Vinton and the Building Inspector for Benton County, according to this Vinton Today article.
Seems like a lot of authority and responsibility for one guy. Plus the added burden of being the first to hold such a position, with many eyes watching across Iowa! Personally, I think he is going to end up being the fall guy for others that have been in a position of authority far longer than he, but he has certainly done a lot of things to dig his hole deeper with people around town.
Code Enforcement
First, it seemed like Hansen was targeting specific individuals with nuisance abatement proceedings. I was one of them. Despite the commotion that our supporters raised with city hall once word got out, city officials were quick to shift the blame back on us as an excuse for what they had done.
In fact, things gained momentum as more letters were sent out warning property owners about their alleged municipal code violations. Attempts to reason with the code enforcer only seemed to encourage him in pushing the boundaries of his authority. Tensions continue to escalate. Rather than address the concerns raised by frustrated letter recipients, our city council voted to let Hansen to carry a weapon because he felt intimidated.
At the time, I worried that someone was going to get hurt, or killed! I thought for sure this step would raise enough concern to get others involved. Maybe it did, and we just didn’t hear about it. Unfortunately, the fear of being targeted is a powerful social motivator, so if people are taking action, they are doing it alone behind closed doors.
Wait… What Did He Say?
My jaw dropped when I heard that our mayor threatened to cut city services in order to cover their legal fees. A HUGE THANK YOU to Valerie Close for the long hours she puts in to keep our small town paper running and the diligence she demonstrates in her reporting!
It took me a minute to find the article on the Vinton Today website. It was posted a few days ago, so it wasn’t on the home page anymore. Click the link to be redirected to that article- please consider showing your support to keep our small town paper alive with a subscription or financial donation! The work they do is so important!
My Comment
As I prepare to publish this article, the comment I submitted last night has yet to be approved. Don’t worry… of course I copied it! (And good thing… I am afraid that I accidentally submitted only a portion of what I wrote last night, so I sent it again this morning!)
I agree that people do need to take concerns up with city hall. If those concerns are not resolved, the next step is attending a city council meeting. The problem is that most people accept it as “just the way it is around here,” or they are afraid of being targeted for speaking out.
I know that it did not help talking to someone at city hall when we were dealing with them about code enforcement issues, and I have talked to several others that complained about rude or dismissive behavior from city officials. It’s hard to stay calm in the face of injustice, but I realize that where we really failed is when we didn’t follow through after they refused to work with us.
These concerns that have cost the city so much money in legal fees so far, are happening because the people that we elected are allowing it to happen. We have granted them the authority, and they are able to make changes, but no one is holding them accountable to do so. The only consequences they have felt are showing up in dollar signs, otherwise it would be business as usual. Whether this is inadvertent or intentional, that is the reality of it. If someone needs to point fingers and place blame, it is time to accept the fact that we all are at fault. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Instead of cutting city services to manage legal fees, maybe we should cut nonessential city services to fund solutions for the issues that are at the heart of all this. Cities all across the US are focusing on code enforcement, and while I question the timing, as we are all struggling to bounce back after a financially draining pandemic, that does not mean that I think the desired outcomes are intentionally malicious or unnecessary. I have read that the most successful and well-received code enforcement efforts also implemented grants, loans, and volunteer programs to help property owners. Often times, the issue with noncompliance is due to lack of resources coupled with unrealistic expectations and a breakdown in communication. I also know that allowing them to get away with threatening to cut city services to force our obedient compliance is a slippery slope that can only lead to more fines and increasingly strict ordinances. All of this will only make our problems worse and create greater animosity between residents and city officials.
I remember reading an article when Blake started as code enforcer, how his position was the first of its kind, and other cities across Iowa are watching us to see how it all unfolds. That means we are in a key position to show others how to do things the right way. Judging from the legal fees that are racking up, it is time to accept that things are not working and make adjustments. These issues have been escalating for some time, and tensions are high, but until we take (peaceful) action to defend our rights, nothing will change. That involves gathering information and input from everyone involved, discussing it OPENLY, keeping emotions in check, and respectfully compromising so that all parties are able to keep working for a better future with minimal losses. Can we do that? Are you all ready to show up when the time comes?
Abuse of Power
The message Mayor Bud Maynard had for Vinton residents is a cunning example of political gaslighting! Another phrase that immediately came to my mind: MOB-STYLE STRONG ARM TACTICS! We cannot let this abuse of power go unanswered!
This peer reviewed article from VeryWellMind offers a thorough discussion to help readers learn the warning signs of gaslighting and the manipulative tactics abusers use to exert control over others. These behaviors were originally attributed to romantic relationships and toxic narcissistic partners, but I found this entry on the Political Dictionary website.
Divided We Fall
We have all seen it on social media. People talk a big talk about “fighting for our rights” and “going to war” against the government, but you can hear the crickets chirping when anyone tries to get people organized for peaceful action. Even people that haven’t been directly affected by all this are fed up watching us slowly lose our civil rights!
I have talked to so many about how it will take all of us standing united, and I get excited when they seem to be on board with taking action… until they realize I am asking them to do something. I understand every body is busy with work and family and stuff, so I try to do all the leg work myself… but I can’t even get people to JUST SHOW UP!
You might think that I am being dramatic, or maybe you just aren’t sure… I highly suggest a book called State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and The Assault on the American Mind by Dr. Bryant Welch.
Nancy McWilliam, Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University highly praised Dr. Welch’s book: “This beautifully written, urgently relevant work should be on the bookshelf of everyone who cares about the survival of American democracy.”
Get Involved!
Nothing will change the trend towards totalitarianism and oligarchy in America unless we stand peacefully united! Learn more about National Liberty Alliance !
Check out their FREE COURSES about our constitution and fighting for our civil rights!
Read more about the movement that has established a network of Committees of Safety in every county in the United States!
Click the following link to download a detailed explanation of their plan!
Join the Libertarian Party!
Jim and I caught a ride with our friend, Jessica Fuehrer, to the Libertarian Caucuses in February of this year. That night we made the decision to elect officers in order to establish ourselves as an official state affiliated county party!
The Iowa Libertarian Party of Benton County meets monthly, on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Weather permitting, we would love to start hosting the meetings in person at the gazebo at Celebration Park at 3 pm.
As of right now, we are planning to continue as scheduled via Zoom at 730 for the April 21st meeting. Like us on social media to receive reminder notifications and stay current on events!
I Challenge YOU
Please head over to the National Liberty Alliance to educate yourself learn more about the grassroots efforts taking place all over the country! Take advantage of the free courses they offer, so you can understand the role that the Committees of Safety played in establishing this country and uniting our founding fathers to fight back against the tyranny. It is time you learn the truth about our history and the founding principles that shaped our nation!
WE THE PEOPLE have the POWER to TRULY make America great again!
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Iridescent Alchemyst 
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