Camanche appoints Eden to Council

Mar. 21—CAMANCHE — The vacancy on the Camanche City Council was filled Monday by the appointment of developer and contractor Robert Edens.

The Council accepted the resignation of Justen Rolston at its March 5 meeting, and voted to appoint his replacement.

At its meeting on Monday, March 19, the Council interviewed candidates to fill the seat. They were Edens, Brent Brightman, John Rickertsen, Dawn Firrell, Greg Nelson and Dennis Kelly.

Edens, 50, said he was born and raised in Camanche, and with his wife, Jennifer, they have seven children who are advancing through the Camanche school system.

"My wife and I have invested a lot into the city of Camanche," he said during his interview, adding that they pay attention to things the city does and would like to see changes for the better.

"I'm a very forward-looking person," he said. "The projects that I've done in the city of Camanche were not just done overnight. We purchase property, for instance, for our subdivisions well in advance and we think into the future as far as what we could make this into."

As another example, he recalled working with a former city administrator on a "neighborhood program" to envision what vacant ground in the city would or should look like.

"It didn't go very far primarily because some of the landowners though we ... they just misunderstood," he said, adding that is the kind of forward thinking he brings to the table.

"I'm very proud of our city. I love our city. I think it's a great city and I want to see that we keep it that way, and I think it's pretty easy to do if we just pay attention to what our needs are and upon them."

Former Councilman Greg Nelson, whose term ended in December of 2013, said he wanted another chance to "help better the community" and in his retirement he has more time to dedicate to city work.

"We did a lot of good things when I was on the Council for that four-year term," he said. "If you drive around town you see them — Washington Boulevard, some water improvements, bike paths — and a lot of things that are done behind the scenes, everyday things that ... people ... they just take for granted."

Nelson said he has served the city one way or another for 40 years, including with the fire department, on the council or an assortment of other board.

Dawn Firrell said she and her husband moved from Clinton to Camanche about 12 years ago, and their children went through the school district.

"We love Camanche," she said. "We think it's wonderful. We want to retire here. I currently work at Clinton Dental Surgery Center. I have owned a business in the past. I decided to close my business to make more time for myself and my family and to be in our community versus being in the Quad-Cities, where my business was based at.

She wants to meet more people and serve the community now that she is able.

"I think that Camanche has a lot to offer families and individuals and I would like to see more progress happen in our city, but keep that small town feel and home feel for everyone."

Another former member of the Council, Brent Brightman, said he has been in Camanche since 1993 and is a business owner in town "as well as many other towns around the area."

He owns Brent's Firehouse Coffee with locations in Camanche, De Witt, Bettendorf and Clinton as well as Morrison, Illinois.

He was on the Council from 2018-2021 and they accomplished a lot of great things, he said. "You are sitting in one of them that I was a part of. That's a great feeling."

He touted his knowledge of municipal and business budgeting.

"I think I have some unfinished business that I would like to continue on to make this town even better with the team up here," Brightman said.

"These are all great candidates, don't get me wrong, but I feel with my experience and past I'd be a great fit."

Dennis Kelly said he moved to Camanche in 2017 after his son was born. He unsuccessfully ran for an open seat on the Council in October and works at ADM.

"I didn't take the loss as a loss," he said. "I took it as, "OK, I got two years to prepare for running again."

His experiences at ADM include safety board meetings and budgets have helped prepare him for office, he said.

"I want to help work on bettering infrastructure — sewer system, water ... the power as well," he said.

John Rickertsen said he was born and raised here and has a long association with the public works department, where his father worked. He unsuccessfully ran for office in 2015.

"That didn't work out so well for me," he said, noting that he then just focused on his career at that point.

"I believe all that training and what I've learned from there would be a big benefit to the city."

He added, "I just feel that I've got a level head open mind and would do a lot of good for us."

Council members also asked the candidates about how the city should fund a $4.5 million sewer project. They also asked the candidates to identify the top two to four things on the Council's docket.