Teresa Negen of Clarksville was recently announced as the Democratic nominee for District 1 Supervisor of Butler County. Negen was nominated through the Butler County Democratic Convention on Wednesday, August 12.
Negen will face Republican nominee, incumbent supervisor Greg Barnett in the general election on November 3. Barnett won the Republican primary unopposed in June.
Question: Why have you decided to run in this election?
Answer: My work and my interactions with people in the county both personally and professionally led several people whom I respect greatly to encourage me to run for this office. After some contemplation, I really felt the time was right for me to “get involved.”
I have lived in Clarksville for almost my entire life. I have worked throughout Butler County as a physical therapist and gotten to know a lot of families and made a lot of friends. I built and continue to operate two businesses on Main Street in Clarksville, and my husband, and I chose to raise our family here. I care about our county and our communities, and I want to see them continue to thrive. I also feel it is important to have different perspectives and let government work like it should, through democracy. It is important to give people choices and to have people in office who represent all of the people that the government works for, not a certain subset of people.
Q: What experience makes you qualified for this position?
A: So I can better answer that question, I would like to explain a little bit about what the supervisor position entails. Butler County has three Supervisors who represent its 16 townships. The District 1 position represents the following townships: Fremont, Butler, Shell Rock, Jackson, Jefferson and the Northeast section of Beaver, including the towns of Clarksville and Shell Rock.
The supervisor position is the legislative body of the county. Some of the duties of this position include: approving all of the budgets, levying taxes to produce revenue, serving on county boards, overseeing county services including secondary roads and bridge maintenance, public health, planning, zoning and public safety, agriculture, and conservation. No one individual is an expert in all of those things, but they must be able to make good decisions, be well-rounded and be able to decipher information in a meaningful way.
I feel I am qualified for a number of reasons. I have a strong business sensibility from my entrepreneurial experience, and I know how to manage finances and balance a budget successfully for long term stability and growth. I have a formal education which started by graduating valedictorian of Clarksville High School, obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Iowa, followed by a Masters of Physical Therapy from St. Ambrose University, and culminating by graduating with my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Des Moines University with high academic honors. This last degree I earned while managing and operating my two businesses, raising my family, and serving in many community organizations at the same time. I can handle stressful situations, and when I put my mind to something, I not only do the job, but I do it right.
I have the passion to see this county succeed and grow because most of my family and many of my friends live and work right here as well.
My background in healthcare is important in the light of the current pandemic, as I know how to find and utilize quality research and expert opinion to make good decisions.
I have served on multiple boards and organizations as a member, leader, secretary, treasurer, and administrator. These include: Church council, Booster club, Freestyle club, Clarksville Scout Troop 1053, Event planning committees, Parish Education, Clarksville Better Health Committee, City Recreation Sports, Coaching Junior High Level.
I am a mother, wife, and daughter; therefore, I am different from the current people who serve on the Board. If elected, I will be the first woman to ever serve on the board of supervisors, allowing the county to promote diversity and inclusion. I am level-headed, able to problem solve well, determine, and able to multi-task and get things done, even in the busiest of times.
Q: How long have you lived in Butler County, and what is your occupation?
A: I was born and raised here between Clarksville and Shell Rock, went to Clarksville Community School, and then lived out of the county during my college years.
My husband and I moved back to Clarksville to raise our family, which consists of our three boys, Cael, Cole, and Cooper, and we have been back now for 17 years.
I understand small-town values, and I also understand small town fears. I feel my time living elsewhere allowed me to become more appreciative of other cultures and individual differences, and that it was an important time of my life. I am proud to have returned to this area, which is and always will be my home.
I am a Physical Therapist, and I work with my husband, Mike, and Amy Wubbena, who are my Physical Therapist Assistants in our outpatient therapy clinic, Opportunity Therapy.
Q: What is the most important issue facing Butler County today?
A: I feel the most important issue facing Butler County today is COVID-19 and its effects on our health, safety, return to school and functions, and its economic impact. But I also feel that if COVID-19 were nonexistent, the most important issue in Butler County would be keep-ing our towns and schools thriving.
Q: What needs to be done to resolve that issue?
A: The pandemic unfortunately may not be resolved for quite some time. Health experts are continuing to learn about this virus and how it affects people in real time, and the world, including our communities, is trying to recoil from the impact that this virus is having. No one could have predicted this.
In response to the pandemic, I believe multiple things need to happen. We need to rely on our experts and make sure our local services have the funding they need to respond appropriately, whether that be in a health emergency situation or preventative measures. We need to work together to find solutions to continue to thrive, but in a safe manner by using action plans. I feel the Clarksville School has set a good example of how to do this by using a two-week trial hybrid model and then attempting to return to a new normal as safely as possible while following the recommendations of the CDC.
We need to continually assess current situations and make tough decisions as quickly as possible to prevent spread and outbreaks. We need to rein in impulsive behavior, which may be counterproductive to getting through this crisis.
We must not instill fear, especially in the younger people, but instead use education and validation as tools to help people respond to the best of their ability. And we must be aware of the negative impact this pandemic is having on our mental health and encourage each other in a positive way.
We must be patient, and we must support one another, especially in our small towns and schools. We must fight for the ability to make local decisions and not allow the state or federal government to mandate what happens. This virus is not going away, and we have to find a new normal that works by listening and responding to each other.
In regard to keeping our towns and schools alive, I think we have to take a serious look at change. Running things the old way because it worked in the past will always hinder the future. Our communities are different than they have been in the past. We no longer can rely just on agriculture and farming alone. We need to continue to bring in new businesses and people. We need to help Main Street businesses by buying local and supporting each other because the businesses support the communities. We have to strive to keep our communities attractive through visioning committees, local organizations, volunteering, and investing. We need to provide opportunities for all people, not just a select few.
Q: What is your vision for Butler County?
A: My vision for Butler County is growth and support. I want to see the people who are here be able to live happy, fulfilling lives in a safe, clean, welcoming environment. I want to see the current businesses continue, and I would like to see more business and industry enter the area so we may continue to have local school systems and services and quality infrastructure, including roads and bridges.
I would like to see more support for our emergency management systems that are currently run by volunteers, to ensure when those services are needed they are available. I want our public health to be able to not only be in a reactive state, but a proactive state as well with the ability to offer preventative services along with medical management care. I would like people to be better educated on the services that are currently available and be able to utilize these services.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add?
A: Being elected to this position will not stop me from being able to serve Butler County through my work as a Physical Therapist. Physical Therapy is my passion, and I will stay committed to this as well. Opportunity Therapy has a wonderful staff including my husband, Mike, and our partner, Amy Wub-bena. Together, we will find a balance to continue to fulfill our mission of “Small town charm with big-time results” and provide professional, high-quality physical therapy services.
I would like to refer you to my website: teresanegen.com for further information and would appreciate it if you would make other people aware of it too. I am also on Facebook @teresanegenforbutlercounty.
(This article originally appeared in The Clarksville Star and is reprinted with permission.)