Haubrich announces Fort Dodge council run

He focuses on communication with citizens

Michael Haubrich is pledging to keep Fort Dodge citizens informed on what their local government is doing if he is elected to the City Council.

He has declared his candidacy for an at-large council seat and is making communication with residents the central theme of his campaign.

"I'm going to listen," he said. "I'm going to tell you what I feel or think."

If he is elected, Haubrich said he will have monthly meetings at which residents can ask him anything about city operations and infrastructure.

He also is promising "honesty on why I vote or push city topics."

Two of the three at-large seats on the council will be filled during this year's election. Councilwoman Lydia Schuur, who holds one of those seats, has already said she will not seek re-election to a third term. Councilman Quennel McCaleb, who holds the other seat, has not announced his intentions for this year's election.

"I have friends all over Fort Dodge, so I feel I could help people all over Fort Dodge instead of just my ward," Haubrich said.

Former Councilman Terry Moehnke is the only other candidate for an at-large council seat so far.

Haubrich, of 734 Exposition Drive, is making his first run for elected office. He credits Webster County Supervisor Niki Conrad with inspiring him to run. He recalled that he was talking to Conrad about an issue late last year, and she asked if he had ever considered running for office.

Haubrich is a full-time employee of Elanco Animal Health and a part-time animal control officer with Webster County Animal Protection.

Although he lives in Fort Dodge, he is a member of the all-volunteer Badger Fire Department. He was a volunteer firefighter in his native North Carolina, where he earned multiple fire and rescue certifications from the Cape Fear First Responder Academy. He earned his emergency medical technician certification from Iowa Central Community College this spring.

He is a native of Jacksonville, North Carolina, and graduated from Northside – Onslow High School. He trained in auto body collision repair at Coastal Carolina Community College.

From April 2007 to January 2018 he worked for three different companies supporting the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The other announced candidates in this year's city election are Councilman Dave Flattery, who is running for mayor, and Todd McCubbin, who is running for the Ward 3 council seat Flattery is vacating.

Mayor Matt Bemrich is not running for a fifth term.