A city is best served, Josiah DAlbini contends, when its leaders are fully engaged with the citizens they serve.
To that end, the Ward 3 City Council hopeful promises to keep open lines of communication, not only with constituents, but with other area governing bodies.
Each plays an important part in the success of the other, said DAlbini, one of four candidates for Ward 3, which covers the southwest quadrant of town.
Ward 3 voters will choose among DAlbini, Kyle King, Ashley Varner and incumbent Kim Peterson in a primary election Tuesday, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election.
Despite being in Iola only a short time the 29-year-old moved back to town after being hired in 2018 as an academic adviser at Allen Community College DAlbini sees a community of hope.
Thats whats driven me to this, a chance to positively affect the community I love, he said. Thats part of why I came back to Allen. I loved everything about it: the college, the town, just how friendly everybody is. I want to make sure Iola is the best Iola can be.
Having grown up in Hillsboro and then Ottawa for much of his childhood, DAlbini was in Iola from 2008 to 2011 as a student at Allen, where aside from breaking his leg his first day on campus, DAlbini also took an interest in student government and civic involvement.
The injury, which occurred during a get-to-know-your-schoolmates relay race, carried an unusual benefit.
In one way, thats how everybody got to know me very quickly, he laughed. And it forced me to get to know people, and get out of my comfort level.
From Allen, DAlbini graduated from Emporia State University with a degree in sociology, then moved back to Ottawa, where he worked as a youth specialist at the Elizabeth Layton Mental Health Center.
His end goal has been to work with college-age clients, helping young men and women attain their goals.
He was hired last summer as an adviser at ACC, but not before taking a keen interest in local government in the Ottawa area. After hearing others complain about the local school board, in particular, what he said was the boards propensity to vote on issues with minimal discussion, DAlbini became a regular attendee at those meetings.
He was planning on filing for a school board seat in Ottawa when DAlbini was hired at Allen.
DAlbini moved to Iola with that same hunger for serving others. I want to make more people engaged in the process, he said.
DALBINI doesnt enter the race with a bone to pick, aside from a desire to see more economic development.
Ive heard a lot of people talk about how, compared to Chanute, we dont roll out the red carpet for industry, he said. I want to understand what it takes for Iola to gain an industry, while still supporting small businesses. Its with a good mix of big and small businesses that a city can flourish.
