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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Nov. 2 General Election is approaching quickly, and Richard Palen is one of four candidates in the race to fill the two spots on the Wapello County Board of Supervisors.

Palen would bring over 20 years of business management experience.

“I can bring to Wapello County a better avenue of business and an easier method of doing business because I know what they’ve gone through and that’s something that’s not there right now and that is going to ultimately help create jobs in Wapello County,” said Palen. “I, personally, cannot create jobs; no supervisor can personally create jobs, but we can make it a better business environment so they can create jobs, ultimately increasing the tax-base in Wapello County because there are more jobs.”

Incumbent Wapello County Supervisor Candidate Jerry Parker told KTVO citizens have two choices. He said they can choose between two candidates that have proven experience (Parker, himself, and other incumbent Wapello County Supervisor Candidate Greg Kenning), or they can choose two candidates who have little, or no experience (referring to Palen and Marcus Bennett). Palen has a response.

“Over 20 years of business experience is not ‘no experience.’ And also, in talking to the constituents out there that I’ve had the opportunity and the pleasure of meeting with, I think that there’s a disconnect there between what they feel they’ve done and what the citizens feel they’re getting. I think that yes, they have balanced the budget, but if the services aren’t being offered to the citizens, which again, I’m not just talking one or two individuals here, I’m talking several hundred and even into the thousands that I’ve talked to.”

What plans does Palen have for the position, if elected?

“I want to go over the budgetary items,” he said. “I have items that I want to take care of that I think need to be addressed and a lot of it also is going to be really working hand-in-hand with the different municipalities in Wapello County, including Ottumwa, Holden, Eddyville, Chillicothe, Agency, and the townships that are also surrounding here to make sure that the tax dollars are being used at the maximum best way they can be.”

What does he think he can do better than is currently being done?

“Jerry Parker has done some good things for the community and anybody that serves their community, I commend them for that,” he said. “I think that I can be a little more inclusive. I think that there’s been a division between county and city officials, and knowing some of the city officials I do and knowing some of the county officials I do, I can bring a cohesiveness between the two that is just going to make things work better, make things a more relaxed atmosphere, which is going to get more things done.”