Dan Wozniak - Your Fairfax City Council Representative
My mission is to Connect One Fairfax. As a Council Member, my goal is to represent and serve the entire community. I will focus on initiatives that benefit the greatest number of residents, while ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency in all decisions.
About Me
Born and raised in Iowa, I am currently the Director of Marketing at Hibu. My wife, Staci, and I, along with our four children—Jordan, Peyton, Aran, and Ridley—moved to Fairfax, specifically to the Heartland Heights neighborhood, where we immediately fell in love with the city’s welcoming small-town charm. We are thrilled to live close to both Staci’s father and my parents, who also call Fairfax home.
In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and playing sports of all kinds. I’m also passionate about volunteering and participating in the exceptional events and activities Fairfax has to offer.
Previously, I served as the Chair of the Board of Adjustment, where I was actively involved in decision-making and ensuring compliance with regulations. Now, as a City Council member, I am committed to representing the community with dedication, focusing on a shared vision and addressing the needs of our citizens.
Vision
My vision for Fairfax is to foster intelligent and balanced growth while preserving our small-town charm. Key initiatives include:
Intelligent Growth: Promote strategic development that balances community needs with long-term sustainability.
Key Infrastructure Projects: Address the intersection of Hwy 151 and 80th St to improve safety and traffic flow.
Business Growth: Attract B2C businesses to the Hwy 151 and 80th corridor, stimulating local economy and providing jobs.
Efficient Project Bidding: Encourage competitive bidding for city projects to reduce costs, increase productivity, and maintain high-quality standards.
Fiscal Responsibility: Implement project-based budgeting to ensure city spending is focused, transparent, and contextually aligned with our goals.
Sustainable Wage Management: Address ongoing wage and rate increases, ensuring they align with our fiscal priorities and city growth.
Public Safety: Work towards establishing a Fairfax Police Department to enhance community safety.
Digital Accessibility: Revamp the city’s website for ease of use, ensuring residents can quickly find information and engage with local government.
Approach
My approach to leadership is rooted in collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity. I focus on the following principles:
Holistic Decision-Making: Ensure that all decisions are made in the context of broader city projects, avoiding isolated decision-making that could overlook long-term impacts.
Open Communication: Foster an environment where residents feel welcome to reach out with their thoughts, questions, and concerns. I am committed to actively listening and maintaining transparent, two-way communication.
Resident-Centered Priorities: Continuously engage with Fairfax residents to identify their top priorities and pain points, ensuring their voices drive our initiatives.
Fiscal Transparency: Require City Managers to provide detailed P&L statements or equivalent documents for any new or revised proposals to ensure financial accountability.
Increased Public Engagement: Record all public city meetings and encourage greater resident participation, promoting an inclusive environment where community input is valued and acted upon.
Planned Actions
As a City Council member, I will focus on initiatives that foster economic growth, improve efficiency, and ensure responsible use of resources. My planned actions include:
Retail and Business Development: Actively seek retail B2C businesses and storefronts to populate the Hwy 151 and 80th Street corridor, with a focus on businesses that reduce the need for residents to travel to Cedar Rapids. This includes recruiting smaller shops and one or two restaurants, such as fast food, near the intersection. These businesses will not only serve Fairfax residents but will also attract travelers, benefiting the local economy.
Parks and Trails Implementation: Deliver on promises for key community projects, such as the park in Heartland Heights and the trail around Western Lake. While these are large projects, efforts will begin as soon as possible to bring them to fruition.
Cost Reduction: Implement measures to reduce costs within the City. This will include requiring pseudo P&L documents for all new proposals to show the financial impact and contribution back to the City. While not all projects will generate positive cash flow, this exercise will provide valuable context for decision-making.
Accountability for Recurring Costs: Require proof of spending for all recurring costs and payments. We will examine older projects to identify wasteful or neglected spending, ensuring that funds are being used efficiently and responsibly.
Competitive Project Bidding: Ensure that all city projects, including consulting and engineering work, have multiple bids before starting. Any City employee with familial or personal relationships involved in the bidding process will be excluded from decision-making to maintain fairness and transparency.
Context-Driven Decision Making: Require that all projects, decisions, and discussions are evaluated in the context of their impact on the community. This will ensure that resources are allocated wisely, preventing small expenditures from accumulating into significant costs over time.
Transparency and Communication: Prioritize transparency by recording all public meetings, encouraging open dialogue with residents, and providing clear documentation of decisions and plans. This will help ensure that residents are informed and engaged with the city’s activities.
Actions Taken
Background Checks for Volunteers:
A proposal was introduced to require background checks for volunteers working with children. While this idea faced resistance from some City staff and lacked support from the Council, it remains an important issue I plan to revisit in the future.City Administrator Position:
The decision to hire Fairfax’s first City Administrator represents a significant step toward improving the structure, efficiency, and accountability of our local government. This role is expected to streamline operations, reduce unnecessary spending, and enhance the services provided to residents.Fireworks Ordinance:
Following strong feedback from residents, a proposal was made to reduce the days fireworks could be set off. Despite the clear majority in favor of this change, the Council ultimately chose not to move forward, with only one other member supporting the residents’ position. Efforts to advocate for changes that better reflect the community’s wishes will continue.
Ongoing Challenges
Overlay District Proposal:
The proposal for an Overlay District in Heartland Heights aimed to give residents greater control over their neighborhoods, ensuring decisions were not driven solely by individual's interests. Despite support from 25 residents through a petition, the Council decided not to move forward. Advocating for residents’ voices in the planning process remains a priority, and I will continue to challenge decisions that prioritize single entities over the broader community.Water Rate Increase:
I voted against the proposed 20% water rate increase, as I felt more exploration of alternative solutions was needed. While I understand the financial challenges, I believe there should have been a more thorough approach to problem-solving before placing additional financial burdens on residents.Budget Approval:
I voted against the City’s budget because I felt there was more work to be done to reduce unnecessary spending and better allocate funds. I remain committed to advocating for a budget that is both responsible and transparent, and one that aligns more closely with our community’s priorities.Goal Setting Document:
A proposal to create a goal-setting document for the City was intended to improve long-term planning and transparency, similar to practices in other Iowa cities. While the idea was rejected, I believe this tool could benefit both residents and City operations by providing clear expectations and alignment on future projects.Heartland Heights Park Bathrooms:
I voted against the proposed bathrooms at Heartland Heights Park, as I felt the expense outweighed the benefit at this time. My focus remains on ensuring the City allocates resources effectively and in ways that address the most pressing community needs.
Commitment to Transparency and Advocacy
Throughout these efforts, I’ve faced challenges in driving action and navigating resistance to change. Nevertheless, I remain dedicated to advocating for transparency, accountability, and responsible governance. My focus will always be on representing the people of Fairfax, even when that means questioning the current approach. I am committed to listening to the concerns of residents and working toward the positive changes that will help our community thrive.
