Candidates file finance disclosures

Mahaska-County-Courthouse

OSKALOOSA- Campaign finance reports have been filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure board. Any candidate whose committee exceeded $1,000 in financial activity was required to file a report on said activity by May 19. The reports indicate a high level of interest in the Republican primaries for Supervisor and Sheriff.

Of the four candidate for Mahaska County Supervisor, each candidate filed a report. Randy Binns reported the most financial activity among the Supervisor candidates, raising $4,700, with all donations coming from himself. He reported spending $4,518.83, leaving him with $181.17 cash on hand, according to his report. The majority of his committee’s campaign expenditures were for campaign signs, campaign notepads, as well as print and digital advertising.

Mark Groenendyk reported raising $4,264.40, with the vast majority of funds coming from himself. Outside of personal funds, Groenendyk’s largest contributor was Charles Webb, who donated $500. Groenendyk reported spending $2,201.20, leaving him with $363.20 cash on hand. Groenendyk’s expenditures were for campaign signs, post cards, as well as Facebook advertising and newspaper advertising.

In her report, Crystal Jimenez-Boender reported raising $1,325. Her largest contributors were Linda Crookham-Hansen and Tim Blackwell, each donating $250. Jimenez-Boender spent $1,303.76, leaving her with $21.24 cash on hand. She reported spending $1,281.78 on hard signs. The only other expenditure listed was to TruBank for a $21.98 check order fee. Jimenez-Boender also reported in-kind contributions totaling $213.97, with stamps, as well as paint and plywood listed as in-kind contributions.

Valinn McReynolds reported raising $1,885. Her largest contributor was Bob Wersen, who wrote a $500 check. McReynolds has $13.52 cash on hand after spending $1,871.48. All but $3.23 in expenditures were reimbursements to herself. McReynolds reported reimbursing herself for the purchase of yard signs, campaign magnets, thank you cards, and Facebook advertising. She reports owing $420.90, with the majority reimbursements to herself for mileage and postage. She also reported a $200 in-kind contribution for the design of her campaign logo.

The Mahaska County Sheriff primary attracted the bulk of financial activity. Candidate Doug McMillan started the reporting period with $735 cash on hand, as shown in his January 19 campaign disclosure report. McMillan reported raising $2,030.94, bringing his total campaign funds for the reporting period to be $2,765.94. McMillan’s largest donor was a $1,000 donation from Bernice McMillan, who is his wife. McMillan spent $2,679.20, leaving him with $86.74 cash on hand. Campaign expenditures included logo design, PO box rent, advertising, and palm card printing. He also reports a $500 loan to his campaign from himself, which he made in August 2014.

Randy Poe reported raising $3,250.09, with the majority of funds coming from himself. His largest donor was Steve Van Utrecht, who donated $300. Poe spent $2,516.56, leaving him with $733.53 cash on hand. Poe’s expenditures included a campaign phone, yard signs, post card printing, advertising, as well as purchase of campaign photos.

Russ Van Renterghem reported the most financial activity among the Sheriff candidates, and overall among all the countywide Republican candidates. Van Renterghem raised $5,430 from individuals, and loaned his campaign $100 bringing a total of $5,530 raised. He reported spending $5,205.54, leaving him with $324.46 cash on hand. Van Renterghem’s largest donor was Patty Elscott, who donated $1,000. He also received $750 from Blair Van Zetten. Joe P. Crookham, Myron Gordon, and Leon Kelderman all donated $500 each. Van Renterghem’s expenditures were largely for direct mail, as well as reimbursements to himself and his wife for yard signs, advertising, and palm cards. He also reports owing $2,469.63, with the majority of monies owed to his wife for advertising, yard signs, as well as fundraiser food. He also filed a campaign consultant breakdown, showing $2,500 owed to Victory Enterprises for consultant fees.

Trevor Wells rounded out the Sheriff candidates with a total of $3,050 raised. He reported spending $2,117.12, leaving his campaign with $932.88 cash on hand. The majority of donations were from himself. His largest individual donor was Joe P. Crookham, who donated $500. The majority of his expenditures were for advertising and yard signs.

The primary election will be held on June 7. In both races, if any candidate does not get at least 35% of the vote, a special nominating convention will have to be held to nominate a candidate. The last time this occurred in Mahaska County was in the 1980s.

In addition to expressing your opinion at the polls on June 7, you can also express your opinion in our online poll. You can access that poll HERE.