MASON CITY – Chris Watts will seek re-election to the Cerro Gordo county Board of Supervisors, and has been busy collecting signatures for his petitions. Watts, a Republican who was first elected in 2016, has made it his “mission” to save taxpayers millions of dollars in county expenditures.
Among the achievements which he facilitated was saving over $4 Million in 2019, when the Board voted in favor of Watts’ proposal to modify the retirement and health care plans of former county employees. According to County Budget Director Heather Mathre, the former plan had cost taxpayers $881,504 in premiums since it went into effect in 1998. Mr. Watts also successfully pushed for lowering the county Levy for four consecutive fiscal years, and in 2019, his efforts resulted in additional savings of over $220,000 by lowering the county social services levy.
Watts, along with his two fellow Supervisors Casey Callanan and Tim Latham, have consistently turned down each annual pay raise which has been recommended by the Cerro Gordo Compensation Board for four straight years.
“As a public servant,” Mr. Watts said, “I feel it’s wrong to accept a salary increase unless and until each of my constituents has also received a pay raise. Until that happens, I’ll continue refusing any and ALL such proposed increases in compensation. I knew what this job paid when I sought the office, and I’m not in government to line my pockets. I treat the taxpayers’ money like it’s my own.”
Watts is also proud of his efforts to update and upgrade what he termed as the “deteriorating county infrastructure”, including roads and bridges. He has also played a key role in obtaining better equipment, such as road graders, trucks, and other maintenance vehicles. “This team of Supervisors, of which I’m honored to be a part, has streamlined county operations and services, while serving our citizens, expanding some services, and saving the taxpayers’ money. As a candidate in 2016, I made promises,” Watts said, “and as a county Supervisor, I’ve kept them.”
Indeed, “Promises made; promises KEPT”, is the slogan for Mr. Watts’ re-election campaign; his campaign website is located here. Watts is married and has four adult children. For 31 years, he has been employed by Reinhardt Foods, where he is a Territory manager. He and his wife reside in Mason City.
SOMEONE run against him so we can get him out. he is a follower not a leader.
he’s a tim Latham yes man
He does not listen to all issues,try and listen to issues you have se.of Mason City(country).Im sure he knows the issues.Maybe time for the WHEELS to squeal to get things moving.
It’s easy to post anonymously isn’t it.
It’s called having no balls.
At least Watts has a pair and knows how to do the right thing.
That cannot be said about Dougherty and Urdahl
Those two took so much from the county and gave so little in return
So you are anonymous too I see
This guy is an idiot.
Couldn’t agree more
You sound really intelligent
he hung around the meetings and made people sick of seeing him before his 1st election
anyway you cut it, other than government, where can you get paid 50.000 + a year and work 2-3 hours a month. I think I would run again too
Okay, Jay. Go for it and see what happen’s.
2-3 hrs? follow a supervisor around for a month and find out how many meetings and boards they see
County government was destroyed.
It had Urdahl there. Talk about micro manager?
Urdahl & Doughterty’s defeat was the best thing for the County taxpayers.
Somebody below does not agree
Urdahl needed to go but Dougherty was fine. They both left the county in great financial shape and Watts had nothing to do with that. Ask any county employee that has to deal with Watts at all and most do not care for him.
Strongly disagree, Chris is very easy to work with and a very good listener, furthermore, Chris has done a fantastic job for the citizens of Cerro Gordo county the past four years. He has stood by all of his campaign promises and then some! We should all be proud of his accomplishments and look forward to seeing more progress from Chris and the other supervisors during the next four years! Once again Thank you Mr. Watts for all your hard work!
Micro-Manager destroying county government
Ex-employee?
No, realist!
I hear Tom Meyer Is the micro manager in the building
Watts and Meyer, two peas in a pod.