Profile: County Board District #2 voters will choose between Ashbacher, O'Rourke

The only contest for a seat on the Winneshiek County Board in November will be in District #2, which includes the eastern half of the City of Decorah and suburban areas to the east of the city.

Republican Floyd Ashbacher has represented the district since 2012, when he won a three-way race.  This November he will face a challenge from Democrat Melissa O'Rourke.

Ashbacher is a former Winneshiek County Sheriff was spent 33 years in law enforcement before retiring.  He points to his work on the county board in approving a frac sand ordinance, calling the passage of the measure "a milestone."  He also says the Iowa Legislature needs to take a look at the DNR Master Matrix which regulates confined animal operations, saying the legislature should "check what's not working and change it."

O'Rourke works for Iowa State Extension and has experience in agriculture, law and community work.  She says there's "a heritage of service" in her family which led her to run for the county board.  O'Rourke says water quality is her #1 issue and the concern on the minds of most of the voters she's spoken with.