Clutier mayor-elect Linda Pearson, right, takes the oath of office from city clerk Tiffany Lentz on Monday, Dec. 4 at Clutier City Hall. Pearson will serve as mayor for two years beginning in January 2024, serving as the head of an all–female city council – the first for the municipality and the only all-female council in Tama County at this time. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

CLUTIER – This one’s for the girls.

Following the 2023 city/school election held on Nov. 7, four members-elect of the new, six-member Clutier city government took the oath of office during the Monday, Dec. 4 council meeting – ushering in what is most likely the municipality’s first all-female governing body.

“Looking back at our election results book that starts from 1999 to present, there has always been at least [one] male on the city council [in Clutier],” Tama County Elections Administrator Karen Rohrs told the Telegraph in an email.

In addition, Rohrs said, there are currently no other city councils in Tama County – now or about to be sworn in following the 2023 election – that are entirely female.

All six elected members of Clutier’s government including the mayor and five council seats serve two-year terms. On the Nov. 7 ballot Clutier had zero candidates running for the six races.

City councilor-elect Emma Winkelpleck takes the oath of office at Clutier City Hall on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Winkelpleck – one of five councilors elected on Nov. 7 – won by write-in vote with 13 votes. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The five city council seats were won by write-in votes by Carley Bolhuis, Dianna Cowan, Sue Kupka, Katherine Seye, and Emma Winkelpleck; Linda Pearson won the mayor’s race also by write-in vote.

Only Kupka was an incumbent in the 2023 race while mayor-elect Pearson previously served on the council, but the other four women are newcomers to city government.

On Monday night, Pearson, Cowan, Kupka, and Winkelpleck each took the oath of office which was administered by city clerk Tiffany Lentz who told the Telegraph she thought having an all-female government was “pretty amazing.”

“As long as people are available when needed,” city councilor Kupka replied when asked for her thoughts on the new council’s composition. “I know it’s going to take them a while to get the hang of things. It’s a learning process.”

Councilor-elect Cowan – who only moved to Iowa less than a year ago – said she discussed with Kupka making her desire to serve on the council known ahead of the election in order to garner write-in votes.

City councilor-elect Dianna Cowan takes the oath of office at Clutier City Hall on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Cowan – one of five councilors elected on Nov. 7 – won by write-in vote with 20 votes. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

When asked for her thoughts on the all-female government, Cowan said, “I think it’s kind of neat … maybe we’ll get more stuff done.”

Both Cowan and Kupka later added they hope former members of the council will continue to provide leadership and guidance.

One of those outgoing council members, Gary Pearson – who incidentally also served as mayor once upon a time – said he would be glad to help out especially in light of his wife, Linda Pearson now being mayor-elect.

“I told [Linda], I said, nobody else is running, why don’t you run?” Gary, who chose not to run again due to health concerns, said.

Councilor-elect Emma Winkelpleck – the youngest member of the council who turned 21 on Thanksgiving – was all smiles when asked for comment. She said her extended family including paternal grandmother Ruth (née Saver) Winkelpleck thought her election win was “awesome.”

Sue Kupka, a Clutier City Council incumbent, takes the oath of office at city hall on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Kupka won by write-in vote with 24 votes. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“[Grandma] was so excited. She went to school here in Clutier.”

“I’m glad to have her,” Gary Pearson said of Winkelpleck. “That’s what we need – young blood.”

While Clutier has never before had an all-female government, the tiny but mighty municipality nestled on the edge of Tama County’s beloved Bohemie Alps has had two previous female mayors prior to Linda Pearson’s election – the first being Patti Kupka in the 1970s and more recently Ardene Cross. Both were in attendance at the Dec. 4 meeting, posing for a photograph with mayor-elect Pearson.

“It’s one of my deepest, darkest secrets,” Patti said with a laugh about being Clutier’s first female mayor. In addition to being the town’s first mayor, Patti is also the current director of the Clutier Public Library while her daughter is city councilor Sue Kupka.

The two councilor-elects who were not present on Dec. 4 – Carley Bolhuis and Katherine Seye – are scheduled to take the oath of office at the January meeting which is slated for Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at Clutier City Hall beginning at 7 p.m.

Clutier Mayor-elect Linda Pearson, right, pictured with Clutier's first female mayor, Patti Kupka, left, who served in the 1970s, and Clutier's second female mayor, Ardene Cross, center, who served more recently. Pearson, only the third female mayor for the town, will lead an all-female government beginning in January 2024. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

At that time, the all-female government of Clutier will assume leadership duties.