News : 2012 Election profile: Supervisor District 2 candidate Rick Primmer

Rick Primmer, Republican candidate, Supervisor District 2

Rick Primmer is the Republican candidate for the Benton County Board of Supervisors District 2 seat.

Below is Rick's candidate profile:

I am Richard A. Primmer, better known as Rick. I was born and raised in Vinton, attended the University of Northern Iowa and Kirkwood Community College receiving a degree in Retail Marketing and Management.

I have been married to Pamela Beth for 41 years. Pamela is a middle school teacher with the Vinton/Shellsburg school District. We have 3 children: Tom, Jim & Julie, and we are blessed with 7 grand children.

I have been self-employed for over 39 years. In 1989 Pamela and I purchased the family business, we currently operate in 15 states working with people from all over the United States and Canada.

In 2001 Pamela and I started P.A.M.S. Inc., a mini-storage business. We stated with 14 units, and now have 340 units in 4 separate locations in Vinton, Urbana and Center Point. We have 2 apartment houses, 3 rental houses, warehouse space and climate-controlled storage in Vinton and Urbana. Last year our my payroll was right at $500,000.00, and as economist tell us a dollar brought into a community will turn over 7 times, that means my business contributed $3,500.000.00 to the local economy.

Besides my business experience, I was on the Vinton City Council for 5 years, serving on different committees, working with city budgets and financing city projects such as the construction of the Waste Water Treatment Plant, and the recreation center. I was on the Advisory Board for Hawkeye Community College for 20 years. I worked on the Vinton Police Department for 4 years and was an EMT-1 with the North Benton Ambulance Service as the night manager as well as a volunteer with Rescue 6 for the Benton County Sheriff’s office. I have been a member of Act-1 of Benton County for the past 7 years. I have been a member of the Wesley United Methodist for 37 years, and have served on the Board of Trustees and am currently on the Staff, Pastor, Parish Committee.

I know how to manage people, my payroll last year was $500,000.00, economist tell us that every dollar brought into a community will turn over 7 times, if that is indeed the case then I help to contribute $3,500,000.00 toward our local economy. I work with companies from all across the United States and Canada, negotiating contacts, or mitigating any possible issues for my transportation company.

During the flood of 2008, I volunteered time and equipment to both the City of Vinton, and Benton County, providing vital emergency services to the hospital, nursing homes, businesses and residents as well as all the city, county and state ran facilities. In 2011 we were hammered by a wind storm that devastated western Benton County, right on through Vinton and the Urbana areas. This wind storm caught everyone in its path, it created millions of dollars in damages, including over $250,000.00 in damage to our rental properties. I had to take immediate action to line up a crew to board up or relocate personal property of my tenants; I also had to restore electric service to the tenants that were without electricity. After everyone and their belongings were secured, I had to contact insurance adjusters and contractors to obtain estimates and then contract work to be completed. Now I realize that many of us had our own property to deal with, however I had well over 150 individuals to take care of. When I was on the city council or any of the other boards, there was always a department head or coordinator to help burden the responsibility or to help out, this was different, I had to take charge from start to finish, no one was available to lend a hand. That “take charge” attitude is how our county government must be handled, we can’t “micro” manage each department, but we have to get to the bottom of each and every issue that comes about, working together with each department supervisor to resolve any issue.

Benton County is a fantastic place to live! We are in the economic corridor of Eastern Iowa, located between two larger counties with major cities that offer great employment opportunities to the residents of Benton County. We are by nature an agricultural based county, which has kept us thriving in these tough economical times. Benton County has that strong Iowan attitude of self-preservation, and leadership. However, over the past decade our main streets have been dwindling, retail establishments, implement dealers and small manufacturers are vanishing and we need to do something to help stimulate our local economy. Economic growth will generate more jobs; create more tax dollars to the county in the form of local option sales tax, commercial and residential property taxes. We have problems here in Benton County, we have roads, bridges and a man power shortage, the budget can only go so far without cutting services and county funded programs. The only money coming into the county is through taxes, raising the millage rate is NOT the answer, the smart business approach is to increase the number of contributors to the tax base, and since we cannot add additional farm land we must look toward commercial and residential tax payers. I intend to seek out every avenue possible to attract those new contributors, through whatever state or federal funded program that is available. We need to assist existing businesses expand, retain their employees and help new start up companies whether it is a retail outlet,

industrial, or a residential development. This is the only logical approach to being able to retain county services, or programs funded by the county as well as retain and or replace county personnel.

I feel I have the business experience to represent the citizens of Benton County, Benton County deserves to have good responsible representation by its Supervisors. Thank you for your consideration.