Highlighting Inspiring Women: She champions city government

Throughout March, which is Women’s History Month, the North Iowa Times-Clayton County Register is again publishing a series of articles highlighting local women. Whether it’s through their careers, hobbies, volunteer efforts or unique personalities, these women have become an inspiration to others.

By Audrey Posten, Tmes-Register

Growing up, Jennifer Cowsert was always interested in government and politics.

“When I was young, I think I joked about being governor,” she recalled.

As she worked her way through college, though, interning for a congressman as well as a state senator and secretary of state, she discovered city government was the best fit.

“Things work a little quicker usually,” said Jennifer. “You can see your impact and know that you talked to this resident and solved their problem.”

She’s followed that philosophy as Elkader’s city administrator, a position she took 17 years ago to get closer to her hometown of Elizabeth, Ill. Elkader was attractive, said Jennifer, because it reminded her of her roots.

“It’s very similar in population and topography—very hilly and scenic,” she shared.

Jennifer arrived in the city during the winter and got acquainted with many residents at a Business After 5 event. She recalled Bob Garms was the mayor at the time, and he and his wife were very welcoming. 

But she had to prove herself. The two previous administrators had stuck around for just two years or less.

“I remember, my second day on the job, the mayor pro tem said something like, ‘I hope you stay,’” she reflected.

Nearly two decades later, Jennifer is a key figure in Elkader’s city government. Her duties include implementing the programs and projects the council decides, in addition to providing the council with information about programs and projects. 

“It may be something reacting to a request from a resident. It may be something the state or federal government says you have to do or something a council member asks you to look into,” she explained. “It could just be a need, like, during budget time, one of the department heads said we have to start replacing this piece of equipment.”

Jennifer serves as the city’s liaison to several volunteer boards and commissions, like the park, pool and opera house boards, who oversee those facilities and assure they run properly. She also works on the city budget, handles human resources duties and interacts with members of the public, addressing their concerns and connecting them with resources.

“We wear a lot of different hats,” she quipped. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming, but that’s what I like. Every day is different.”

One day last week, for example, included a meeting about the potential development of Lover’s Leap, followed by park and pool board meetings. 

“Then we’re discussing the Keystone Bridge project and working with the chamber on a website redesign for the city. Right now, we’ve got Carter Street that just bid,” Jennifer said. “I really like working on all the capital projects. You can see the results.”

As a woman, Jennifer admitted she’s sometimes had to work harder to get a point across or be taken seriously. 

“When some people ask for the city administrator, they assume it’s a male,” she said. “But it doesn’t take too long, when I work with people, for them to understand it doesn’t matter.”

Jennifer believes being a woman in the position has its advantages. She’s proud to serve in Clayton County, where every city has a female administrator or clerk.

“I think, in general, it’s good for women to be in this type of position because women can be more empathetic sometimes. It’s not a caring role, but a helping role, and that tends to work well for women,” she shared.

Outside her job, Jennifer is also involved in Elkader as a volunteer. Her early efforts included the Lions Club and Carter House Museum. She currently serves on the daycare and hospital boards and is on the grant selection committee for the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation. 

“I always think it’s important to give back to your community, and it does help having this job and the information I have about our community,” she said. “The daycare and hospital are two really important assets. For example, it’s not just a daycare, but an economic resource so workers have some place to take their children. That’s sometimes overlooked. The whole system within a community is important.”

Jennifer hopes others see the benefits of being involved. She’d like to see more participation in local government too—whether it’s voting in elections or attending council meetings.

While presidential and senate races grab attention, she said city government is often overlooked, even though it is often the level that most impacts residents’ daily lives.

“Every single day, the things people take for granted are what we provide. They turn on their water, they walk on the sidewalks, they drive on the streets, we take care of the garbage,” she stated. “It might be boring garbage, but when your garbage doesn’t get picked up for a month, that’s really irritating.”

Jennifer said a general mistrust of the government has trickled down to the local level, and she’s working to bridge the gap by educating residents.

“We know the people. It’s just talking to people and explaining things, providing education through social media and articles in the paper. One of the council members has even started doing office hours at a coffee shop,” she said. “It shouldn’t be intimidating for people to come down to a council meeting, but I think it still is. If people are more educated, they might be more comfortable and have more trust.”