Current Tama County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Heather Knebel, right, is pictured with former Supervisor Jean Kruse, left, before Knebel became the first woman ever elected to the board in 2024. Kruse was appointed to the board in the late 1970s after the unexpected death of Supervisor Robert Cold, but she was defeated in the subsequent Republican primary. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

It’s not just a simple management shift for the local board of supervisors; no, this is one of those historic moments that needs to be recorded and remembered for the posterity of Tama County. The first elected woman to the Tama County Board of Supervisors is now the first female chair of the Tama County Board of Supervisors.

At the last meeting of June, the Tama County Supervisors decided to do some reorganizing of their hierarchy. In doing this, Supervisor Mark Doland gave up his chairman’s gavel to Heather Knebel, a first-term Republican from rural Traer. Doland didn’t get to go far, as he was then voted in as the new vice chair, and Doland and Knebel switched places.

Knebel was already the first elected female supervisor in Tama County’s 183-year history. The only other female to hold a position on the board was Jean Kruse, who was appointed to the position in 1977 after the passing of Supervisor Robert Cold. After serving for nearly a year, Kruse attempted to be elected to the position, but lost the Republican primary. It wasn’t until Knebel, in 2024, that a woman was elected to the Supervisors.

The chair was never the end goal for Knebel.

“I was just focused on getting elected and working with the other Board members to make a difference in the County. I do enjoy talking, leading, and I am organized, so it was no problem to take on this role,” she said. “The greatest challenge as a Supervisor I have had is balancing competing priorities with limited funding resources. I was unaware of the financial distress the prior Board of Supervisors put Tama County in. Four out of the five of the new Board of Supervisors had just been elected and seated when we found out we couldn’t make payroll in a couple of weeks. The current Board of Supervisors worked many hours in our first few months to balance the books by making hard decisions, working with department heads to reduce spending, and learning best practices from other counties. This challenge helped us dig into the numbers and understand each department’s budget quickly leading to a positive outcome. By doing this, Tama County across all departments increased the fund balance by $3.7 million from July 2025 to July 2026.”

It hasn’t been all hard times as a supervisor. Knebel stated that the greatest highlight she has had in her position has been the discourse she’s entered in with her constituents.

“Listening to them and helping to resolve any concerns that they may have,” she said.

Knebel talked highly of her fellow board members.

“We work well together to get tasks accomplished,” she said.

She also complimented the last chair by saying she’s going to follow his example.

“Mark did a great job as chair. He was a good leader and very knowledgeable. There isn’t much I would change,” she said.

By being the first elected female chair of the supervisors, Knebel leads by example and is an inspiration for anyone who ponders a career in local politics.

“If being a County Supervisor is an interest to you, go for it! There is no reason a woman cannot be a Supervisor. You don’t have to be an expert on everything. Having a 5-member Board brings together different areas of knowledge and experience. I have people call me on topics outside my district because they felt comfortable talking to a woman. This role is also a great way to get budget and supervisor experience,” Knebel said.

This is just the start for Tama County’s first female Supervisor Chair, as she has one term under her belt and is up for reelection. Knebel seems to be hopeful for the future and is grateful for all that has come so far.

“It’s very exciting to be the first elected woman Board of Supervisors and the first chairwoman Board of Supervisor! This was never on my future career path list, but it’s important to know what is going on in your community and to run for office if you want to see improvements made,” she said. “Thank you to everyone that has voted for and supported me throughout my first term.”