Cityscape • March 2026 • Questions Answered

As the League’s Local Leaders Day approaches, we hope to see you in Des Moines for some insightful programming on the League’s government affairs efforts and the economic impact of cities on Iowa as well as an opportunity to visit with state lawmakers in the afternoon on Capitol Hill. This article concludes the League’s three-part series dedicated to tips and tricks from your fellow local government colleagues.

The past two parts of this series included insights from Mayor Steve Richardson of Indianola and City Manager Travis Goedken of Decorah. Today’s issue brings us the perspective of Barb Barrick, City Clerk and Finance Officer of Huxley, a particularly timely perspective as the legislature turns more earnestly towards property tax proposals. As this series comes to an end, if you wish to continue receiving insights, tips and tricks for legislator contact for other local colleagues, and legislative updates you can always join the League’s Legislative Champions group for bi-weekly updates during session through the League’s website.

Q: Why do you think it is important for local government officials to build personal relationships with their state legislators?

It’s almost impossible to develop trust and respect between a legislator and a constituent without that personal relationship. I believe that legislators respect interaction with constituents that go the extra mile beyond letting them know how we stand on issues or what we want. I’ve found that even reaching out to say “hi” or “wow! It’s been a busy week in the Capitol” or “thank you for your dedication and hard work” goes a long way towards developing that mutual respect by recognizing that they work extremely hard. Finding common ground with your legislator helps to develop that personal relationship as well — I have mutual friends from a former walk of life with one of my legislators as well as a mutual love for the Hawkeye Marching Band.

Q: Before the League started the Legislative Champions group, you had already built a positive relationship with your state legislator. What caused you to reach out to begin building those relationships?

Many years ago, I developed a very good relationship with my then state representative, starting with reaching out to her when she was elected (she had stopped by City Hall and we just struck up a friendship). She was one of those unique people that was genuinely interested in how her decisions impacted local governments, so much, in fact, that she formed a constituent advisory committee (which I served on) that was composed of both political parties in order to hear her constituents’ views on specific topics. She taught me the difficulty that legislators have with pieces of legislation that tie various issues together — should she vote yes to the bill because it contained pieces that she felt were a benefit to her constituents or should she vote no because the bill contained pieces that she felt were a detriment to her constituents? I gained a lot of respect for the legislative process learning about some of the issues that legislators face — even from their own party.

Q: Can you point to any positive results for your community that have come out of meetings or conversations you have had with your state legislator?

Overall, the most positive result has been that my senator and representative have a face to go with a name. They both agreed with me that the property tax legislation introduced last session needed additional work. There were many positive outcomes with the property tax legislation last session, our senator and representative both agreed that more time was needed before voting on any reform.

Q: As someone on city staff, what strategies do you find impactful when talking to an elected state legislator? How is it similar or different from how you work with your city elected officials?

I treat each legislator as a person — they really aren’t that different from our city elected officials for the most part. They want what is best for their constituents; they want to know what those concerns are, and they want information to make informed decisions. I make it a top priority to research and get back to them if they have specific questions. I also make sure to sign up for their newsletters — this is a great way to keep track of legislation they are working on and what they are supporting.

Q: It can be intimidating to reach out to your state legislator, what advice would you give to your local government colleagues looking to take that first step?

Being outgoing helps — (that’s where I’m very fortunate, I love meeting new people and getting to know them) just introduce yourself! In introducing yourself, include what role you play in city government and thank them for their service to the state (leave the issues out of it for now). This can easily be done in an email if you are more introverted and hesitant to meet your legislators face to face. Getting to know your legislators does not have to be intimidating; they are people just like you and me — they eat, they sleep, they work hard, they serve the public, they make mistakes — they are human.