NEWS

'A service heart': Ames' first Black council woman Anita Rollins sworn into office

Danielle Gehr
Ames Tribune
Anita Rollins is sworn in as an Ames' 3rd-Ward city council member by Magistrate Kimberly Voss-Orr, joined with Councilmember Gloria Betcher and Mayor John Haila at the City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.

A wave of cellphones shot into the air, ready to capture the moment Anita Rollins officially became a member of the Ames City Council. 

About 30 had gathered in the City Council's chambers Monday morning to witness Magistrate Kimberly Voss-Orr swear in Rollins, fellow council member Gloria Betcher and Mayor John Haila, both of whom were incumbents.

Rollins, who is the council's newest member and the first Black woman to serve on the Ames City Council, received thunderous applause as she was sworn in.

"I feel very humbled and honored," she said Monday. "My church family, Friendship Baptist, has just been amazing, but then, of course, my NAACP family and other people that have been here (in Ames) a long time."

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Rollins will represent the city's 3rd Ward, a seat previously held by David Martin, who did not seek another term. Rollins won November's election after being opposed only by write-in candidate Brant Lemer, the former owner of the now-closed Crestview Mobile Park and owner of Lemer Land Holdings.

Rollins is the secretary of the NAACP's Ames chapter, the former director of Iowa State's Science Bound program and a former Ames school board member. She will face the work of drafting the city's Climate Action Plan, budgeting and the final stages of the Reinvestment District application at the start of her tenure in office.

"There are a lot of important decisions and work that the council's already started on," Rollins said Monday. "It's a really exciting time when a lot of very pivotal and important things are happening."

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Councilmember Gloria Betcher is sworn in as an Ames City Council member by Magistrate Kimberly Voss-Orr for a third term at the City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.

Incumbent council member Amber Corrier, who was sworn in separately last week, won a third term for the at-large seat in November's election with 66.7% of the vote. She was opposed by Awein Majak, the founder of an after-school program for Sudanese youth.

Betcher, who ran unopposed for the 1st Ward seat and won with 97.18% of the vote, said in November she's excited for more diversity on the council. As a Black woman, Rollins will be the only person of color on the currently all-white council.

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Mayor John Haila gets a congratulation from Magistrate Kimberly Voss-Orr, after being sworn in as mayor of Ames for a second term. New Councilmember Anita Rollins and incumbent Gloria Betcher were also sworn in at the City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.

Haila, first elected in 2017, will also serve another term, after running unopposed and winning 97.09% of the vote in November's election.

"Great opportunities ahead of us — just looking forward to working with our team and our staff," Haila said. "Talking with Anita, she has a service heart and she's a great fit for the council."

Keeping up with council: 

The first Ames City Council meeting of 2022 will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11 in the city council chambers.

For more information on future meetings, city documents and council agendas, visit cityofames.org/CCmeetings. Find recordings of past meetings or watch future meetings live at youtube.com/AmesChannel12.

Danielle Gehr is a politics and government reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached by email at dgehr@gannett.com, phone at (515) 663-6925 or on Twitter at @Dani_Gehr.