Ankeny City Council Election: First Priority for Bentz Will Be Finding Ways to Eliminate Future Tax Increases

After clinching , Bobbi Bentz already knows what she plans to tackle as soon as she takes her seat on the council dais.

And she definitely is ready to get to work.

"I'm most looking forward to engaging directly with the council members and city staff, and fully engaging residents as a council member in addressing issues facing Ankeny," Bentz told Ankeny Patch Wednesday. "I'm not one to enjoy the sidelines so participating as a bystander has been difficult the last several months."

Bentz garnered the highest number of votes Tuesday with 782, according to unofficial results from the Polk County Auditor's Office. Bentz topped opponent Mona Bond, who received 501 votes.

A total of 1,283 votes were cast. Six were write-in votes.

"(I was) excited to see there was a great turnout, which to me indicates that voters stayed engaged and more became engaged leading up to the general election," Bentz said.

Bentz was one of four candidates who ran for the open seat . The special election was held after to the council calling for one.

Bentz said she is grateful for the overwhelming support she received, adding she translates the turnout as a "call to work on our collective concern about the rising costs of living and working in Ankeny."

Because of this, her first priority, she said, will be examining the findings of as to how the city could possibly avoid a property tax increase in 2015.