Ames Mayor John Haila is running for a third consecutive four-year term as the city’s top elected official, according to a press release Monday.
Haila, 70, is the first to announce his mayoral campaign ahead of the official filing period for candidates, which is Aug. 25 to Sept. 18. The two-term mayor told the Daily he is running again to continue the city’s work on projects consistent with the Ames Climate Action Plan, increasing single-family housing through the Ames 2040 Plan and focusing on mental health.
“We are in the midst of a number of significant studies [and] initial stages of projects that I’m very interested in seeing come to fruition,” Haila said.
In addition to the Climate Action Plan, Haila was mayor during the passage of several additional projects and planning documents, including the Ames 2040 Plan and Walk, Bike, Roll Ames.
Haila’s goals for a third term include replacing the Ames Animal Shelter, relocating Fire Station 2 and beginning the development of Ontario Park in west Ames.
In January, the city council reviewed a five-year capital improvements plan that includes $3.25 million for the animal shelter relocation, according to previous reporting by the Daily. The relocation of Fire Station 2 and Ontario Park development were listed as future priorities.
If elected to a third term, Haila said he would “not necessarily change anything” about his governing and would continue focusing on “developing strategic planning and a vision for the community.”
“I’ve enjoyed building relationships with Iowa State Student Government, Iowa State University administration, Ames School District and Story County,” Haila said. “It does take time to build relationships and talk through opportunities that may exist.”
Before Haila ever discussed the construction of buildings as mayor, he was designing them. Haila, who has lived in central Iowa for over five decades, founded an architecture firm in 1985 that designed Stomping Grounds and redesigned the interior of the Iowa State University School of Education.
In 2016, Haila sold the architectural firm, which had relocated to Ames nine years earlier, to three employees.
Haila was elected mayor of Ames in 2017 after receiving 58% of the vote against former At-Large Rep. Victoria Szopinski. He ran unopposed in 2021, earning 97% of the vote.
His former firm was renamed from HAILA Architecture to 10Fold Architecture + Engineering in 2021.
If re-elected, Haila would begin a ninth year of presiding the Ames City Council next to City Manager Steve Schainker, who was appointed in 1982.
“As of right now, there’s been no conversation or discussion on the part of the city manager in terms of a transition,” Haila said. “But one never knows, so that’ll be something that would be a significant undertaking, but right now, he has the full support of [the city] council.”
