MEET THE CANDIDATE: Tavis Hall
Tavis Hall is, in his own words, "a proud native of Waterloo," but a look at his priorities and his accomplishments shows that he is much more than that. He is a constant, energetic, and proven force for communal development of the Cedar Valley. His record is one of advocacy for local economic development, certainly, but also for community empowerment and community pride. These last two—empowerment and pride—are essential for sustained community growth, and Tavis has recognized as much in his career path and in his record.
A graduate of West High (2003) and Hawkeye Community College (2007), Tavis was tapped by Congressman Bruce Braley as Regional Outreach Representative for the U. S. House of Representatives in 2008, and served in that capacity until 2015. From there he went on to lead Main Street Waterloo before becoming the Executive Director of Experience Waterloo in 2017, a position he continues to hold today. He was elected at large to the County Board of Supervisors in 2022, defeating a Republican incumbent; now, after a transparent ploy to dilute the Democratic vote, the state legislature has carved Black Hawk County into five Districts, and Tavis is running to represent the new District 4.
As far back as 2008 he was recognized as one of "20 under 40" honorees selected by *the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier*, and his work promoting Cedar Valley tourism earned him the Iowa Travel Industry Partners' Joe Taylor Leadership Award in 2021. Under his guidance, Experience Waterloo has led the planning behind multiple community events including Waterloo's hosting of RAGBRAI in 2021 and the annual "Waterloo Lights the Night" celebration.
Through all of this, Tavis has served numerous civic and non-profit boards, including the Waterloo Planning, Programming & Zoning Commission, the NAACP of Black Hawk County, and Social Action Inc. He has served as Chair of the NAACP's Political Committee.
In sum, Tavis is a visible and active champion not just of Waterloo and the new District 4, but of the *people* who make Black Hawk County their home. But to speak for the people has never been his object; rather, "this campaign," he says, "is about making sure every resident has a voice in writing the next chapter" in the history of Black Hawk County.
CANDIDATE PLATFORM: Tavis Hall
Tavis Hall's strategic priorities are many and varied, but they all serve to reinforce a single outcome, a single vision: that of a continually enhanced quality of life for the people he represents in District 4 and across Black Hawk County. These priorities include economic development, to be sure, but economic development that is based on strategic planning and respect for the county's most vulnerable populations; he stands for a government with the capacity and willingness to think about the future with both wisdom and imagination.
When he first ran for supervisor, Tavis argued that Black Hawk County could and should be actively seeking opportunities to invest in the kinds of civic projects that attract tourists as well as new businesses to the area. He believes that government can be the people's key tool in realizing their shared vision as long as it remains close to them and attentive to their own goals. His background in tourism and economic development has taught him that government should be about "How can we?" rather than "Why should we?"
To these ends, Tavis argues that criminal justice reform and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion are to be faced head on, and strategic planning requires community engagement. Infrastructure must be not only maintained but prepared to support the county's future's needs. City and county governments should coordinate in ways that they currently do not. Government provides the mechanism to guide the community's destination, brand, and visitor experience; by working together, supervisors and cities can position the Cedar Valley as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.
TAVIS HALL & BENEFIT TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY
Tavis Hall's campaign to hold his Board of Supervisors seat under the county's new alignment into five districts is an important test for Black Hawk County Democrats. Tavis has already won a county-wide, at-large supervisor race, in 2022; his incumbency should be a positive factor in Democrats' first navigation of the new electoral map. And his work with the Black Hawk County NAACP together with his focus on the county's most vulnerable populations mean he is a candidate whose priorities reflect the Party's broader commitment to equity in county government.
Further, Tavis's professional background in running, first, Main Street Waterloo, and now, Experience Waterloo, gives him a level of economic development experience clearly relevant to the Board of Supervisors' work—direct evidence of his commitment to practical and results-oriented governance.
Because Tavis is the only incumbent supervisor among the five Democratic candidates running in the five new districts—Will Overstreet, Kamyar Enshayan, Bill Dotzler, and Casey Schotter are the other four—his District 4 race will be a key indicator of whether Black Hawk County Democrats can successfully translate at-large incumbency into district-level wins under the county's state-imposed electoral system.
