Former Davenport City Council member selected to fill county board vacancy

SCOTT Co., Iowa (KWQC) - Former Davenport City Council member Rita Rawson will fill the vacancy on the Scott County Board of Supervisors.

Rawson was selected from a pool of 27 applicants by a three-member panel made up of Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins, Treasurer Tony Knobbe, and Recorder Rita Vargas.

Rawson will be sworn in Friday afternoon and will fill the vacancy left by Knobbe, who was elected treasurer in November.

Tompkins said each applicant brought great leadership skills to the table.

“It was a difficult decision,” Tompkins said in an email. “However, I feel Ms. Rawson is the best candidate for this position. She has a finance background, government experience and is very involved in the community. She always comes prepared, asks questions and listens to her constituents. I am confident she will represent Scott County well.”

Rawson previously served on Davenport City Council and unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2019 against Mike Matson. According to Tompkins, she recently retired from her financial advising practice and has experience with many community organizations.

The application process began Jan. 5 and ran through Tuesday.

Under Iowa law, a vacancy on the board of supervisors can be decided by a panel made up of the auditor, treasurer and county must fill vacancies on the county board.

Following an appointment, county electors have the right to file a petition requiring the vacancy to be filled by a special election.

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