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Polk County Supervisor Jill Altringer outlines priorities: economic growth, transparency and new service pilots
Summary
Polk County Supervisor Jill Altringer discussed her background, leadership style and priorities — including a new strategic plan, economic development efforts and pilot mobile services — and said the board seeks to extend services beyond Des Moines to the county’s growing communities.
Polk County Supervisor Jill Altringer described how her upbringing in Storm Lake and years on the Grimes City Council shaped her approach to county leadership, emphasizing action, transparency and partnerships to support growth outside Des Moines.
Altringer, who served 16 years on the Grimes City Council before her election to the Polk County Board of Supervisors, told a group of regional leaders in Urbandale that her daily work mixes meetings, constituent outreach and efforts to streamline county operations. "We need a strategic plan so that we can set our priorities and then our budget," she said, noting Polk County had not had a formal strategic plan in more than 30 years.
Why it matters: Altringer said the county wants to be an "economic engine" for the region — attracting development while balancing the needs of smaller communities. She cited ongoing work on projects that include a new courts headquarters and airport modernization as examples of regional opportunities Polk County hopes to support.
Altringer pointed to several operational reforms and early wins in her first year. "For the first time in over 16 years, we reduced the levy rate last year," she said, adding the board has moved toward competitive RFPs and asked departments to identify a 1% budget reduction to find efficiencies. She also described expanding public access to meetings by livestreaming sessions and posting hyperlinks to agenda materials so residents can review contracts and proposals online.
She highlighted upgrades meant to improve services for residents: the county relocated and expanded the election office to reduce wait times and make voting easier, overhauled the grant program (with Prairie Meadows funding relationships), and restructured some services to lower costs — citing the medical examiner office’s consolidation of autopsy services with the state, which she said produced immediate savings.
Altringer described a pragmatic, results-oriented leadership style shaped by a DISC assessment she completed in 2023: "I'm a high ID... I'm a persuader," she said, adding that she prefers action and clear accountability rather than prolonged deliberation. She also described relying on mentors, a faith community and staff to test major decisions.
On community engagement, Altringer said she wants local forums — "pizza and beer" gatherings in district restaurants — so officials can hear residents informally. For day-to-day priorities she said economic development, property taxes and a strategic plan top the list, but she also mentioned several pilot proposals she hopes to advance, including mobile health and clothing trailers to deliver services directly to neighborhoods.
Altringer closed by urging local leaders to align leadership with personal values: "When you find your leadership style intersecting with your true person, that's when you're gonna find the biggest success," she said.
The board did not take formal votes during the session; Altringer said several items, including a resolution on human trafficking coordination, are expected to appear on future agendas.
