Contact District 5 Supervisor James Houser
Email: james.houser@linncounty.org
Phone: (319) 892-5000
James M. Houser has been a Linn County Supervisor since he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board in 1990. He was then elected to a four-year term in 1992 and re-elected in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. On July 24, 2007, the voters of Linn County voted on a measure to change the form of government of the County from Supervisors At-Large to Supervisors By District. Linn County is now divided into five (5) supervisor districts effective January 1, 2009. Jim represents District 5, which includes portions of Cedar Rapids, Alburnett, Center Point, Fairfax, Palo, Walford, Walker and unincorporated areas of southwest and northwest Linn County.
Jim is active with local, regional, and state organizations. He is currently chairman of the Linn County Emergency 911 board and serves as an alternate liaison to the Linn County Emergency Management Agency. Jim also serves on the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency board and is a member of the United States Selective Service Commission for Linn County and the Highway 30 Coalition. Jim served on the State Emergency Response Committee and the State/County Management Committee studying mental health and services for people with disabilities. He is also an alternate liaison to the Linn County 6th Judicial District Committee.
As a participating member of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC), Jim serves on five committees: COSTAR (County Strategic Technology Advisory Resource), District VI Supervisor Affiliate, Public Safety Steering Committee, SRFDAC (Secondary Roads Distribution Advisory Committee) and the Supervisors Resolution Committee.
At the national level, Jim serves on the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Criminal Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee and reviews legislation on matters such as law enforcement, emergency management, homeland security, crime prevention and juvenile justice.
A lifelong Cedar Rapidian, Jim is a member of the Democratic Party, St. Jude’s Catholic Church, and the Antique Automobile Club of America Cedar Rapids Region. Jim is also a six-year past board member of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library. He has served as a Linn County Reserve Deputy Sheriff for 29 years and is a six-year board member of the United States Selective Service Board covering Linn County.
Jim holds a sheet metal certificate from Kirkwood Community College and completed a four-year sheet metal apprenticeship. He is a 35-year member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 263.
Jim is married to Dr. Arleen Zahn-Houser, a family physician practicing at Mercy Care Marion. She also serves as a Linn County Deputy Medical Examiner. The Housers have four children – Amy, 19, a freshman in college; Scott, 18, a senior in high school; and 13-year old twins, Brent and Brooke, 7th graders in middle school.
Duties of the Board of Supervisors
The five-member Board of Supervisors is both the executive and legislative branch of county government, setting policy, overseeing departments, and controlling the budget.
The Board of Supervisors oversees the county’s $104 million budget and over 850 employees. Managers of the following county departments report directly to Jim and the other board members: Finance and Budget, Human Resources, Information Technology, Risk Management, CSRU, Engineer, LIFTS, Soil Conservation, Medical Examiner, the weed commissioner and historic preservation.
The Board of Supervisors appoints members to the Board of Adjustment, Board of Health, Building Board of Appeals, Conservation Board, Electrical Board of Appeals, General Assistance Board, Linn County Community Services Advisory Board, Linn County Veterans Commission Board, Mechanical Board of Appeals, Plumbing Board of Appeals, Services for People with Disabilities Board, Youth Services Advisory Board and Zoning Commission.
To better serve the people of Linn County, the individual members of the Board of Supervisors serve as liaison to specific city councils within their districts, organizations and Linn County departments. For a complete list of all committee and liaison assignments for the Board of Supervisors, click here.
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