Linda Langston was elected to the Linn County Board of Supervisors in the fall of 2002 and began her term of office in January 2003. Linda was re-elected to her second term in November 2006. 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. Due to this change, Linda ran for re-election in 2008 and was re-elected to a four-year term. She represents District 2, which includes a portion of Cedar Rapids, Bertram, Ely, Lisbon, Mount Vernon and unincorporated areas of southeast Linn County.

Linda currently serves as Chairwoman of the Linn County Board of Supervisors.

Locally, Linda is involved in many community groups. She serves on a variety of boards and commissions including the Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization, East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG), Empowerment Board, Priority One, the Linn County Public Health Board, Arc of East Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids Downtown District and the Housing Trust Fund. Linda is an active member of Downtown Rotary, Oak Hill Cemetery Association, Association of Fund-Raising Professionals and the Public Leadership Summit Group. Linda is also a member of the Linn County Farm Bureau and Workers for a Better Iowa.

At the state level, Linda was appointed by Governor Vilsack to the Innovation Fund Committee. She is active in the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC), serving as president of District VI Supervisor Affiliate and as a member of ISAC's Human Services Committee, Mental Health Developmental Disability Brain Injury Committee the Supervisors Resolution Committee.

Nationally she is active with the National Association of Counties (NACo), serving as chairwoman of the Health Steering Committee and as a member of the Health Disparities Subcommittee, which reviews legislation on all matters pertaining to health care delivery and financing including indigent care, health care for the uninsured, Medicaid, Medicare, long term care, local public health programs, mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities. Linda is also a member of NACo's Arts and Culture Commission and Restore the Partnership. Linda was an inaugural participant in the County Leadership Institute presented by NACo and New York University in 2004.

Linda has an enduring interest in arts and culture, having been Director of the History Center for over 4 years, overseeing a $3.2 million fund drive and the building of a new facility. She has served on a variety of local boards including the Cedar Rapids Area Cultural Alliance, the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association and the Iowa Museum Association. Linda is active with the Leadership for 5 Seasons program, having served as the History Day Chair for many years. She also serves on the Alumni Council of Knox College. Linda maintains an interest in a small business, Langston Strategies Group, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Linda is a native of the Midwest having been born in Chicago but was raised much of her early life in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, by her grandparents. She and her husband, Dave, have lived in Linn County for over 15 years. They have been married for nearly 30 years and have two sons. Before coming to Linn County, Linda had a private practice in psychotherapy for 11 years and was a certified high school teacher.

Duties of the Board of Supervisors
The five-member board is both the executive and legislative branch of county government responsible for 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 Linda and the other board members: Administrative Services, 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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