About Me:

Both my wife Connie and I were born and raised in Clinton. My Grandfather Stephen Delaney Sr. was the founder of the Delaney Funeral Home in 1907.  From 1978-2002 I was the third generation to operate this funeral home. Connie’s Great-Uncle Dwight Seaman owned the Clinton Wire Cloth in Lyons and her Great-Uncle Don Allison was Mayor of Clinton from 1950-1956. Between the two of us our families histories in Clinton go back to the early 1900’s.

Growing up during the 60’s-70’s we both experienced the prosperous days of Clinton. A thriving Downtown Business District, major employers such as Standard Brands (Clinton Corn), C&NW Railroad, E.I. Dupont,  International Paper, A.C. Nielsens’s, Burpee Seed just to mention a few. These were the times when you were proud to say you were from Clinton. We also experienced what I call the “dark times” of Clinton, the 80’s-90’s. Events such as the loss of the Machinery & Equipment Tax, the strike and ultimate breaking of the union at Standard Brands,  the departure of C&NW Railroad, International Paper, A.C. Nielsen’s and Burpee Seed and many more.

The once apparently invincible City which at one time boasted the most millionaires per capita looked doomed. But having lived here my entire life I know Clinton is not doomed. Clinton fought the 1965 Flood and won. The City Father’s had the foresight to build a levy to protect the City from future floods. The same is true now. The City Council in the past few years has had to make some very difficult decisions. Many of which have not been popular with some of the citizens. But the decisions they have made and will need to continue to make will bring Clinton back to a time of Greatness.

Through these past 100 years the citizens of Clinton have always been loyal and supportive to my families’ funeral business and the other businesses that I have started in Clinton. That is the main reason I applied for the vacancy created by Ed O’Neill’s resignation. It was time to give back to Clinton. A time to lend my business and technology experience back to a community that has supported three generations of my family.

I feel I bring a different perspective to the City Council. Having been self-employed with no regular paycheck coming in since the age of 20, I know what it is to wonder how will we put food on the table, how will we pay the light bill, how will we pay the taxes. When you are your own boss you also learn how to do all the jobs, from taking out the trash to developing a business plan, to establishing and living within a budget, to hiring and firing personnel. Over the past 30 years I have had to make many hard decisions. Some were good and some were bad decisions. But I learn from my mistakes. I feel what I have learned over these 30 years gives me the experience to help Clinton build for the future.

I feel very proud and humbled that the citizens of Clinton have allowed me for the past 21 months to represent them in the Council-At-Large seat and to be a part of Clinton’s re-birth. The future is bright for Clinton and there are many exciting new things in-store for Clinton, but the hard work is just beginning. Clinton needs to plan for the future and protect itself against another “dark time”. I hope that the citizens of Clinton will permit me to continue to represent them for another 4 years.

EDUCATION:

1975 Graduate of St. Mary’s High School

1977 Graduate of Mt. St. Clare College with and AA Degree

1978 Graduate of Indiana College of Mortuary Science (Indianapolis) with AMS Degree

CAREER HISTORY:

1978-2002 Owner-operator of Delaney-Vulich Funeral Home

1985-present Owner of Midwest Services & Supply

1987-present Owner of “No Sweat” Tanning & Paperback Exchange

1991-present Owner of Midwest Computer & Consulting

ASSOCIATIONS/RECOGNITION’S:

At-Large member of Clinton City Council since January 31, 2006

Member Industrial/Environmental Committee

Member Highway 30 Coalition of Eastern Iowa

Member of the Committee to select the new City Administrator

Member Board of Directors of Downtown Partnership

Member of “Planning & Design” Committee of the Downtown Partnership

Past Chairman of the “Parking Committee” of the Downtown Partnership

Iowa Licensed Funeral Director (currently retired) but maintaining an active license

Licensed Life Insurance Agent

Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce

Member Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Parish

Member Microsoft System Builder Program

Associate Member Intel Channel Partners

Past Member of Iowa Funeral Directors Association (IFDA)

Past Member of National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)

Past Board Member of Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (C.A.S.T.)

Past Charter Treasurer of Clinton Kiwanis Foundation

Past President of Clinton Kiwanis Club

Past Board Member of Clinton Kiwanis Club

Past Member of Kiwanis International