By Anelia K. Dimitrova
A former Cedar Falls councilman and retired UNI administrator announced Saturday that he is running for District 3 supervisor in Black Hawk County.
Kamyar Enshayan, a Democrat, said he decided to run for this office because he has a passion for public service at the local level.
For 16 years prior to his retirement in 2024, he helmed UNI’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) as its executive director and taught college courses for 31 years.
Meanwhile, from 2003 to 2011 Enshayan represented Ward 4 on the Cedar Falls City Council. He said he learned a lot during his two terms on the council and did not run for a third term as he got the leadership post at the CEEE and wanted to dedicate himself fully to its duties.
In 2024, after stepping away from that position, Enshayan ran unsuccessfully for an at-large county supervisor position.
For the upcoming election, a change in the law means that all supervisors in the county will be elected by the voters in their respective districts, unlike the previous practice where supervisors were elected by voters in the entire county.
Map change, all five supervisors on the ballot
All five districts in the county will be on the ballot in the primary and general elections this year, in accordance with a new map prepared by the Iowa Legislative Services Agency.
The Board of Supervisors approved the map on Dec. 15, 2025, according to a press release by the Black Hawk County Auditor’s Office.
To maintain the staggered nature of the supervisor terms in accordance with the new map, the auditor randomly drew the lengths of the district terms. For this election cycle, districts 2 and 3 will be for two-year terms, while districts 1, 3 and 5 will be for four years.
Candidates must reside in the district they represent by June 2, 2026, which is primary election day.
Enshayan’s pitch to voters
Enshayan told a neighborhood group on Feb. 21 that he decided to run for District 3 supervisor after realizing that now, after a change in the law, each position in Black Hawk County represents a specific district rather than having at-large positions.
He said that in retirement, he will have the time the elected position demands.
He said he stands for two things – raising awareness of issues that need to be addressed and then acting on resolving the concerns. He pointed to his work after the flood of 2008 as an example of that. He said he “pushed and pushed and pushed” for the passage of a flood ordinance “that protects people and properties by not allowing building in areas that flood.”
He said he worked to bring solar energy to Cedar Falls Utilities and took an active part in the development of the farmers market in town.
In retirement, he volunteers at the People’s Community Health Clinic garden in Waterloo.
“Public service, that’s my passion,” he said. “I have always been a public servant. Local governments do so much for us. I feel like I can contribute in that role.”
Enshayan said county supervisors make decisions that impact communities in profound and immediate ways
“Local governments do make everyday life possible,” Enshayan said in a follow-up interview. “Everything we depend on is managed by local governments. That’s why I admire what they do. Now that I am retired, I have a lot more time to serve.”
If elected, he said, he would be “eager to learn” about the projects of the county and noted that he is appreciative of the county conservation board and can bring relevant expertise to environmental planning, among other areas.
“Local elected officials live with their decisions in their communities,” he said.
“I just want to be of service in any way I can.”