The City of Dubuque is accepting name proposals for the previously named Pyatigorsk Park, located at 16th St. and Kerper Blvd. The park is being renamed using a process approved by the City Council after Travel Dubuque’s Sister City Committee voted to end Dubuque’s sister city relationship with the Russian city in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

His legacy could & should be many things. But one of his proudest moments was (as the President of the School Board) when he secured 1-cent tax increase that would go directly to the continued improvement of the Dubuque Community Public Schools. This small change built the beautiful Carver, Roosevelt and other schools you see today. He was a lifelong public servant, devoting his career to helping the underserved as a Public Defender and later the Chief Public Defender.

Please help me secure this park in his honor.

A clip from his obituary:

Steve was born on August 6, 1953 in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of Walter and Marjorie (Marsden) Hodge. He graduated from Senior High School in 1971, where he was the Vice President of Student Council. Steve then attended the University of Iowa and received his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1979. He moved back to Dubuque and went into private practice with an emphasis in criminal law until 1991. That year, Steve became one of the first attorneys to work in the Dubuque public defender office. He practiced law for over 35 years retiring in 2017 as the chief attorney of Dubuque’s public defender office. In 1975, Steve married Gail Skinner-Hayes and the two enjoyed raising three wonderful children together (Alison, Abby & Andrew)

Steve has held many prestigious positions that include: President of the Dubuque County School Board; First Assistant Public Defender; Supervisor of the Dubuque Public Defenders Office; Past President of the Dubuque County Bar Association; Past President of Grand Opera House Board of Directors; Past Dubuque County Chair of Democratic Party; Dubuque County Central Committee and attended many state and district conventions as a delegate representing Dubuque County; President of the Student Bar Association during law school and a Democratic hall of fame recipient. He was an adjunct instructor at the University of Dubuque and played numerous roles at the Grand Opera House.

"Be a defender of the defenseless and a voice for the voiceless"

Love,

Alison