SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
March 25, 2008
Sullivan’s Salvos 3/25/08
I was recently at a meeting of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC), where one of the topics of discussion was RAGBRAI.
A number of counties remain concerned over the wrongful death lawsuit settled out of court by Crawford County. In case you are not aware – in 2006, a RAGBRAI rider hit a crack in a Crawford County road, flew over his handlebars, and died. His estate sued, and Crawford County settled.
While there is some exaggeration and speculation on both sides of the issue, I find most County Supervisors statewide to be fools as far as this issue is concerned.
There exists some very common sense middle ground. Bike riders have every right to travel on county roads. That said, county roads are maintained at a level suitable for cars. Tiny cracks in county roads are a way of life. Bicyclists ride at their own risk. There. Done.
So many of these Supervisors are stuck in the 1940s. The attitude of “anything different is not welcome in my county” has gotten most of these counties in their current predicaments – meaning all the people who don’t die leave.
You want to ban RAGBRAI from your county? Fine. If 25,000 riders want to spend their whole week enjoying Johnson County, I welcome them.
The Iowa Legislature is working on an update to the state’s open meetings/records laws. Many of these changes are positive and well intentioned. While I appreciate the sentiment, I see a few major issues with the current proposal:
1. It changes the definition of “public records,” making it so broad that private e-mails sent from an elected official’s private computer would for the first time be public records;
2. It would force counties to redact social security numbers from thousands of older documents at a huge expense to taxpayers;
3. It would change the law so that disciplinary matters of county employees would be public records;
4. Public entities can get around almost every open records rule simply by stamping everything “DRAFT”; and most importantly,
5. It DOES NOT APPLY TO THE IOWA LEGISLATURE!
It amazes me that the Legislature has the gall to tell school boards, cities, and counties that they need to be more open, when they do the majority of their business (all public) behind closed doors.
Another Legislative issue: It was interesting to see the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature walk off the job last week and stop legislative work. Republicans basically went on strike over HF 2645. House File 2645 addresses worker’s rights. The same Republicans who went on strike want to deny exactly that type of right to Iowa’s workers.
The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) is going to be redoing Highway 1 from I-80 to Solon, including paved shoulders and some turning lanes. The IDOT will be holding an informational session on the proposed changes March 25 at Solon High School from 5-7 PM.
The United Way is holding its annual Celebration of Community event Wednesday, March 26 from 4:30-5:30 at the Levitt Center.
I am a true believer in the mission of the United Way, and I urge you to become a regular giver. Give me a call at 354-7199, and I’ll give you the pitch. You’ll be glad you did.
Intro to Planning and Zoning Workshops: Sessions are open to anyone interested in P&Z issues, including but not limited to city clerks' offices, county assessors, COGs, P&Z members, County Extension Education Directors, and many others.
I attended this in 2005 and found it very helpful. The closest site for Johnson County residents is Iowa City on April 7 at the 4-H Fairgrounds. For more information, or to download a brochure go to:
http://www.design.iastate.edu/extension/planning-workshops.php
Thanks to everyone who showed up at the St. Patty’s Day fundraising party! Your support is appreciated! Remember, you can track the campaign at www.rodsullivan.org.
DID YOU KNOW? A few County roads are now embargoed. For a complete list, see the County website at http://www.johnson-county.com/secondaryroads/pdf/roadNames.pdf.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 7:55 PM
1 Comments:
Rod,
I found your blog through my Google Alert on RAGBRAI. Thanks for your common sense views.
As I understand it, Crawford County's Insurance Company decided to settle the lawsuit. If Crawford could not afford the deductible, then why did they opt for that level of insurance? Knowing RAGBRAI was coming through their county, why did they not consider a 2-day umbrella policy? Would not the revenue generated by RAGBRAI cover the cost of a 2-day policy?
I wish it was as simple as stating "all riders ride at their own risk", and I support that view... but in our litigious society the Counties do need to protect themselves. Having said that, they already have the means to protect themselves. Get a 2-day policy. If the cost is too high, get your businesses that will benefit from the ride to assist with the cost. RAGBRAI is a great way to showcase your County and cities... take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
Banning the ride is NOT the way to go.
Thanks for your service.
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