Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

October 27, 2008

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/28/08



Remember, there are still plenty of opportunities to vote early in Johnson County! Follow this link for the satellite voting schedule:

http://www.johnson-county.com/auditor/voter/0811sat.htm




Writing in the Press Citizen, Bob Elliott complained that the Land, Water, Future campaign would take too much land off the tax roles.

I have checked with Assessors and others, and they do not foresee Johnson County losing any tax revenue should the initiative pass. Here are a few reasons why:

a. Much of the land that that would be of interest is marginal farm ground at best. So it is already not heavily taxed.

b. Much of the land that would be of interest is already enrolled in programs such as Forest Reserve, so taxes on the property are already next to nothing.

c. Certain properties will go up in value… for example, homes that border Hickory Hill assess higher than nearby homes that do not border the park. Trails tend to have a similar effect on property values.

d. Johnson County has $10 billion in assessed value. $20 million amounts to two-tenths of one percent of that value. Even without factoring in my first 3 points, it is like comparing a $200 improvement on a $100,000 house. In the overall picture, it is an impact so small as to be statistically insignificant.

So, if you do not believe me, ask an Assessor. (That is what Bob should have done.) Talk to real experts, not the guy writing a column.

The Assessors do not expect the passage of Land, Water, Future to affect the revenues of local governments in any measurable way.

So if this land is already being preserved, why pass the initiative? Great question. And I have a couple answers.

First, it is great that some landowners preserve the land. It is even better when these treasures are available to the public.

Secondly, it isn’t really preserved unless you own it. Anyone out there ever been told, “Oh, that will never develop,” only to see it happen a few years later? Bottom line – unless the public owns it, it ain’t protected!

Vote YES for our Land, Water, and Future! And before you go to vote, check out this website:

http://www.landwaterfuture.org/page_2.htm




For all that I write about County government, I am sure that I have never shared all of my beliefs. So I will share a few more now. Following are some of my philosophies as they relate to Johnson County government:

Johnson County is a special place, fairly unique in Iowa. We are blessed to have a large number of residents who are experts in their respective fields. I believe that Johnson County government should reflect this. In my opinion, every individual department in Johnson County government should rank in the top 3-4 in Iowa.

Similarly, Johnson County is the 4th or 5th most populous county in Iowa. More populous counties have larger budgets, and typically provide more services. No matter what the anti-government folks say, it does cost money to provide quality services. For reasons of population it once again makes sense to me that Johnson County departments be among the top 3-4 performers.

If we expect Department Heads to be in the top 3-4 performers in the state, we should expect to compensate them in a similar fashion. For the most part, this is the case.

Needless to say, while some objective measures exist, there are no tried and true rankings of individual departments. When I try to investigate this type of thing, I ask department heads from other counties, elected officials from other counties, and state officials. People are typically eager to tell you if your department is one of the very best; they will be more reserved if it is not.

My admittedly very unscientific rankings put most Johnson County departments squarely in that top 3-4. Depending upon how many ways you slice County government into offices and departments, I would say roughly 21 or 22 out of 25 offices and departments are solidly in the top 3-4 in Iowa. Again, this is very subjective. But it should make residents feel good.

Department Heads and Elected Officials can help to quantify this process by collecting their own data. For example, the County Assessor accesses state data to compare which Assessors Offices come the closest to reflecting actual sales prices. The Johnson County Assessor has been the second closest in the state three consecutive years. This type of data is very helpful in assessing the performance of a department.

In a similar vein, I expect every Department Head and Elected Official to be familiar with the “best practices” in their fields. In this case, we often need to leave the borders of Iowa to find appropriate measuring sticks. Johnson County may not be able to be cutting edge in every area, but we should at the very least be familiar with the policies, practices, technologies, and services that make a department cutting edge.

Obviously, I am just one Supervisor. We have never reached a Board consensus on these issues. What are your thoughts? How does Johnson County government compare? Do you agree with my ideas? How well do you expect Johnson County to perform?




I recently participated in a debriefing that covered the flood response in Johnson County. Several key players from FEMA, the State of Iowa, the Corps of Engineers, Iowa City, Coralville, and Johnson County came together to discuss what worked well and what can be improved.

I was very pleased by this exercise. Most of the people that needed to be there were there. The participants took it very seriously, and we definitely came up with a few ways we can improve for next time.

My involvement in emergency responses had been limited to a couple ice incidents until this June. Then I spent about 14 crazy days doing nothing but emergency response. I know I gained a much greater appreciation for the preparations that had already been made. That is why the process we just completed is so very important.




From Johnson County resident Elizabeth Cummings: There is a local fundraiser for Farm Sanctuary - the non-profit that rescued the 69 pigs from the Oakville flood. This same group took on the responsibility of transporting and rehabilitating these abandoned, "not ready for slaughter" animals.

For more information on the pigs' story, rescue, and Elizabeth’s involvement with their rescue, folks can go here:
http://firstgiving.org/elizabethcummings1 . . . and if moved to donate, they simply click the (not-so-subtle) Sponsor Me Now button.

The fundraiser is at the Red Avocado restaurant, Wednesday, Oct. 29th, from 5:30-8:30PM. Elizabeth will give a short talk, show photos of her time with the pigs, and 50% of that night's profits will go toward the care of the Iowa pigs at Farm Sanctuary.




DID YOU KNOW? Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County served 777 young people in 2007. Despite all these kids being matched, BBBS has over 70 boys on a waiting list. Please call BBBS at to find out how you can help!


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 @ 9:00 PM  0 Comments

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/21/08


I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.

E. B. White (1899 - 1985)

Each generation leaves a legacy, whether they mean to or not. Some leave behind pain, waste and debt. Others leave behind things of lasting beauty.

On November 4, residents of Johnson County have an opportunity to leave a magnificent legacy by voting yes on the Conservation Bond initiative.

A quick review of the facts:

o This bond is $1 million a year for 20 years… $20 million total. There is no interest to pay; it is a levy. Once it expires, it is over. Period.

o This will cost the owner of a $200,000 home $2.26 per month; if your house assesses at less than $200,000, it will cost less. It will cost owners of ag land 21 cents per acre.

o The money is specifically for conservation and may not be used for other purposes. Annual audits will take place.

o No land will be condemned – the Conservation Board will only work with willing donors/sellers.

o Experts (Trust for Public Land, Nature Conservancy, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, etc.) agree that this $20 million in local funding will bring outside investment of between $20 and $60 million.

o This is a local initiative, undertaken by local citizens. Local citizens will have input prior to any land being purchased.

o Having more wetlands, prairies, and woodlands in Johnson County won't completely stop flooding, but it will be a positive step.

o Surveys consistently demonstrate the importance of quality of life issues to a region. Give people reasons to live and work in Johnson County and they will grow the tax base.

o Johnson County ranks #87 out of 99 Iowa counties in terms of funding for Conservation.

o The population in Johnson County has grown from 111,000 to 130,000 in just 9 years, yet very little land has been conserved over that same period.

There are many well-meaning people out there who say, “I support the environment, but this doesn’t seem like the right time.”

The answer to that harkens back to the old saying…Q: When is the best time to plant a tree? A: Twenty years ago. We can kick this can down the road for our children, when things are more expensive and more desperate, or we can show leadership and tackle this issue now.

There was no “good” time to give women the right to vote; there was no “good” time to end slavery; there was no “good” time to set aside Kent Park, City Park, Hickory Hill Park, and other local treasures. There will never be a “good” time to preserve this land. NOW is that time. The opportunity is presenting itself NOW. It simply requires voters to say yes.

What type of legacy do you want to leave? Please join me in flipping the ballot and voting yes to Our Land, Our Water, and Our Future! For more info, see the website at: http://www.landwaterfuture.org/http://www.landwaterfuture.org/




Good news from the Johnson County Medical Examiner (JCME): JCME leads the state in converting deaths outside the hospital setting to tissue donors with Iowa Donor Network (IDN). Year to date we have made 21 referrals to IDN, and of this number 14 were determined to be potential tissue donors. Out of these potential donors, 8 actually became tissue donors.

In Johnson County we pre-screen our out of hospital deaths so that our referrals only include persons who are medically eligible to donate. This pre-screening, plus active involvement with the deceased family on the part of the investigator, leads to the high conversion rate.

Talking with family about tissue donation at the time of sudden death is a sensitive, difficult and emotionally challenging topic, both for the family and the JCME investigator. During tissue donation, at least at UIHC, the items typically procured are skin, bone, connective tissue, heart valves and eyes. Without these tissues, many of the "miracles" of modern restorative surgery and medicine would be impossible.

Kudos to the JCME Office!




The City of Iowa City is holding its annual Human Rights Breakfast October 23 at 7:30 AM at hotel Vetro.

Tickets available at the Cashier at City Hall. For more information call 356-5022.




There are plenty of reasons to be frustrated by the 2008 Presidential campaign. Here is a pet peeve of mine:

Someone, somewhere, somehow implies that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Then the Obama campaign explains all over again how Senator Obama is not a Muslim, but a devout Christian.

But herein lies the problem: it is perfectly acceptable to be a Muslim! Islam is a worldwide religion over a billion people strong! Islam is not inherently evil, and 99% of Islam’s adherents are good people. Millions of Muslims are US citizens; we even have a Muslim member of the US Senate.

I would like to see both campaigns work on doing more to destigmatize Muslims. It was a Christian who perpetrated the Oklahoma City bombings. Christians perpetrated the Holocaust. Hindu radicals perpetrate bombings in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Jews and Muslims bomb each other in the Middle East. Every major religion has had violence done in its name. This does not make all the believers bad.

Religious beliefs are frequently perverted by groups of radicals. Our challenge is to understand that these radicals do not represent the more than one billion followers of Islam.

As my own religion teaches, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” To quote a philosopher of a different sort, I think we need to adopt the Seinfeld approach – “I am not a Muslim…Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”




DID YOU KNOW? The Sierra Club has 6,000 members in Iowa; 1,200 of those are in Johnson County.


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 @ 8:59 PM  0 Comments

October 12, 2008

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/14/08


Johnson County has several potential openings on several high profile Boards and Commissions:

The Johnson County Compensation Commission, Johnson County Historic Preservation Commission, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Board, Johnson County Judicial Magistrates Appointing Commission, Johnson County Trails Advisory Committee, Johnson County Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Johnson County Planning and Zoning Commission all have openings, just to name a few.


Terms of the members are coming due in December; see the County website at: www.johnson-county.com for more information.




Assuming all continues to go according to plan, the new Johnson County Health and Human Services building opens in six-seven weeks. This is a very exciting proposition… the Iowa Department of Human Services and Juvenile Court Services, and the Johnson County Departments of Public Health, Social Services, Mental Health and Disability Services, Veteran’s Affairs, General Assistance, and Information Services will all be moving into the new building.

This building will be a positive in many ways:

1. Johnson County was paying about $300,000 in rent annually to house these Departments. That amount will be zero as of February 2009. If you are a fiscal conservative, you should like this move.

2. These Departments were literally located all over Iowa City. Their co-location will allow huge savings of time and money for both the public and County government. If you are a fiscal conservative, you should like this move.

3. Because it is a LEED Silver Certified building, Johnson County will save thousands of dollars annually on utility bills. If you are a fiscal conservative, you should like this move.

4. Pretty much every Department listed was bursting at the seams. There was simply no room left. The new building will provide adequate space while allowing for future growth at virtually no cost. If you are a fiscal conservative, you should like this move.

5. This new building is being built WITHOUT – I repeat, WITHOUT – any type of tax increase. Johnson County has been putting away money for this structure for about 7 years. It will be completely paid off in about two more years. If you are a fiscal conservative, you should like this move.

This is a very handsome yet extremely functional building. I encourage everyone to keep an eye out for the Grand Opening, and I urge you to stop down and check it out.

I do have one regret. The Board decided to name the building the “Health and Human Services Building”. Original, huh? Actually, I wholeheartedly support this name. I think it is important for the name of the building to explain its function clearly to the public. If you call it the “Smith Building”, that means nothing to the general public. Heath and Human Services Building tells the public exactly what the building houses, and where they ought to go.

My regret is that the Board decided not to name any rooms in the building. I was particularly interested in naming a conference room, or lobby, or something, after Carol Thompson.

Carol Thompson was the member of the Board of Supervisors whose seat I won. In addition to serving 6 years on the Board, Carol spent her whole professional career (30 years, give or take) running DHS, MH/DD, and Juvenile Court. I am certain no individual in the history of Johnson County has had a bigger impact in these areas. Naming something in this building after Carol just makes sense.

I recognize that the County has no policy on naming. Why would we? There hasn’t been a new building since 1985. So I understand that this is uncharted territory.

There is a precedent for this type of action, however. In 2007, the Board named the Courthouse Law Library the J. Patrick White Law Library. So it can be done; it has been done.

I hope the Board will decide to take this naming step at a future date. Carol deserves the recognition.




From Citizens for Tax Justice: When New Jersey enacted a new top income tax rate of nearly 9% on incomes of over $500,000, opponents of progressive tax policy issued dire warnings that the state's wealthiest residents would flee the state, with detrimental effects both on productivity and tax revenues.

Needless to say, those fears proved to be baseless, as a new report out of Princeton University shows that out-migration by wealthy New Jerseyans has been nothing more than a "small side-effect" of the tax hike -- a policy that raises over $1 billion annually for the state. 
Read More




October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and that coincides with a couple community events. The 8th annual Pat Meyer Vision Award for outstanding commitment to end domestic violence will be presented to Officer Robert Hartman on Thursday, October 16 at 5:30 at the ICPL.

As you think about Domestic Violence, it is important to note that the local Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) is facing a funding crisis! The State of Iowa stepped up to fill in a gap when the Bush Administration made huge cuts, but the State money is drying up. Last year, over 120 local women were turned away because the shelter was too full.

How can you help? Ask your elected officials (at all levels of government) to support these important programs!




I got the following joke from a friend – as an elected official, this really rings true!

An old man, a boy & a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey & the old man walked.

As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right so they changed positions.

Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, 'What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.'

So they then decided they'd both walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.

So, they both rode the donkey.

Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.

The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story?

If you try to please everyone, you might as well...Kiss your ass good-bye!




DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County ranks #4 among Iowa’s 99 counties in population, but only ranks #87 in terms of spending on conservation.



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 @ 11:49 AM  0 Comments

October 5, 2008

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/7/08


The Durrant Group is holding its final public meeting to solicit feedback on a justice center for Johnson County. This meeting is Wednesday, October 8 at 5:30 PM in Room A of the Iowa City Public Library.

Does Johnson County need a new jail? A new courthouse? A combination? If so, what should be included? Where should it be? How large should it be? How much should it cost? How should it be financed? Are there other things that need to be discussed?

If you have opinions on any or all of this, please show up and share your thoughts. The Board has not made any decisions… we need to hear from the public first!




The Board will be discussing the Land Use Plan as it applies to growth areas on Friday, October 10 at 9 AM in the Boardroom at the County Administration Building.

Currently, there are really only two identified “growth areas” in Johnson County – unincorporated villages (such as Sharon Center and Sutliff) and the area generally referred to as the “North Corridor” (roughly everything north of I-80 between highways 965 and 1).

Do the existing growth areas make sense? Are they too large? Are they too small? As you probably know, the defining of growth areas has historically been a very contentious topic. It would be great to have interested citizens attend and weigh in!




A Republican friend of mine and I were talking the other day, and he began teasing me about the upcoming Presidential election.

He got in a few good digs, and we both had a good laugh. But when he was done, he said something that really stuck with me:

“Oh, well, Sully. You and I will be just fine either way, won’t we?”

I have no doubt that this statement was meant to be a way of closing the topic rather than giving me all kinds of socio-psycho fodder. But I can’t get this comment out of my head.

You see, my friend nailed it. He is quite successful, and though he is far from the “top 1% of earners” we hear so much about, he earns six figures per year. I am not as well off financially as him, but I, too, have been blessed. Neither of us wants for much.

We both did pretty well during the Clinton years. We both got 96% of the way through the Bush years pretty much unscathed.

Perhaps one could argue that the results of this election do not matter to my friend and I. But we are exceptions to the rule! The fact is, this election REALLY MATTERS to millions of Americans! For example:

*60% of all households in the US earn less than $56,000. 60%! I do not personally know everyone that receives Salvos, but I know enough people to recognize that many of us do better than $56,000.

*My friend and I both have good health insurance. Yet 16% of all Americans are uninsured. I know that many Salvos readers fare much better.

*My friend and I both send our children to outstanding public schools. So do most Salvos readers. But that is not the case for many urban and rural families across the US.

*Neither my friend nor I lost anyone close to us in 9-11 or in Katrina, but mismanagement by a government that put Republican Party ideology ahead of national interests and ahead of human life DID cost thousands of American lives.

*To the best of my knowledge, no Salvos readers have lost a child in the Iraq War. Similarly, it is doubtful that many of us have children who have been asked to torture a suspect, hold someone without charge, or wiretap a fellow American. It has not happened to my friend or I, yet this has happened regularly over the past eight years.

I have only touched on a few of the many reasons that this election matters. We have foreign policy, energy policy, global warming, civil rights, immigration, and hundreds of additional issues.

These issues may or may not directly impact my friend and I. But the issues matter. This election matters!




Johnson County recently received a report from our insurance agent, and the results should make our taxpayers proud!

Johnson County is part of the Iowa Municipal Worker’s Comp Association (IMWCA). According to our agent, Johnson County is the “poster child” for how to do things correctly.

Employers are rated on a scale of 1.0 being average. If you do a bit worse than average, you will be a 1.1; do a bit better, and you’ll be at 0.9.

Johnson County is rated at .77 – the second lowest score among about a thousand insured employers! This is remarkable given the fact that we have over 500 employees, many of whom are engaged in a wide variety of potentially dangerous activities.

This excellent score is because of all the work Johnson County has put into our Safety Committee, departmental safety meetings, good equipment, proper training, good signage, etc.

What does this mean to Johnson County taxpayers? The difference between a score of 1.0 and our .77 is about $250,000 annually!

Congratulations to all the fine County employees whose efforts make this possible!




Happy 40th Birthday to the Mid Eastern Iowa Community Mental Health Center! Community Mental Health has now been helping residents of Johnson and neighboring counties since 1968.

Mental Health is a huge budget item for Johnson County, and we are extremely fortunate to have great partners like the Mid Eastern Iowa Community Mental Health Center. Congratulations on 40 years!




DID YOU KNOW? Based upon the responses of the 64 local companies reporting to the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD), estimates call for 1,357 new jobs in the next 3 years in Johnson County.



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 @ 4:19 PM  0 Comments



Copyright © 2008 Rod Sullivan, Johnson County Board of Supervisors. All rights reserved.
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