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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 22, 2009
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/28/09 Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife, Dr. Melissa Fath. I am a very, very, very lucky man! You are getting this edition of Salvos a few days early. Expect it to be back on the regular schedule next week. This weekend marks the annual Fun Days celebration in Swisher. If you have never visited Swisher, you are missing out on a tightly knit, fun-loving community. I urge you to check it out. The Johnson County Assessor has been sending out a great newsletter lately. I have taken the liberty of poaching the following article from his most recent edition. I took a few liberties in terms of editing for length. I hope this article will help you will gain some insight into the assessment process: Johnson County has an excellent track record for getting the numbers right: No one in our office can recall a time when the Iowa Department of Revenue gave us a residential equalization order—which is a mandate to adjust assessments—and we’re proud to be the No. 1 county in Iowa in terms of assessment uniformity. But property owners don’t always agree with our decisions. When that’s the case, there is an appeal process. The first step is for a property owner to protest to the Johnson County Board of Review, a three-member committee that convenes each spring specifically to hear such appeals. This board reviews our assessment, considers information from the property owner and then can do one of three things: 1) leave the assessment as is, 2) raise it (which surprises owners who were seeking to lower their assessment, but this does sometimes happen) or, 3) lower it. If the property owner still is not satisfied, the next step involves protesting to a state-wide Property Assessment Appeal Board, and/or appealing to District Court. Some people assume our office would have a very adversarial relationship with the Board of Review. After all, the Board can be seen as second guessing our work and sometimes may rule against us. But nothing could be further from the truth. Our focus isn’t on who is right or wrong with assessments, but rather on making sure that property is valued correctly. When there are differences of opinion, it’s often simply because of discrepancies in the information about a property. For example, perhaps we don’t have the correct square footage or age or other pertinent details on file about a structure. Or maybe an owner didn’t understand the impact certain property improvements would have on the property value or failed to communicate changes to our office. A Board of Review hearing ultimately helps ensure that valuations are fair and equitable for all concerned. In the most recent revaluation cycle this past spring, 305 protests were filed with the Board of Review. The board made adjustments (raised or lowered the assessment) in 225 cases; 80 were denied (left as is). The number of commercial property protests increased compared to previous years. One trend we’ve seen is that a number of large national companies and chain/franchise retailers automatically protest their assessment even when they might not have a sound basis for doing so. The philosophy appears to be to protest everything in the hopes that some adjustment will occur. It’s akin to throwing a fish line with bare hooks into a lake; odds are something will eventually swim by and snag. There are a number of companies that file protests on behalf of other property owners for a contingency fee. Since there is no risk or cost to the property owner for filing, they do so. However, our staff must spend considerable time preparing for and attending these hearings, so it’s a drain on our resources. The Board of Review can and does subpoena information to help make a decision; some property owners drop their appeal when this happens. For instance, a commercial property owner might protest on the grounds that business is terrible, but withdraw the protest when asked to show financial statements and other supporting documentation. All in all, the Board of Review plays a very important role in the assessment process. Its work almost always results in a positive exchange of information and education. DID YOU KNOW? The median value of Johnson County’s owner-occupied housing units, circa 2000 = $131,500. For the rest of Iowa? $82,500. (Source: US Census Bureau.) 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
July 19, 2009
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/21/09
Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Walter Cronkite…the images of my formative years are quickly passing from this earth. I guess this is what aging feels like.
The Johnson County Fair is July 27-31. This is a great event that in many cases serves to reconnect urban folks to their rural roots.
Parking and admission are free, and there is truly something for everyone. Please take a look!
The Johnson County Master Gardeners will host their 14th annual Taste of the Heritage Gardens on Wednesday, July 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Plum Grove Historic Site, 1030 Carroll Street in Iowa City.
For a suggested donation of $5, attendees will receive a taste of 19th recipes for soups, salads, vegetable dishes, breads, drinks and desserts prepared by the Master Gardeners. In addition, the audience will be entertained by the Senior Center Horn band, and there will be guided tours of the gardens and 1844 Lucas house.
There will be a drawing for door prizes and recipe booklets will be available. Free parking is available on site.
The proceeds from this event go to garden maintenance and Kirkwood scholarships. In case of bad weather, the event will be held at Building C at the Johnson County Fair Grounds. Further information is available at 351-4903.
A friend recently pointed me to an interesting site that provides guidance in terms of the value of volunteer time. It is based on the average hourly earnings of all production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls (as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics). Independent Sector takes this figure and increases it by 12 percent to estimate for fringe benefits.
So, in Iowa, volunteer time can be calculated at $16.10 per hour. Multiply that by the tens of thousands of hours volunteered in Johnson County every year, and you can see that we are talking about serious contributions!
One of the most delicate balances for any elected official is the balance between following staff recommendations and following the wishes of individual members of the public.
On one hand, it is absolutely vital that elected officials trust their staff people. We hire people to be experts. If we are not willing to heed expert advice, why employ an expert?
On the flip side, we all have instances where we disagree. If elected officials blindly follow staff recommendations, things will not go well. Elected officials are charged with weighing staff expertise versus public opinion and other mitigating circumstances.
So, how does an elected official strike a healthy balance? In my mind, the most important factor is hiring good people. If elected officials have less than 99% confidence in key staff, there will be trouble. Second-guessing hurts everyone involved.
Part of the measure of a really good staff person is her ability to accept things when elected officials overrule or disagree with her. I always appreciate it when staff people turn things around on elected officials, and let them own the decision. For example:
“Here is the situation. Here are your adopted policies that may/may not be applicable. Here is my recommendation. Here is why I recommend it. If you choose to accept my recommendation, here are the possible ramifications. If you choose not to accept my recommendation, here are the possible ramifications. Let me know what you decide, and I’ll begin implementing it right away.”
We are very fortunate in Johnson County, as we have some EXTREMELY good staff people. Many run through the decision making process just as I laid it out above. I follow their lead most of the time. When I do not follow their advice, we discuss the reasons why, and there are no hard feelings. (At least, I HOPE there are no hard feelings!)
There is no magic number when it comes to following staff recommendations, but it probably shouldn’t be 100%. If so, one must question the ability of the elected official to think independently. A more important factor is the dialogue that occurs around these decisions. Elected officials and staff should both be able to articulate their positions clearly.
Pay attention to the interactions between professional staff and elected officials. These relationships are the key to how well your government will operate.
DID YOU KNOW? 94% of Johnson County residents 21 and older have a high school diploma. (Source: US Census Bureau.)
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
July 11, 2009
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/14/09
Solon holds the Granddaddy of all summer festivals this weekend as they celebrate the 38th annual Beef Days. I love Beef Days, and I am perversely proud of the fact that I have only missed 2-3 out of those 38.
For more info, or to start your own streak, see: http://beefdays.com/
I will be attending the meeting of the National Association of Counties (NACO) later this month in Davidson County (Nashville), Tennessee.
This will be my fourth NACO convention, and I have found them to be quite good. Twice previously I have been able to bring home an idea that we could implement in Johnson County. Those are pretty good odds!
I look forward to visiting Nashville – it is a place I’ve never been – and I look forward to bringing home additional good ideas.
Some exciting things are happening around the recent designation of Iowa City as a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Literature.
As you may recall, Iowa City has joined Edinborough, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia as one of only three World Cities of Literature. In fact, Iowa City is only the second US city to gain UNESCO recognition; Santa Fe, New Mexico has been recognized for Folk Art.
Iowa City has been granted a tremendous honor. Now what? A nonprofit organization has been incorporated to help offer some direction. I have the privilege of serving on this brand-new Board of Directors, along with representatives from the UI, Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, the Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and others.
So… do you have ideas? What does it mean to be a UNESCO City of Literature? What should we do now? I welcome your thoughts!
I try not to hate. Hate is a very destructive emotion; it tends to hurt the hate-er more than the hate-ee. Although I fail every day, I try to be a good Christian, and refrain from hating anyone or anything.
Given all that prefacing, I hate Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I have tried to see the world through their eyes, but it just doesn’t work. BCBS is evil. Not individual employees, mind you. Those are just people doing their jobs. But the BCBS corporation is evil.
I am one of tens of thousands of Iowans who are stuck doing business with this evil company. And I am lucky! My family and I have stayed relatively healthy. We have minimized our interactions.
I cannot imagine the suffering that has been caused by this company, which profits from the pain of others. I pray every day that the US Congress will make meaningful changes to the healthcare-industrial complex that runs roughshod over the people of this country. The fact that BCBS does not want reform ought to say it all!
I hope to see the day that my family and I have other reasonable options for our healthcare. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to work on the hating thing.
Much has been written about the recent resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I’ll add a prediction to those already in the mix:
I expect the school-aged Palin kids to be enrolled in the Waukee School District for the 2010-11 school year. You heard it here first!
DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County is one of the area’s larger employers, with about 520 full time employees. Employment opportunities are updated regularly on our website - http://www.johnson-county.com.
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
July 5, 2009
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/7/09
I need to begin with a correction… last week, I said that I had been writing Salvos for 388 weeks. I’m not sure where I got that number, frankly!
I rechecked, and the number is actually 251 weeks. (Perhaps it only FEELS longer!) Anyway, I apologize for the misinformation.
Tiffin is holding its second annual Tiffin Fest this weekend. For more info, see:
http://tiffin-iowa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=27&Itemid=64
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford made the news recently when he skipped the state for an affair in Argentina. This case has generated a great deal of talk; I figured I might as well weigh in!
For starters, I think the details of Mr. Sanford’s marriage are the business of the Sanford family and no one else. Personally, I do not believe that marital fidelity translates to ability to govern.
That said, some argue that a politician who will lie to his wife will lie to the public. OK, I can buy that. It certainly does reflect poorly on his character, and I would not begrudge anyone who voted against him solely on that basis.
But I would argue that in the money-driven politics of this country, MOST governors would (and do) lie to the public, whether they cheat on their spouses or not.
The real issue in this case is that Sanford abandoned his position as Governor and left the state with no way to be contacted. During the week he was absent, there could have been any number of disasters that would have required the Governor’s leadership.
In my opinion, this is gross negligence, an abdication of duty, a betrayal of the public trust, and unbecoming of the Office of Governor. I feel Sanford should step down. Should he choose not to resign, the voters of South Carolina should send him a strong message of disapproval. Primary or General election, it does not matter… this issue is not political. It is about good government.
As our School Boards and City Councils struggle to balance their budgets, please remember something: any individual can balance a budget fairly easily.
She would tax herself what she thought was fair. Then she would fund programs and services she liked and used, and cut those she did not. Viola! The budget is balanced.
Problem is, cities and school districts represent more than one person. Those people disagree as to what is valuable, and disagree as to how much we ought to pay.
Elected officials are charged with striking a balance that the community will accept. If they do not do so, we can vote them out. But please vote knowing that budgeting for thousands of people is a challenge.
Backyard Abundance is holding several tours this summer. Our neighbors hosted one last year, and it was a fun event.
For more info, see: http://www.backyardabundance.org/events.aspx
Diversity Circles encourage dialogue to create awareness, to help develop sensitivity to and understanding of others, and to build and strengthen ourselves and our community. Facilitator guided discussions on such issues as race, immigration, religion, and sexuality encourage participants to take action for positive change.
The next Diversity Circle will be held: Monday, July 13, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Grant Wood Elementary School Family Resource Center.
Sponsored by: Grant Wood Neighborhood Association, City of Iowa City Human Rights Division, City of Iowa City Neighborhood Services, City of Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, Johnson County Social Services, Iowa City Community School District and Women’s Resource & Action Center.
DID YOU KNOW? Pagans called the Midsummer moon the "Honey Moon" for the mead made from fermented honey that was part of wedding ceremonies performed at the Summer Solstice.
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
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