Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

July 24, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 7/27/10




In this edition:


*Johnson County Fair
*UI and the Jail
*GIS Award
*Jesus the Socialist?
*Love at the County Fair
*Did You Know?





*Johnson County Fair
The Johnson County Fair runs July 26-29 at the Fairgrounds just south of Iowa City on Oak Crest Hill Road SE (aka “Old 218”). Actually, the Fair ends Friday with the sales… but most folks never see that side of things.

I love the Johnson County Fair. Sure, I am biased… I am a member of the Johnson County Ag Association. But compared to our peer counties, these folks do a great job!

For starters, we offer free parking and free admission! It does not get any better than that! Many county fairs have sold their souls to attract big country music acts; now they charge $5 to park, $10 to get in, and still more for concert tickets. Basically, their county fairs have become unaffordable for many families.

The Johnson County Fair also remains an alcohol-free event. This, too, adds to the family-friendliness.

You will find a bit of everything at the fair. Check out the 4H projects and exhibits in Montgomery Hall. There is always remarkable art, photography, woodworking, crafts, and more.

It would not be the fair without exploring the livestock exhibits. I am always amazed by the care our 4H kids demonstrate.

I enjoy seeing the latest in farm equipment and implements, learning new gardening tips, and visiting with local artisans and craftspeople. The contests are fun, and the entertainment is a pleasure.

You can visit with people from County government, and talk with locals about the issues of the day. And then there is the food. Gotta eat the food!

The fair is Americana. Garrison Keillor could not make it up. It is real, it is wonderful, and it is in our backyard.

For schedules and full details on the 2010 Johnson County Fair, see: http://www.johnsoncofair.com.




*UI and the Jail
I was frustrated to learn of the recent UI offer to buy Sabin School from the ICCSD.

It is not so much that Johnson County needs the Sabin building; we have pretty much decided to go a different direction. But there are three primary things that get under my skin:

First, I was one of 5 county officials who met with UI officials in November of 2009. At that meeting, the UI folks said they would let us know before they attempted to acquire any property south of Burlington Street. Instead, we had to read about it in the paper. That is not what we were promised.

Secondly, the UI is certainly a contributor to jail overcrowding. Granted, studies have shown that the impact of hosting drunken UI students overnight is overrated. UI students are not the root cause of the overcrowding. But do they contribute? Hell yes, they contribute! The UI ought to be doing more to help Johnson County solve this problem - it is their problem, too!

Finally, it is worth reminding everyone exactly WHY it is so difficult to expand the current jail. The UI owns the land that surrounds the jail on three sides. If they would sell just an area roughly 300’ by 60’, 18,000 square feet total, less than half an acre, the current jail could be expanded to meet our needs. The UI would still own virtually the whole city block. If the UI would cooperate, just a tiny bit, Johnson County would already have an expanded jail.

I wish the UI was more interested in cooperating with Johnson County on this important matter of public safety.




*GIS Award
Johnson County won a great honor a couple weeks ago when awarded the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) award at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, CA.

We had 3 employees attend the conference. Jim Harken (GIS Project Specialist), Josh Busard (Assistant Planner), and RJ Moore (Asst Zoning Administrator).

Johnson County is one of 150 organizations out of approximately 300,000 (one out of 2,000) selected to receive this award. The success of our GIS program is the result of inter-departmental cooperation and hard work. Congrats to all involved!




*Jesus the Socialist?
I recently heard a right-wing talk show personality state that “anyone who believes in the redistribution of wealth is a socialist.”

Now, I do not personally fear being called a socialist. But then I started thinking about the most well known advocate of redistributing the wealth.

If socialism is good enough for Jesus, I guess it is good enough for me!




*Love at the County Fair
Everything’s special about LOVE AT THE COUNTY FAIR, a play involving several love stories, on stage in the Iowa City area July 30 and 31.

A troupe of students and others, with and without special needs, will perform this original stage play. It is written and directed by Janet Schlapkohl, an Iowa City Schools theater director and founder of the Combined Efforts Theater.
True to the county fair theme, the play will be performed in a tent at the Country Camp Farm the weekend following the Johnson County Fair – complete with lemonade, hot dogs and cotton candy.

This is the second summer season for the Combined Efforts group, and follows eight years of presentations during the school year. In addition to producing a show, this non-profit theater program has the unique goal of bringing together talented performers and backstage crew of all ages with and without special needs. All participants seek the joy and challenge that theatre performance provides in the creative spirit of collaborative effort.

Dates and times: July 30 and 31 at 6:00 p.m. Location: 3418 Osage Street SW Iowa City. Reservations: Call 319-354-3369 and leave a message. Tickets: $5.00 adults, $3.00 students, children under five are free. (Tickets available at the door.)




*DID YOU KNOW? The Johnson County Community Health Needs Assessment is now available on the County website.




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 @ 4:49 PM  0 Comments

July 17, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 7/20/10




In this edition:


*Regency FAQ
*ADA Celebration
*Johnson County Fair
*Did You Know?




*Regency FAQ
Regency mobile home park has been all over the news recently… without repeating the whole story, I will try to answer a few Frequently Asked Questions.


Q: Why don’t people just move?

A: Lots of reasons. First, most of the trailers are pre-1976, which means they cannot legally be moved. Secondly, many of the residents there are low-income, and cannot afford a deposit plus the first month’s rent. Thirdly, many of the residents have bad credit, and landlords will not rent to them. Fourthly, many of the residents have legal issues that have led them to choose a more anonymous existence. Those are just a few of the reasons.


Q: Why haven’t residents reported all these alleged crimes?

A: Almost exactly the same as above. Many of the residents there are low-income, and cannot afford representation. Many of the residents have legal issues that have led them to choose a more anonymous existence. Residents who make allegations can be evicted. Those are just a few of the reasons.


Q: Why hasn’t Johnson County just forced the removal of the uninhabitable trailers?

A: We have no ordinance allowing us the power to act. While Iowa City, Coralville, and other cities have such codes, Johnson County does not. I think this can be explained by the fact that the County has always been more “live and let live” than the cities. We discussed a housing ordinance in the wake of the Jetseta Gage tragedy, but there were not three votes to pass it. The Board is discussing an ordinance once again; I think something will pass this time.


Q: Why hasn’t Johnson County Public Health taken action on the water and sewer issues?

A: They have no jurisdiction. In large mobile home parks, water and sewer are regulated by the State of Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). I am one of several Johnson County officials who have spent months working with Senator Bolkcom to change State inspection rules. We want the State to allow counties to do water and sewer regulation for the DNR in cases where that is mutually agreeable. That change would have allowed us to address this years ago. (Senator Bolkcom is supportive, by the way.)


Q: About half the properties are in arrears on taxes. Why can’t Johnson County take the mobile homes for unpaid taxes?

A: We could. But mobile homes are more complicated than other properties. Because the owner of the mobile home does not own the land beneath it, tax sale participants are not interested. In addition, after the 2008 floods, Johnson County bought out several properties on leased land. But the process just got finished, and took hundreds of hours of legal work. FEMA paid for those; Johnson County has no money budgeted for any other buyouts. Finally, few of the mobile homes in question have clear titles, which complicates the process even more.


Q: Are all mobile home courts like this?

A: Absolutely not! Most of the mobile home parks in Johnson County are very nice places. While Regency is overall a pretty awful place, there are a few nice homes there. There are a couple other mobile home parks in Johnson County that are in very poor condition; Regency is definitely the worst.


Q: Why did it take a story in the Register for Johnson County to act?

A: It didn’t! This is one of the biggest misperceptions! While it is true that Johnson County could have done more sooner, our Mobile Home Task Force was created months before the Register article, and had met twice before it went to print. The Register article served two very important purposes, however. First, it got the DNR to act. Secondly, it outraged the citizens of Johnson County – as it should have. Now I hope the citizens will hold county government accountable for improving things.


Q: Is there a part of the story that is missing?

A: Yes. This is the “free market” at its best. The Churchill Group is concerned about one thing – making money. They do it well, making almost $1 million a year off Regency alone. Regency is virtually unregulated – this is what happens when there are no rules. Churchill is just like BP, Goldman Sachs, Massey Mining, or any other big business that has few rules.


Q: Is there another part of the story that is missing?

A: Yes. This is yet another example of what happens when a community ignores low income housing needs. The same people who express outrage at the conditions at Regency beat the drum for less affordable housing in the Iowa City metro area. Where will these folks go? What conditions must they endure? What obligations do we have as a community? Would inclusionary zoning have helped? Those of you who consider yourself Christians – where would Joseph and Mary be allowed to live?


Those were a few of the questions that I have been asked. If you have others, please feel free to call or E-mail me and I will do my best to reply.




*ADA Celebration
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is celebrating its 20th birthday, and Johnson County has several special events planned.

Things run Saturday, July 24 from 1-4 PM in downtown Iowa City. There will be music, speakers, vendors, and a whole lot of fun in store for the afternoon!

Our keynote speaker will be Senator Tom Harkin. Harkin knew firsthand about the challenges facing people with disabilities from his late brother, Frank, who was deaf from an early age.

Senator Harkin’s signature legislative achievement is The Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects the civil rights of millions of Americans with physical and mental disabilities.

For more info, contact Access 2 Independence at 338-3870.




*Johnson County Fair
The Johnson County Fair begins Monday, July 26 and runs through Thursday, July 29. For schedules and details, see: http://www.johnsoncofair.com.

Meanwhile, expect more on the County Fair in next week’s edition of Salvos! Hope to see you there!




*DID YOU KNOW? The original Johnson County Fairgrounds were on the site of City High School.




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 @ 2:19 PM  1 Comments

July 10, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 7/13/10




In this edition:


*Census Geek
*Solon Beef Days
*Iowa Book Festival
*Williams Prairie Hike
*Did You Know?






*Census Geek
I’ll admit it… I am a Census Geek. I love looking at data and trends, and trying to make sense of it all.

Here is a bit of data… then I’ll share a few thoughts.

Johnson County’s population through the years: 1960 = 53,000. 1970 = 72,000. 1980 = 81,000. 1990 = 96,000. 2000 = 111,000. 2010 = ~ 133,000.

Here are some other interesting stats: Johnson County grew by 18.1% this decade, compared to 2.8% for the rest of Iowa.

The average Johnson County home is valued at $132,000, compared to $82,000 statewide. The median income in Johnson County is $6,000 higher than the median for the state. About 4% of all retail sales in Iowa take place in Johnson County.

94% of Johnson County kids earn high school diplomas, compared to 86% statewide. 48% of Johnson County residents over age 25 have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher, compared to 20% for Iowa as a whole.

Johnson County is younger, healthier and more diverse than almost every county in Iowa. We even have a lower than average commute time! (17 minutes in Johnson County compared to 19 as a statewide average.)

So, what are we to make of this information? I would interpret this as backing up my preconceived notion that Johnson County is a great place to live, work, and recreate!

There are plenty of naysayers out there. They aren’t too large in number, but they make a lot of noise. These folks will spend hours telling you how Johnson County is poorly managed and doing everything wrong.

So – where are their statistics? I can produce numbers (far more than the sampling here) that speak very well of Johnson County. We have much of which we should be proud! Are we perfect? Of course not. We can always improve. We simply need to realize that Johnson County is a very special place, and that is in part due to the efforts of many good folks.

Now get out there and enjoy this great county of ours!




*Solon Beef Days
The Grandaddy of all the small town festivals occurs this weekend in Solon, as the 39th annual Beef Days celebration hits town.

I never hesitate to mention that I was there at that first event; my dad was playing in the softball tournament and I went along to watch. I have not missed very many Beef Days over the years, either… and I’m proud of that!

There are many great events at Beef Days – here is one in particular. If you have never seen the Hay Bale Toss, check it out! It has become legendary in a very short time! But get there early Friday night – the place gets packed!




*Iowa Book Festival
As a member of the UNESCO City of Literature Board of Directors, I have enjoyed a front row seat from which to view the planning and organizing of the Iowa City Book Festival.

I think this event is going to assume a spot next to the Arts Fest and Jazz Fest as a must-do summer attraction. There are author events, films, food, games, and all sorts of interesting activities. Be sure to get your City of Literature passport filled on Sunday to become eligible for great prizes!

The Iowa City Book Festival runs Friday through Sunday at Gibson Park next to the Main UI Library, though some events occur all over town.

There are lots of events associated with this growing festival! Please check out all the offerings at: http://www.iowacitybookfestival.org




*Williams Prairie Hike
The State of Iowa was once a vast sea of tall grasses and beautifully colored flowers. Today, these magnificent views are rarely seen outside prairie remnants or in restored prairies that Iowans have planted. The 21-acre Williams Prairie is one of these botanical jewels. Home to over 320 species of vascular plants and eight bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) this jewel is well known for its botanical diversity.

Join Johnson County Conservation Board Vegetation Specialist Dave Wehde and Naturalist Brad Freidhof on Thursday, July 15th at 6:30 p.m. as they explore this beautiful natural area.

Participants should meet at the Williams Prairie just prior to 6:30 p.m. dressed in long pants and prepared to walk through the prairie. Boots are recommended as Williams Prairie is likely to be wet from recent rainfall events and the hydrology of the site. Bug repellent and a water bottle are recommended as well.

Williams Prairie is located north of Oxford. From the State Highway 109 and Highway 6 intersection go north on Old Highway (F28) for about .7 mile. Bear right onto Cemetary Road NW for about .8 mile. Turn left (west) onto Grabin Road NW. Proceed another 1.1 miles to Black Hawk Avenue NW and turn right (north). The entrance to the Williams Prairie will be on your right hand side (east).

For more information about this or other JCCB sponsored events, please contact the Johnson County Conservation Department office at 645-2315 or 645-1011. You can also contact Brad Freidhof by e-mail at bfreidhof@co.johnson.ia.us.




*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has approximately 1/100 of the US population. (~3 million out of ~307 million.)




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 @ 11:36 AM  0 Comments

July 5, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 7/6/10




In this edition:


*Primary Elections
*South America
*Tiffin Fest
*Did You Know?





*Primary Elections
The Primary elections are over for this year, and I have a few thoughts to share about the process:

One issue for me is that of the nominating process. It is not uncommon for a party to have no nominees in the primary, then fill the slot later by petition. It seems to me that those candidates ought to have to run without the (D) or (R) behind their names. They should not be rewarded for skipping a key part of the process. (Exceptions could be made for replacing a candidate on the ballot who has died or is unable to serve. I have no issue with that.)

Another topic: I do not like open primaries. Primaries are NOT for the general public; they are held for members of political parties. I believe that political parties should have the right to choose their own candidates without interference.

California is considering an experiment with a primary that lists all candidates on each ballot, similar to a general election. Then the top two vote getters move on to the general election, regardless of party.

I happen to believe this is a terrible idea! That is a de facto general election. Again, parties deserve to nominate their own candidates without interference.

I understand that my opinion might be more palatable if there were more than two viable parties. Many folks feel disenfranchised because they do not identify with either major party. I concede that point.

I feel even stronger about Democrats registering as Republicans (or vice versa) in some sort of Machiavellian attempt to influence the outcome of the opposing party primary. I have had friends do this before, but it is simply wrong, in my opinion. If you believe in karma, avoid this tactic!

While I feel strongly about these issues, I have trouble balancing these concerns with my strong support of same day voter registration. I think it is vitally important to our democracy that people be able to register and vote at the last minute.

Obviously, it is difficult to reconcile last-minute registration and voting with closed primaries. Some people have honestly had a change of heart, and decided to switch from one party to the other. Who am I to judge the legitimacy of a party switch? I simply cannot figure out how to resolve the conflict between these two positions.

What are your opinions on our primary system? I’d like to hear your thoughts!




*South America
I am not a big soccer fan. I stood at Kicker’s Soccer Park for over 500 games as my kids grew up, yet the sport never really captured me.

That said, the World Cup is a pretty special event, and I find myself paying some attention. Great athletes, national pride, vuvuzuelas… there seems to be something for everyone.

One interesting storyline is Europe versus South America. Both continents are well represented at the top of the soccer world. Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina all made the round of 16.

Unfortunately, I have had three instances recently where people demonstrated their ignorance of South America. It always angers me to see how little we Americans know about the rest of the world. What makes me even more angry is when people are proud of this ignorance.

I hope the World Cup gives more Americans a reason to learn about South America. Good luck to the South American teams!




*Tiffin Fest
The growing city of Tiffin is holding its annual Tiffin Fest celebration this Friday and Saturday, July 9 & 10. There is food, games, and entertainment – something for everyone.

I have mentioned Tiffin in Salvos before. It is a community that finds itself in an interesting place. There is tremendous growth in the area, and great pride in the schools. But rapid growth brings growing pains. It has not been easy, but Tiffin is moving forward. I urge you to visit this weekend and check things out for yourself!




*DID YOU KNOW? Loving County, Texas is the least populous county in the US, with 67 residents. Loving County also has the highest per capita income of any US county at $140,275. (Teton County, WY is second at $130,000.) Source: NACO.



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 @ 8:52 AM  0 Comments



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