Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

December 17, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/21/10




In this edition:


*Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
*Employee Recognition
*United Way Committee
*Holiday Wish List
*Next Week = Salvos Salutes!
*Insight Bowl
*Did You Know?





*Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and Happy Holidays to the rest!

I hope your holiday is safe and happy, and that all your wishes come true!




*Employee Recognition
Every year, Johnson County recognizes employees for their years of service. Starting with 5 years and in every 5-year increment, employees get a certificate, handshake, and a free meal. So while the County does not spend a lot on recognition, we still try to let folks know we appreciate their service.

I thought that this year I would single out two gentlemen for their years of service.

Gary Pidgeon (Conservation) and Dewey Stewart (Secondary Roads) each have worked for Johnson County for over 40 years! Congratulations and thanks!




*United Way Committee
The United Way of Johnson County recently collaborated with Johnson County and other local organizations to complete an in-depth community needs assessment.

The results are quite interesting – I urge every resident of Johnson County to check it out at: http://www.unitedwayjc.org/media/2010_Community_Assessment_slides.pdf

In response to the results of the needs assessment, the United Way has created three committees: health, education, and income. I am serving on the income committee, and I am absolutely thrilled to be doing so! The needs of the low-income folks of Johnson County have always been a priority for me, so I am excited to have this opportunity.

I will report back on the results of our work in a future edition of Salvos.




*Holiday Wish List
The Holidays are a time when people young and old create their wish lists. Below is my personal wish list for 2011, in the format of a David Letterman-style Top Ten List:

10.) Local media will improve local coverage. There is a LOT going on in Johnson County, and we need the local media to provide serious, thoughtful, in-depth coverage. A well-informed citizenry is necessary to a functioning democracy.

9.) Silly divisions based upon school, city, etc. will fall by the wayside. We do not need more divisions. I live in Iowa City, but I want good things for Tiffin. My kids are City High through and through, but I do not wish West High ill. Our similarities outweigh our differences. I hope we can come to see each other as one community.

8.) Natural disasters will pass us by. I often wonder what we could have accomplished between 2006 and today without a tornado, two floods, and three terrible winters. We deserve a break!

7.) Local businesses have a great year. We have many locally owned businesses that have earned our support. I hope they have the kind of year they deserve.

6.) Volunteerism continues strong. Johnson County has amazing volunteers; the statistics prove it! I hope this continues, and I hope people under 60 prepare to take on some of the load currently being shouldered by people over 60.

5.) People treat each other with more kindness, compassion, and respect. Small acts can make a BIG difference!

4.) People will focus on the facts. We have plenty of areas in which we can and do disagree without making things up. We are all entitled to our own opinions; we are not entitled to our own facts.

3.) Johnson County will continue to lead the rest of the State in terms of being open and accepting toward our LGBT brothers and sisters. Love thy neighbor!

2.) Locals will stand up against racism. It is not enough to be unprejudiced ourselves. We must actively stand up and speak out when we see and hear racism. I hope the local papers will see fit to lead the way.

1.) People will take seriously the teachings of Jesus re: the poor. Most people in Johnson County consider themselves Christian. Yet our actions demonstrate that we hate the poor. I hope we can change this.

That is my wish list. What wishes do you have for 2011?




*Next Week = Salvos Salutes!
Tune in next week to find out what locals have been honored with the 2010 Salvos Salutes! Who knows… your name may be on the list!




*Insight Bowl
This has been a rough year for the Hawkeye football team, particularly the past two months. I hope the Hawks get 2011 started right with a big win in Tuesday night’s bowl game.

Now is the time that the Hawks need their true fans to step up! Go Hawks!




*DID YOU KNOW? John Roberts, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, earns $218,000 annually. Judge Judy earns $25 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 @ 10:53 PM  0 Comments

December 11, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/14/10




In this edition:

*Bookmarks!
*More on Property Maintenance
*Flood Prevention
*Health Care Reform
*Did You Know?





*Bookmarks!
The next big thing? Bookmarks, of course! For those of you that recall Herky on Parade, the next set of individually designed statues will be books.

An initiative of the UNESCO City of Literature, the books will be hitting the County next summer. Plan now to get one created for your business or organization!

For more information, see: http://bookmarksiowa.org/sales-brochure.pdf.




*More on Property Maintenance
As you probably know, last Thursday the Board took no action on the proposed Property Maintenance Ordinance. I think all of us realize that the proposed ordinance needs to be simplified and clarified at a minimum; there may be more substantive changes, too.

I have written extensively now on this issue, but it seems there are some things that need to be reemphasized.

First and foremost – it appears the Board members are in agreement as it relates to outbuildings (barns, sheds, bins, etc.). Board members simply are not interested in regulating these structures. I would estimate that fifty percent or more of the speakers at the public hearing raised this as a concern. The Board needs to clarify this, obviously. I hope we can focus future discussions away from these structures and on the issues at hand.

Secondly, State law does not allow an ordinance that specifically targets mobile homes. That has been struck down previously as discriminatory. Even if the law allowed for such an ordinance, it would not address every problem property. So a mobile home ordinance is a non-starter.

Thirdly, I do not believe an ordinance that tackles just rentals will be enough, either. While it might address many issues, some of the problematic homes in Regency are owner occupied, as are notorious houses on 120th Street and elsewhere.

Fourthly, it was suggested that farmhouses be exempted if the renter was an employee of the owner. I think this is a terrible idea, frankly. That sets up the possibility of the “company store”, where workers depend upon their employer for housing as well as a job. Historically, this inequity in power has not served America well. It is a recipe for disaster. One need only recall the problems Johnson County had with migrant workers in 2002 (before I served on the Board).

There are several other suggested changes that have merit and deserve thorough consideration. I am sure we will do this over the next few weeks!

Meanwhile, thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts through calls, E-mails, and at the public hearing. Your feedback is appreciated!




*Flood Prevention
The cost of flood restoration in Cedar Rapids = $40,000 for every man, woman, and child.

I was shocked when I heard this statistic. These types of numbers make it all the more amazing that people do not take more seriously the issues brought forth by State Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids.

I really like Senator Hogg. He is smart, and willing to take on difficult issues. Must be the good Johnson County upbringing he got! (Hogg is a City High grad.)




*Health Care Reform
Now that Republicans have won control of the US House of Representatives, there are many calling for a repeal of the Health Care Reform Act, also known (usually derisively) as “Obamacare”.

So… let’s discuss the specifics of health care reform. Which of the following do you wish to see repealed?

*32 million more Americans get care
*Expands Medicaid eligibility
*Pre-existing conditions must be covered
*You cannot be removed from your plan unless fraud is committed
*Young adults can be covered under parents until age 26
*Removes lifetime limits on coverage
*Phases out annual limits on coverage
*Closes Medicare “donut hole”
*Reduces the Federal deficit

It will be very interesting to see what happens here. Fairly large majorities of Americans support these individual pieces of the health care reform bill. Will the GOP really choose to try and repeal these reforms?

There are a few less-popular changes to the tax code that were included as a part of healthcare reform. (I wrote about those in a previous Salvos.) I expect the GOP will at least go after these provisions, and I expect Obama will agree. That would likely give some GOP members cover; they could claim to have “repealed part of Obamacare.” I hope that is what actually occurs.

Observing the Democrats in Congress will be even more painful than watching the GOP. Will Democrats stand up for the popular planks listed above, or take the typical approach and cower in a corner somewhere? It is going to be fascinating to watch!




*DID YOU KNOW? Almost 6,000 US Armed Services personnel have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Estimates of civilian casualties in those countries range from 200,000 to over one 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 @ 10:50 PM  0 Comments

December 4, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/7/10




In this edition:


*Property Maintenance Ordinance
*Earmarks
*Did You Know?




*Property Maintenance Ordinance
As I have mentioned previously, Johnson County is in the process of considering a Property Maintenance Ordinance for the unincorporated areas.

This has been discussed for quite some time. The first time I recall discussing it was when we were made aware of the conditions at the trailer where Jetsetta Gage was murdered. Nothing passed at that time; since then, we have had numerous other complaints, notably concerns over some mobile homes at Regency.

Most cities have some type of property maintenance ordinance. Iowa City’s is quite thorough; some of the smaller towns are a bit more lax. But while the 110,000 Johnson County residents who live in cities are covered, our 25,000 rural residents have no such protections.

I favor a Property Maintenance Ordinance of some type. I believe that every Johnson County resident has a right to safe wiring, functioning plumbing, heat that works, and a structurally safe residence. These are basic human rights, and no one should live in a place that lacks one or more of these elements.

Perhaps I am too naïve, but I have been extremely disappointed by the public response to this proposed ordinance. Opposition seems to fall into two categories: folks who are ridiculously uninformed, and farmers.

Let me begin by addressing the ridiculously uniformed. Contrary to what you might have heard, inspectors from Johnson County will not be free to kick in your door and forcibly enter your property.

I know a lot of people think the Supervisors are pretty stupid. I happen to disagree. But really? You honestly think we want to be responsible for passing an ordinance that authorizes kicking in the doors of county residents? Can you be serious?

There is plenty of room for debate on this issue. We do not need absurd falsehoods clouding the real issues. I hope folks will stick to the facts, and recognize the foolish comments for what they are.

As for the farmers – I understand farming. I grew up on a Heritage Farm, over 150 years in the same family. We actually have two Heritage Farms, passed down from the lineages of both my Grandmother AND Grandfather. I lived there, worked there – I respect the culture. So I am sympathetic to the needs of farmers? Yes, I am.

Because of this, I have argued from the beginning that I wanted to exempt the farm buildings and focus on just the residences. Every third farm has a dilapidated building of some type. But the vast majority of those buildings pose no threat to the safety of people who live at the address.

The current version of the proposed ordinance does exempt all farm buildings except the very small percentage that pose a threat to the public. (For example, a barn that is ready to collapse onto a public road.) I’m certain the number of these very unique hazards in Johnson County could easily be counted on one hand.

I recognize that farmers would like to be exempt. Why would anyone want extra rules if they can avoid them? The problem is, we have some farmhouses that are uninhabitable. Not lots of farmhouses, mind you. But some. I feel these houses should be addressed at the same time we address other problem properties.

I have never understood why a farmhouse should be exempt from this proposed ordinance. The ordinance is focused on the condition of the house, not the occupation of the owner. What would the public say if we said we wanted to pass a law, but it did not apply to the homes of bankers? The public would be (and should be) outraged! So why should we pass a law that exempts another group (farmers) based only on their occupation? It makes no sense.

I would urge opponents to look no further than Linn County, which has had a Property Maintenance Ordinance for about a decade. They have had no problems. Zero. Zip. Nada.

What’s more, the Linn County code is significantly stricter than the code being proposed for Johnson County. The Linn County code covers ALL farm buildings, sheds, barns, etc. Yet they have had no problems.

I hope Johnson County Farm Bureau members will contact Dave Mahachek, a Linn County farmer and Farm Bureau official who ran for Supervisor there three times. Mahachek never complained about this oppressive ordinance. If it was such a huge problem, why didn’t he run on the platform of repealing it?

I hope we have a thoughtful and informed discussion on this important issue. If you would like to participate in the decision making process on this topic, you can attend the public hearing, scheduled for 5:30 PM on Thursday, December 9th in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque Street.




*Earmarks
Kudos to US Senate Republicans for eliminating earmarks! I wish my own Democratic Party had beaten the GOP to this populist position!

The ironic thing about the GOP eliminating earmarks is that it empowers bureaucrats. Instead of Senators deciding where highways will be built, you will have DOT bureaucrats making the decisions.

I have no problem with this; the DOT folks are supposed to be experts, who can apply agreed-upon criteria fairly to projects across the US.

Obviously, oversight is an important role for our elected officials. It is the job of Congress and the President to ensure that these departments are functioning properly. We have seen recently that the Minerals Management Division was badly broken; it is incumbent upon Congress and the President to intervene in these cases.

(I had just finished writing this when it was reported that Senator Kyl (R) of Arizona had requested earmarks. So the pledge lasted about 5 days. Guess we can forget the whole paragraph above!)




*DID YOU KNOW? Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost almost $1.5 TRILLION dollars. That is a million millions. That is $5,000 for every man, woman, and child in the US.



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 @ 5:59 PM  0 Comments



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