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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 25, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/28/12 In this edition: *Johnson County’s Panhandle *Correction Lines *My Favorite Rich Guy *A True Gift! *Park Stats *Olmstead Task Force *Arc Chili Supper *Did You Know? *Johnson County’s Panhandle I love the fact that you can always identify Johnson County on the map – that is because we have a panhandle on our southeast side. I always find it interesting that our forefathers drew the map the way they did; most counties are just square. Whatever the reason, I’m glad it turned out unique! Johnson County’s panhandle is otherwise known as Fremont Township. It is roughly the area east of Sand Road and south of Highway 22, and is home to Lone Tree and River Junction. I know that sometimes folks in Fremont Township feel ignored by the rest of the County. I’ve heard that many times before, and I work really hard to make sure it does not happen. So, how about a tip of the hat (or pan!) for the people of Fremont Township! *Correction Lines Since we are talking about maps – have you ever noticed the small indentation on the far west side of Johnson County? Look at an Iowa map, and focus on the horizontal row of counties that includes Johnson. You’ll notice small jags in their western boundaries. These are called correction lines, and were created to fix the fact that straight lines do not lay out perfectly on our spherical earth. So every so many miles, the surveyors would do a “correction” of approximately a few hundred feet. It is just enough to show up on a detailed map. Our correction line falls on the border of Hardin and Washington Townships, and makes Washington Township slightly thinner than the townships to its north. This mapping quirk also exists in other midwestern states. Iowa even has a town (Correctionville) in Woodbury County named for the procedure. *My Favorite Rich Guy The 2012 Presidential campaign looks to be more and more about a single issue: will the voters connect with the super-wealthy but socially awkward Mitt Romney? I always find it both funny and sad when an ultra-wealthy individual attempts to “connect” with the average working stiff. It is often as foreign to them as putting an average American in Burundi or Indonesia. They are simply lost. And the fact that they have no idea how we live causes resentment among average Joes – as well it should. Perhaps Romney should take a page from my favorite ostentatiously rich guy - Al Czervik. Put on a Hawaiian shirt, buy some naked lady tees, and crank up the Journey! *A True Gift! The Johnson County Conservation Board recently voted to accept a gift from Julie Hausman, Dallas, TX, of her half interest in 52 acres in Section 6, Sharon Township and a reserved life estate from Jim Walters, Iowa City, for his half interest in that property. This tract contains a beautiful climax oak timber, and will now be available to the people of Johnson County in perpetuity. Thanks to Julie and Jim for their incredible generosity! *Park Stats A few interesting statistics on parks from American City and County magazine: Washington, DC spent $375 per person on parks in 2011, highest in the country. The nationwide average was $84. (Johnson County spent about $11.) 35 million individuals visited Central Park in NYC, making it the most visited park. South Mountain Preserve in Phoenix is the largest park within a municipal city limits at 16,094 acres. 40% of the landmass of Anchorage, AK is park acres, highest in the country. (Johnson County has about 1,500 acres under management.) *Olmstead Task Force Our Mission: Removing barriers to community living for individuals with disabilities and long-term illnesses in Iowa. Do know someone who would be a good fit to serve on the Iowa Olmstead Consumer Task Force? In 1999 the United States Supreme Court decided the “Olmstead” case, holding that government must do all it can, within fiscal limits, to assure that individuals with disabilities can live in their own homes and communities rather than in institutions. The Iowa Olmstead Consumer Taskforce was formed to encourage state government to avoid unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with disabilities. The Taskforce has helped keep individuals with disabilities in their homes ever since. See these websites for more information: http://iowamhdsplan.org/ www.olmsteadrealchoicesia.org http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/Partners/MHDSRedesign.html
For more information please contact:
Becky Flores
Iowa Olmstead Consumer Taskforce
DHS, MHDS Division, 5th Floor
1305 East Walnut Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50312
Bflores1@dhs.state.ia.us
515-281-5374
*Arc Chili Supper
The Arc of Southeast Iowa is holding its annual chili supper on Friday, March 3 from 4:30-7:30 PM at the River Community Church in Iowa City.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and kids under 3 eat free. Vegetarian selections are available.
Proceeds from this event will help provide services to children and adults with disabilities so they can realize their goals relating to where and how they live, learn, work, and play.
*DID YOU KNOW? There are several little known Leap Year facts – such as this: no year divisible by 100 can be a leap year, except if it is divisible by 400. Thus, 1900 was not a leap year ... but 2000 was!
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
February 18, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/21/12
In this edition:
*Bowl For Kid’s Sake
*1105 Project
*Did You Know?
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
It is an annual tradition that a Sullivan for Supervisor team competes in the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraiser. This is the big weekend!
BBBS is a wonderful organization with fabulous staff that does great work in our community. They get by on a shoestring budget, and Bowl For Kids’ Sake is their major annual fundraiser.
We’d love to have your help! You can sponsor our team by going to http://bbbsjc.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=999805, or just reply to this e-mail and tell me what you’d like to pledge.
*1105 Project
Johnson County has been presented with an interesting opportunity known as the “1105 Project”. I have some strong feelings on this; first, here is the background.
The former Johnson County Public Health building sits at 1105 Gilbert Court, next door to the Crisis Center. Since Johnson County opened the new Health and Human Services building a couple years ago, that building has sat empty.
The County has discussed selling the property, and got an appraisal. The property was deemed to be worth about $550,000.
Recently, a group of local nonprofits have proposed that Johnson County sell the building to the Crisis Center at a very reduced rate. They would then repurpose the building to meet a variety of health and human services needs. They have nicknamed this effort the “1105 Project”.
The Crisis Center is spearheading this effort, but the major beneficiary would be Free Lunch. The Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP) and National Alliance on Mentally Illness of Johnson County (NAMI-JC) would also be collaborating on the building.
I am familiar with all 4 of these local nonprofits. They all do great work, and they all desperately need space. I am EXTREMELY pleased that they have taken on this initiative. They are thinking big – but perhaps not big enough!
I have long argued that local nonprofits need to collaborate in a number of areas. Think about board meeting rooms. Most boards meet ten or so times per year. Do they each need their own boardroom? How about payroll? What if all our local nonprofits used one local company for taxes, accounting, and payroll? Surely we would trade some minor inconveniences for significant savings. What about a single, negotiated printing contract? Shared insurance? Financial audits? Copiers? Computers? Janitorial? Could some co-locate, and even share receptionists, restrooms, and storage space? The list goes on and on.
By doing these things collaboratively, we should be able to reduce overhead. That means a greater percentage of donor dollars go toward actual services. Every agency loses a tiny bit of control, but gets more directed resources in exchange.
While this sounds simple, there are some very real obstacles to overcome. Funders have never seriously pushed the nonprofits to go this route; that is why I love to see this happening voluntarily! Again, my only issue is that it may not go far enough! (More on that later.)
The former Public Health building presents a couple interesting scenarios. One argument is the taxpayers bought the building over a number of years. If it is now unused, it should be sold, and the County should use the revenues to offset taxes. Then the new entity would (presumably) pay new real estate taxes on the property.
On the other hand, the building has been paid off for decades. If we poured the proceeds from a sale into property tax relief next year, it would save the average homeowner roughly 8 cents per $1,000. So for a single year, the owner of a $100,000 home would see taxes reduced $8. That is 67 cents per month. That is something, but not much. It is fair to argue that the property has much greater public value by being repurposed that by simply being sold.
I am definitely willing to consider a project of this nature, but a couple conditions must be met to garner my support.
I believe either Johnson County must continue to own the building, or the building needs to be sold to the United Way. Alternatively, the property could be sold with a requirement that it be used for charitable purposes for a minimum of ten or more years. I believe this for a few of reasons:
First, I cannot see awarding a couple hundred thousand to the Crisis Center when Johnson County supports dozens of worthy nonprofits. Lots of those nonprofits have space needs. All have financial needs. This would be more equitable, while allowing additional nonprofits the opportunity to use the space. If we are going to do this, let’s do it right. Let’s create a space that really addresses lots of community needs.
Secondly, by keeping the building, we could allow the 1105 plan to move forward, but maintain ownership/control of the property. Why is this important? Because I have been burned before. I trusted a fellow Supervisor, a Coralville Councilor, a North Liberty Councilor, a former Coralville Councilor, and two former Iowa City Councilors to do the right thing in terms of the Joint Emergency Communications Center (JECC). They betrayed that trust, and betrayed the public interest. So I will not risk giving up control of the public tax dollars or a public good ever again. The 1105 project needs to go on in a building owned by either Johnson County or the United Way. If sold, it must be sold with several contingencies.
Thirdly, while I support the location as home to Free Lunch, I want to make sure that we could incorporate our local foods initiatives into the building. I see some potential synergies there, but I would want to make sure this can all fit together.
Actually, I would be willing to entertain just giving the building away, assuming that some conditions can be met. As I mentioned earlier, the community benefit from such a facility can far outpace the financial benefit derived from a sale.
So – what are your thoughts? Should the 1105 Project move forward? Should there be any conditions? Please let me know what you think!
*DID YOU KNOW? Many across the newly formed United States celebrated Washington's Birthday in the 17th century while Washington was still alive. However, it wasn't until 1885 that Chester Arthur signed the bill that made it a federal holiday.
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
February 11, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/14/12
In this edition:
*Happy Valentine’s Day!
*Planning and Zoning Stats
*Income Inequality
*Congratulations, Jordan!
*Did You Know?
*Happy Valentine’s Day!
I recognize that Valentine’s Day can get pretty lonely for people who are not in a relationship. I feel for these folks, and wish them well. It certainly helps to remind me how lucky I am to have such a wonderful wife! Happy Valentine’s Day to each of you, regardless of your circumstances!
*Planning and Zoning Stats
The Board of Supervisors recently got an annual report from our Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Department, and it was loaded with statistics. I am a bit of a stats geek, so I found all of this fascinating. I hope you do, too!
1. In 2011, P&Z issued 370 building permits totaling over $22 million. There were 39 new single-family homes, with an average price of $335,000.
It is interesting to break these numbers down. For one, 39 new houses seems like a small number for a county our size. It is. This is because our policies are geared toward protecting farmland and environmentally sensitive land. We encourage folks who want to build single-family homes to first look toward our cities.
The $335,000 price of an average home is eye opening as well. This average has been pretty consistent, however, over the past ten years. Some would argue that this indicates that the County should be doing more to promote low-income housing. I happen to disagree with that. I firmly believe low-income housing in rural areas creates pockets of isolated despair. Transportation is critical for lower income folks, as rural areas lack jobs, stores, and services. And if our cities step up and provide low income housing in the appropriate locations, the County can continue to focus on funding the many social services that our citizens need. That is a model for a successful partnership!
2. Johnson County rezoned 163 acres in 2011, up from 30 in 2010. Normally, this would be a cause for concern. But we actually down-zoned 133 acres in 2011 – something that rarely occurs in a growing county. We added 109 acres of farmland in 2011 – the first year that number has risen in decades. (Economics matter here. Farmland is now worth almost as much for farming as it is for development! That is a significant change, which presents a whole different set of issues!)
3. The 2011 vacancy rate in Johnson County was 26.2%, virtually unchanged from 2010. Vacancy rate means the percentage of buildable, zoned, platted lots that are not built. This statistic is vitally important when considering rezoning from Ag to Residential. Rather than rezoning, the Board can use this statistic to direct folks toward a more infill type of development.
4. There were 11.56 acres annexed by our cities in 2011, all by Iowa City. This is down dramatically from 339 acres in 2010. (The Board has zero control over this, by the way.)
One thing that the statistics do not show – we are blessed with a GREAT Planning and Zoning Department! I sincerely appreciate the work these folks do!
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any of these issues, please let me know!
*Income Inequality
If you are a regular reader of Salvos, you know that I often write about income inequality. I think the issue is of vital importance on several fronts:
Economics: Henry Ford realized that Ford Motor Company would be more successful if Ford employees could afford to buy the vehicles they were building. Unfortunately, far too many of our wealthiest companies and individuals are striving to earn more no matter the cost. Ironically, they are hurting themselves. The economy works best when the middle class is big and strong.
Politics: The “American Dream” was available to generations of people. If you worked hard and followed the rules, you would do OK. If you combined those two factors with skills and a little luck, you had the opportunity to do very well. Unfortunately, the American Dream now seems out of reach to a large number of citizens. It appears that the game is rigged.
Religion: Jesus Christ was VERY clear – greed is a sin. The rich have little chance of going to Heaven. He very clearly states that we should feed the hungry, clothe the naked, tend to the sick, and visit prisoners. Yet we now live in a country where so-called “Christian” leaders try to justify greed.
These are but a few of the reasons income inequality is a problem. And FAR too many people still don’t get it! Mitt Romney recently said he “earned some money from speaking – but not much!” (Followed by laughter.) Romney earned over $374,000 in speaking fees! In what WORLD is $374,000 “not much”?
Income inequality is one of the most important issues facing us today. I hope you’ll join me in the fight for greater equality.
*Congratulations, Jordan!
Congratulations to my daughter Jordan, who recently signed a National Letter of Intent to run track at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.
We are very proud of Jordan’s academic and athletic accomplishments!
*DID YOU KNOW? One legend of St. Valentine contends that he was a priest in third century Rome. The Emperor Claudius had outlawed marriage because single men made better warriors. Valentine, however, continued to perform marriages in secret. When the Emperor discovered what Valentine was doing he ordered that Valentine be put to death.
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
February 4, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/7/12
In this edition:
*Free Tax Help!
*Rental Housing Code
*Economic Development Committee
*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
*Work Wanted!
*Did You Know?
*Free Tax Help!
Johnson County is once again sponsoring Free Tax Help for anyone earning under $50,000!
Johnson County is pleased to partner with the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, Johnson County AARP, Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City Community School District, Iowa City Housing Authority, and United Way of Johnson County to bring FREE tax preparation services to working people in community sites throughout Johnson County.
Financial support is provided by ISED Ventures, University of Iowa Community Credit Union, United Way of Johnson County, and Veridian Credit Union.
There are five (5) locations throughout Johnson County that provide FREE Tax Preparation Services. Please visit www.johnson-county.com for site locations and schedules.
Last year, Johnson County residents using this program claimed over $1.5 MILLION in Earned Income Tax Credits! That is an influx of $1.5 million into the local economy, most of which is spent locally!
This was an idea of mine when I first joined the Board. (I stole it from Cook County, Illinois.) I am extremely proud of the way things have turned out!
Please spread the word about this program! Call 356-6090 with questions.
*Rental Housing Code
Just over one year ago, the Board of Supervisors decided against enacting a Property Maintenance Ordinance. I was on the losing end of this 3-2 vote.
Now, a year later, we are being presented with a Rental Housing Code. This is a watered-down version of the first proposal. I am not going to support this ordinance.
I wrote about this fairly recently, but it has come up once again. Here are some things I think the public should know as they follow this discussion:
First, here are liars out there who continue to perpetuate the lie that these proposed codes would impact barns and other farm buildings. That is simply untrue. Now – I have been criticized before for calling out people who lied. But I am not apologetic. Can someone get something wrong? Of course. But the people who keep repeating untruths after repeatedly being presented with the facts ARE liars. I wish the press had the guts to say so. Again – farm buildings are exempt.
Secondly, all owner-occupied units are exempt. That means there is little that can be done in most mobile home courts, where most units are owner-occupied.
Thirdly, the property would be exempt if owned by a farmer. I grew up on a farm. I am not anti-farm by any means. But I was also raised to believe that all people are created equal, and the law don’t care what your daddy do. That is not the case in Johnson County, Iowa in 2012, though. Because here and now, if your daddy is a farmer, the laws do not apply.
Fourthly, properties would be exempt if the renter did any work at all on the farm. This is even worse! It creates a “company store” situation, where poor people can be victimized in multiple facets of their lives. This Board already had problems with farmers housing migrant labor in deplorable conditions. (In 2001 – before I was on the Board, but during the terms of three current Board members.) This ordinance would codify all recurrences of that sad ordeal.
Finally, properties would be exempt if one family member was renting to another. Because if a child is going to live in unsafe conditions, by God, that child ought to be related to the landlord! (Yes, if you are sensing sarcasm here, you are correct.)
The proposed rental ordinance is not sufficient. I will not support it, because I’m not interested in passing something just so the Board can say it passed something. This is not about the needs of individual Supervisors – it is about the people who need safe housing. I will continue to push for what I think will address the situation - a more expansive property maintenance ordinance.
Every child in Johnson County deserves to live in a safe home. Period. That is what I believe, and that is what I will continue to fight for. I am sick and tired of this Board pandering to the Farm Bureau, particularly at the expense of poor children.
*Economic Development Committee
I am now on the County’s Economic Development Committee. We are looking at rural economic development; this includes agriculture, local foods, and much more.
There are many things we could and should consider. But this is a very broad topic. Where do YOU think we should be focusing? Please share your thoughts!
*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
Only twenty days until pitchers and catchers report! Even if you aren’t a baseball fan, you have to appreciate this annual ritual that screams “Spring is coming!”
*Work Wanted!
My son BJ has been begging me to advertise his services in Salvos. So here it goes!
BJ is a 15-year-old young man with a very good work ethic. He is willing to do all sorts of odd jobs. He has experience in babysitting, mowing, painting, cleaning, dog walking, and much more. BJ is also extremely conscientious and very friendly.
If you have some nagging project around the house and are looking for some help, please feel free to contact either of us at 354-7199.
*DID YOU KNOW? In FY2012, Johnson County overall tax levy rates ranked #31 out of Iowa’s 99 counties. (Source: Department of Management.)
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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