SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 20, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 7/23/13
In this edition:
*RIP Bill Reagan
*ADA Celebration
*County Fair
*Covenants
*Celebration of Community
*Did You Know?
*RIP Bill Reagan
It
is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to my friend Bill Reagan. Bill and I
had a special bond, as we had both served as the Executive Director of the Arc
of Johnson County (later the Arc of SE Iowa). Bill was rare in that he wanted
my opinion as his predecessor. I can assure you – Bill did a fantastic job at
The Arc! And although he clearly ran things much better than I, he always made
me feel as though the successes of the organization were all mine!
Bill
dedicated his life to serving others, particularly the most vulnerable among us.
Bill was a big strong man with a soft heart. His handwritten notes are
legendary. Just a great person, gone far too soon. I can honestly say that I
don’t know if I ever met a finer man. RIP, Bill.
*ADA Celebration
The
annual celebration of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) in Johnson County is Saturday, July 27 from 10-4 at Chauncey Swan Park in
Iowa City. Join us!
*County Fair
The
Johnson County Fair runs Monday, July 22 through Thursday, July 25. I hope you
get an opportunity to check it out!
I
love the way the Johnson County Ag Association manages the County Fair. I am
particularly fond of the fact that there is never an entry fee, and parking is
free. In many counties, you would pay $10 to park and $5/head admission, if not
more. That is $30 minimum for a family of four before you have even done
anything!
The
Board of Supervisors started a “tradition” two years ago of holding our weekly
Thursday meeting on the main stage at the Fair. While we have yet to draw a big
crowd, it has been a fun change of pace.
Yes, it is typically hot out there. But that is why they sell ice
cream! So, please stop out and enjoy the Fair. You’ll be glad you did!
*Covenants
I
have deep concerns about what I believe to be the overuse of covenants,
particularly in our cities. A bit of background:
Covenants
are legally binding agreements that impose duties and restrictions upon a
property regardless of the owner. These are typically used in connection with
homeowners associations.
In
the rural areas, where municipal services do not exist, homeowners associations
often cover road maintenance, garbage collection, wells, and septic systems.
The associations elect a Board, and the Board manages the day-to-day operations
of the subdivision.
Homeowners associations and covenants make sense in this context,
as there is a great deal of communal property to manage. Members typically pay
membership dues, and these dues cover the cost of the services. The covenants
create the legal authority for these groups to act.
There are many cases, however, where covenants stray far from the
goal of managing communal property. Many homeowners associations use covenants
to restrict what color a home may be painted, what construction materials can
be used, and whether or not cars may be parked on the street. These “aesthetic”
concerns begin to worry me. I understand why a homeowners association would
include such rules, as they may well protect home values.
But how far is too far? As subdivisions spread in the early part
of the 20th century, several subdivisions attempted to use covenants
to keep African Americans from moving to the area. The US Supreme Court
invalidated this practice in 1948, by which time much damage had already been
done.
While racial discrimination is not overtly allowed, discrimination
often occurs on economic grounds. Covenants are virtually unlimited in scope,
and can cover any number of areas: whether or not home businesses are allowed;
the length of time guests are allowed; the length of your grass; the type of
holiday decorations you can display; whether or not you can park a boat in your
shed; or whether you can have a shed at all!
The
idea that “a man’s home is his castle” is not really the case when covenants
are involved. I happen to believe that many covenants are unnecessarily broad,
and range into areas of free speech, freedom of religion, etc.
This
is particularly concerning in our cities. As I explained earlier, homeowners
associations are often necessary in rural areas to manage communal resources. I
see no such need in cities, where basic services are provided by the
municipality. In cities, covenants seem to serve no real purpose but to discriminate
against certain ideas or behaviors. Cities already have ordinances on the
books; homeowners associations and their restrictive covenants are not
necessary.
Another
important issue is that of enforcement. When municipalities pass ordinances, a
taxpayer-supported law enforcement officer and a taxpayer-supported attorney
enforce the provisions of the law. Public dollars, public services.
But
what about private covenants? There is no private police – thank goodness! This
could be on the horizon, however, as some fancy gated communities in the US do
utilize private security. So how do you feel about being pulled over by a
private law enforcement officer? I don’t want my civil rights infringed upon
EVER, but when it happens, it had better be a real cop!
And
what about situations where publicly funded law enforcement officers are asked
to respond to perceived violations of private covenants? Do you want your
Sheriff’s Deputies responding to a complaint that a garbage can has not been
put away properly? We are beginning to get more and more calls of this nature.
Personally, I do not want to see public dollars used to police private issues.
I
simply do not like the privatization of all these public functions. Counties
are already pretty far down this road – out of necessity, I’m afraid. But
cities? Stop this nonsense! End covenants within your city limits!
*Celebration of Community
Johnson
County held a neat event on July 1, called “A Celebration of Community
Partners”. We highlighted all the nonprofits that work with Johnson County, and
thanked them for their work. We served local food prepared by the Shelter House
– a very cool thing! Finally, there was a nice tribute to Jim Swaim, who is
leaving UAY after over 40 years.
It
was a very nice event, and the people who were there really enjoyed it.
Unfortunately, the odds are really good that you know nothing about it. Why? Because
the Press Citizen and Gazette failed to cover it.
I
know, I know… I complain about this a lot. But the fact of the matter is, we
operate on the consent of the governed. If you do not know what is going on,
you cannot weigh in. If you do not weigh in, you are at our mercy. It sets up a
VERY bad situation.
The
real irony is that we held the event in an attempt to publicize all this good
work. It is just a shame. I feel as though I’m doing my job. Now we need the
papers to do their jobs. Then you can be the judge.
*DID YOU KNOW?
The original Johnson County Fairgrounds is now the site of City High.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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.
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As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod @ 2:51 PM
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