Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

August 28, 2015

Sullivan’s Salvos     9/1/15




In this edition:


*First Minimum Wage Vote
*Labor Day
*Labor Day Picnic
*School Board Elections
*Apples!
*Congratulations Jan!
*Did You Know?




*First Minimum Wage Vote
         The Board of Supervisors passed the first reading of the new Minimum Wage Ordinance this past Thursday.

         While the vote was 5-0, I was troubled by the comments of a couple of Supervisors:

         “We should phase it in over 3 years.” It is already phased in over a year and a half. To ask people in dire poverty to wait three years is simply unacceptable.

         “The State should do this.” I agree. But the have not, and they will not. Sometimes you just have to lead.

“We should work with the cities.” Any city could have done this any time in the past eight years. But the have not, and they will not. Sometimes you just have to lead.

         Raising the minimum wage is not some tremendous act of courage. The fact that so many people believe it is simply demonstrates how little concern we as a society actually have for our poorest sisters and brothers. That is what REALLY needs to change!

It was great to have this occur just before the Labor Day holiday! What better message could we send?




*Labor Day
Happy Labor Day next Monday! I love Labor Day. Every Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day we set aside time to recall the folks whose service has given us our freedom. I have long felt we need to treat Labor Day in a similar fashion.

Please take a moment this Labor Day to remember the people who fought (and often died) to give us child labor laws, 40 hour weeks, weekends, overtime, vacations, the minimum wage, sick leave, parental leave, OSHA, employment nondiscrimination, pensions, Social Security, health insurance, and so much more.

Do not be fooled! Benevolent corporations did not GIVE these benefits to workers! They were earned by workers who sacrificed! It is a shame that so many average Joes have chosen to support our corporate masters versus supporting those whose efforts really benefit the masses.

Unions continue to provide the best protections working people can have. I feel as though I have accomplished some good things as a member of the Board of Supervisors. One of the accomplishments of which I am most proud is starting an employee appreciation lunch every year the week of Labor Day. Johnson County employees deserve much more, but this is one extra opportunity to say thank you.

Trust me – the average person has nothing to fear from unions. We all benefit when folks have safe and healthy workplaces. We all benefit when workers get adequate rest. We all benefit when workers receive good training. We all benefit when folks earn a living wage and have health insurance. Unions help improve the quality of life for all of us.

One example of a way in which unions benefit everyone: much is made of the automobile industry expanding into the southern US. While these are not union plants, workers still have good wages and benefits. Some see this as an indictment of unions. It is precisely the opposite.

Do not think for a minute that these companies pay $22 per hour because they WANT to. They would be much happier to pay $4 per hour. And, when China’s workforce improves in quality to the point that they can do automotive work, the companies will move there.

Understand – large corporations exist for one reason, and that is to earn a profit. If the laws allowed slavery, some companies would use it. Because it is cheaper.

So why do they pay $22 in the southern US? Because of the threat of the United Auto Workers (UAW). If the wages or benefits ever sink too low, UAW could unionize those workers. The car companies don’t want that, so they pay the lowest possible acceptable wage.

See? The UAW does not represent the workers at those plants. But they have driven up the wages and benefits for the workers there all the same.

I am proud to be a member of Local 716 of the American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the Iowa City Federation of Labor. Happy Labor Day!




*Labor Day Picnic
The Iowa City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will host its annual Labor Day picnic on Monday, September 7, starting at noon at Upper City Park, shelter 3. Burgers, brats, veggie options and beverages provided. Please bring a dish to share. Political speeches and a good time guaranteed. Free to all Friends of Labor.




*School Board Elections
         School Districts around the County are holding elections on Tuesday, September 8, including the ICCSD, which has a remarkable 5 out of 7 seats open!

         You do not need to wait until September 8 to cast your ballot, however. Early voting is available every day at the Auditor’s Office, and satellite-voting opportunities are available. (See the Auditor’s webpage for locations and times.)

         There will likely never be an opportunity for a voter in the ICCSD to make a bigger difference! Get out and VOTE!




*Apples!
         We once again have a bumper crop of apples! Anyone who is interested can email me and arrange a time to come over and pick your own.




*Congratulations Jan!
         Last week I thanked outgoing MH/DS Director Kris Artley for her outstanding service to Johnson County. This week, I get to congratulate the “new” person in charge, Jan Shaw.

         I put “new” in parenthesis because Jan is anything but new to the MH/DS Department in Johnson County. Jan has been with Johnson County for over 25 years. She has worked her way up from Case Manager, to Quality Assurance, to Interim Director, to spending the past 8 years as Assistant Director.

         Things are going to continue to change in our MH/DS system. As I wrote a couple weeks ago, Medicaid Managed Care scares the heck out of me! We are not necessarily entering a golden age for MH/DS. But I know Jan Shaw is the right person to lead us forward in these challenging times. Congratulations, Jan!




*DID YOU KNOW?  The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade on September 5, 1882, in New York City, probably organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing a "Labor Day" on one day or another, and a bill to establish a federal holiday was passed by Congress in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.



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.

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






August 21, 2015

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/25/15




In this edition:


*Apples!
*New Look For Salvos
*Congratulations Kris!
*Urban Legend Re: Poor Folks
*Free Speech In Schools?
*Did You Know?




*Apples!
         We once again have a bumper crop of apples! Anyone who is interested can email me and arrange a time to come over and pick your own.




*New Look For Salvos
         As I mentioned, Salvos is now being sent out using Mail Chimp technology. I am not much of a techie, but I am trying!

         Following my first attempt, several dozen readers complained that the font was too small. So I enlarged it. Now one reader says my font is “screaming”; another says there is too much white space as she reads it on her phone.

         Trust me – my goal is to find something that is the “Goldilocks” for all of you… not to large, not too small, but just right. I simply haven’t figured it out yet. Mail Chimp is saving me several hours of work, but it is not very intuitive.

I’ll get there – I promise. I may still need a little time. Meanwhile, please bear with me. Thanks!




*Congratulations Kris!
         Johnson County Mental Health and Disabilities Services (MH/DS) Director Kris Artley is retiring after a long career in the field, including the last 8 years in Johnson County.

         Kris has seen nothing but change since she arrived on the scene, but through it all, has maintained a focus on the people we serve. She has been questioned, bullied, ignored, and mistreated in various ways. Yet she has always stayed professional, and always gotten the job done.

There are many words I could use to describe Kris – here are just a few: intelligent, diligent, compassionate, hardworking, dedicated, thoughtful, accurate, disciplined, and trustworthy.

         Sounds like a pretty darned good employee, doesn’t it? You read it right – Kris has been a fantastic MH/DS Director!

         Congratulations, Kris, and thanks! You will be missed!




*Urban Legend Re: Poor Folks
         As you probably know, the Board of Supervisors is considering an ordinance that would raise the minimum wage in Johnson County to $10.10 by 1/1/17.

         As we discuss the pros and cons of such a measure, an anecdote keeps coming up. Some opponents of raising the wage claim that they are aware of several cases of low wage workers who got raises, then had to request fewer hours lest they lose their “welfare”.

         I heard this several times, but it never made much sense to me. In part, I believe this is because some folks lump any and all types of government assistance together as “welfare”. Obviously, there are several government programs for which a given individual might be eligible. What is often referred to as “welfare” is actually known as the Family Investment Program (FIP).

         So here is the thing: FIP does not work that way. As you earn more money, your FIP benefits are reduced. That continues until you reach the point that you earn yourself off the program.

         And FIP is not alone. Section 8 Housing vouchers work the same way. So do “food stamps”, actually known as SNAP. County General Assistance is temporary and time-limited, and would never prohibit earning more money. Same goes for most benefits for which a poor person might be eligible.

         Theoretically, the people in question could have diagnosed disabilities, in which case Medicaid eligibility COULD be affected. But Medicaid eligibility is based on resources, and allows for several types of spend downs. Besides, no one mentioned disabilities when describing the people who needed less hours.

         There is one scenario where this is a real possibility, and that is subsidized childcare. Childcare programs are not indexed, so if a mother begins to earn more money, she could lose a rather substantial benefit. Obviously, this situation needs to be remedied at the State level. Childcare should work just like SNAP – the more you earn, the less benefit you receive.

         So, I have come up with one public assistance program that could put the recipient in the scenario of requesting less hours in order to maintain the benefit. Childcare.

         According to Peter Fisher at the Iowa Policy Project, while the childcare scenario is a real problem, the numbers of folks with kids who would benefit from raising the minimum wage is far greater than those who would be negatively affected.

         It is also interesting to me that all the folks who resort to this “request less hours” anecdote could not recall that it was childcare assistance causing the problem.

         I remain convinced that a number of folks are just repeating this anecdote because it supports their worldview of poor people who do not want to work. Meanwhile, I am going to dedicate serious efforts toward getting this childcare situation fixed at the State level. Hopefully, the people who have shared this anecdote will help me to advocate for change.

         I support raising the minimum wage AND fixing our childcare programs to make things work for our low income residents.




*Free Speech In Schools?
         Candidates for the ICCSD Board recently received an email from the District that contained the following statement: “Later this week District elementary schools will host ice cream socials, and other back-to-school events will take place throughout the District. Please remember that you may not place or handout campaign materials (signs, flyers, postcards, etc.) on District property. Also, you may not stand - or set up a booth - on District property to speak to families, staff and community members about your campaign and/or the school board election during these events. This is true for all District/school activities and applies during the school day as well.”

         I’m no attorney, but I would say that is an affront to the candidate’s First Amendment Right to free speech. The schools are PUBLIC buildings – the ICCSD Board and Administration often forget that fact. How dare they tell a candidate she/he cannot campaign there?

         I really like ICCSD attorney Joe Holland. But he got this one 180 degrees wrong. Read the following from Megan Tooker at the Iowa Campaign Ethics and Disclosure Board:

“Candidates and ballot issue committees may hand out campaign literature at a public event, e.g. in the stadium at a H.S. football game, if and only if, other members of the public could do the same thing. When a school calls me about this sort of thing, I ask them whether they would let the girls scouts to sell cookies at the football game or allow other organizations to hand out materials or sell things at the event. Usually a school district says no we don’t let groups do that sort of thing at football games and so I tell them they can’t let candidates or ballot issue committees do it either.”

“Candidates and ballot issue committees may have a booth at a school carnival or similar event provided that other groups and businesses have the same opportunity. Again, this doesn’t happen very often but occasionally I have heard from school districts that allow community organizations to have tables set up at a school carnival and as long as the candidates and ballot issue committees are treated like everyone else they can have a booth.”

            Clearly candidates could do the same thing as the Girl Scouts.

         I would LOVE to see EVERY candidate ignore this unconstitutional silliness, then publicly commit to restoring free speech once elected. How about it, candidates? A little civil disobedience?




*DID YOU KNOW?  Free speech in schools has a great history in Iowa – see Tinker vs. Des Moines Schools. For more info on the First Amendment, see the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at https://www.aclu.org.


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.

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






August 14, 2015

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/18/15



In this edition:

        
*Minimum Wage
*Did You Know?




*Minimum Wage
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors recently took steps to raise the minimum wage on a countywide basis. The goal is to reach a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour by 1-1-17.

I recognize that this is controversial. Some business owners hate it. But frankly, too many of our citizens are in crisis. One out of every six of our kids lives in poverty. The federal and state governments refuse to address this crisis. So local government has to step up.

This is not the first time local government has intervened in the “free market”. Local governments pick winners and losers all the time. It is just the first time local government has intervened on behalf of the workers.

I served for several years as the Executive Director of a local nonprofit. It was (and is) a business. I was responsible with making certain that we finished in the black. During that time, there was a local movement afoot to require all government contractors to pay a living wage. This was going to be a challenge for us, as we were not allowed to set our own prices – the state controlled that. Yet I am proud to say that within two years, we were paying the living wage. (Though in the interest of full disclosure, only 5-6 employees had employer-provided health insurance coverage.)

It was not easy, and sacrifices had to be made. One of those was management wages. As Executive Director, I only made 2 times the wage of our lowest paid worker. But you know what? That was OK. It was totally fair.

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions:


Why do this?
The answer is pretty simple: many of our neighbors are hurting. Families double up because they cannot afford the rents in Johnson County. Families routinely use food banks to get through the week. (19,000 Johnson County citizens are food insecure.) Cars go unrepaired. Kids go to school with clothes that do not fit. One small anomaly – an illness, something breaks down, etc. – and a family’s world comes crashing down. People work 2-3 jobs, yet still cannot get ahead.

         Personally, I cannot sit back and allow our current situation to exist knowing that I have the power to make it better. It is a moral imperative. What’s more, I truly believe this will be good for the local economy.


Will jobs be lost? 
There are businesses that will fail whether we do anything or not. While some jobs likely will be lost, even more will be gained. As low-wage workers have more money to spend, consumer demand will create jobs. Grocery stores, restaurants, bars, auto repair shops, movie theaters, clothing stores, etc. will all have more customers with more money. They will undoubtedly need to hire in order to meet demand. That means jobs. (Consumer spending makes up 70% of the US economy.) And the jobs being created will pay more than the jobs being lost. Other jurisdictions have seen increases in employment follow increases in the minimum wage.


Will jobs move elsewhere?
         Not minimum wage jobs. These are primarily service sector jobs, which simply follow population. Retail, fast food, etc. cannot move jobs to China or India. And even moving them to Cedar Rapids is unrealistic; no one is going to drive to CR just for fast food.


Will workers see their hours cut?
         Our economy is lacking consumer demand. When workers have more income, they spend it at local businesses. Those businesses will need employees to keep up with demand. So while anything can happen at any given business, most employers should see a need to fill more shifts, not less.


Why $10.10? Why not $20? Why not $50? 
Because $10.10 makes life better for a lot of people without damaging our economy. Some people honestly believe there should not be a minimum wage. Those folks are a very small minority. So if we can agree that the vast majority believes there should be a minimum wage, we are simply arguing about the level. Clearly, $7.25 is not working for our economy. We know that. All the statistics support this argument. Yes, a minimum wage of $50 would cause problems. But no one is suggesting that. We are suggesting $10.10.


Won’t raising the minimum wage only affect teenagers?
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average age of workers who would benefit from a higher minimum wage today is thirty-five. Eighty-eight per cent are over the age of twenty.


Won’t raising the minimum wage drive up prices?
You are already paying for low wage jobs – through your taxes. What’s more, studies do not bear out a huge jump in prices. For example, if McDonald's doubled the salaries of its employees to $14.50 an hour, not only would many of them go off public benefits, but so would the company-- and a Big Mac would cost just 68 cents more (another study says only 14 cents.) At Walmart, increasing wages to $12 per hour would cost the company only about one percent, so that made-in-China $10 item would run you all of $10.10. (Source: Center for Labor Research and Education.)


Shouldn’t we instead focus on other programs, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
The EITC is a great program, and it should be expanded. But increasing the EITC does not preclude a higher minimum wage. We can, and should, do both.

What’s more, programs that prop up low wage jobs are paid for by all taxpayers. Say you own a business and pay your employees well. Under all these schemes, your tax dollars make up the difference for low-wage workers. In other words, you subsidize the guys who pay low wages.


What about small businesses?
Two-thirds of all minimum wage workers are NOT employed by small businesses. Better yet, one survey shows three out of five small business owners favor raising the minimum wage; their profits depend on a strong local economy, which requires more money in local consumers' hands. Most small businesses cannot off-shore jobs, or export their way to profit, so micro-economics matter. Sad to say, 50-80 percent of most small businesses already fail for various reasons, even with a minimum wage that has not kept up with inflation (wage costs are actually lower now than in the past; in 1968 the federal minimum was $1.60 per hour, approximately $10.70 in 2013 dollars.) Factors other than labor costs seem far more significant.


Can Johnson County do this legally?
         Contrary to the statement put forth by Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), I believe we can. And so does County Attorney Janet Lyness, who reviewed all the legal issues and sees no impediments.


What Does Your Religion Say?
         This is a government proposal. Religion has nothing to do with it. And many folks are non-religious. But if you ARE a religious person – consider what your faith says about helping the poor. As you spend your time judging which poor folks are worthy, I urge you to refer to the religion of your choice. What does it say about judging others? Again, what does it say about help for the poor?


It is important to understand – this is NOT a political winner. Most of the folks who will benefit from this will not vote. Business owners will mobilize against me. I receive no personal gain from this; only personal headache. But it is not about me. It is about thousands of poor people who are in a crisis.

Whenever possible, I like to make decisions based upon data. The data here is clear – raising the minimum wage will be good for our local economy.




*DID YOU KNOW?  President Franklin Roosevelt signed the federal minimum wage into law in 1938, during the Great Depression. The stated purpose was to keep America’s workers out of poverty, and increase consumer purchasing power in order to stimulate the economy. The minimum wage was last increased January 1, 2008.



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.

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



August 7, 2015

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/11/15



In this edition:


*Happy Birthday Melissa!
*Happy Birthday BJ!
*Minimum Wage Forum
*Lone Tree Fall Festival
*Cosgrove Pork Day
*Shuffling at Juvenile Court
*Handicapping the GOP Field
*Did You Know?




*Happy Birthday, Melissa!
         My wife Melissa celebrates her birthday on August 17th. Those of you who know her know that I am a very lucky man!

         Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!




*Happy Birthday BJ!
         Son BJ turns 19 on August 22. He is off to Des Moines, starting college at DMACC. Happy Birthday, BJ! I love you!




*Minimum Wage Forum
         Johnson County is hosting a forum on the proposal to increase the minimum wage. The forum will begin at 6PM on Wednesday, August 12 in Room 203B&C of the Health and Human Services Building. Please come by and tell us what you think!




*Lone Tree Fall Festival
         The Lone Tree Fall Festival is August 21 and 22 in Lone Tree. The event is a different week this year, but you can expect the same good times!




*Cosgrove Pork Day
         I urge you to check out St. Peter’s Pork Day in Cosgrove on Sunday, August 23.

         Cosgrove is a small, unincorporated village about 8 miles west of Iowa City, and 7 miles south of Oxford. It is home to St. Peter’s Catholic Church, the Cosgrove Institute, and lots of cool people! I urge you to join them for fellowship, food, beer, and fun!




*Shuffling at Juvenile Court
         Chris Wyatt has served long and well as the Supervisor of the Johnson County Office of the Sixth Judicial District Juvenile Court Services. Now Chris will be taking over the top spot for the whole Sixth Judicial, and Erin Altheide will be stepping in as Chris’ replacement.

         Juvenile Court is tough work. These are two outstanding individuals, and we are blessed to have them living and working in our community.

         Congratulations Chris and Erin!




*Handicapping the GOP Field
         My Republican friends get angry when I delve into their internal politics, but here I go! Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or something else altogether, you must admit that the 2016 GOP race is unlike any other.

         As I looked at this field, I found that pretty much every candidate except Ron Paul fell squarely into one of five categories. So I gave Paul his own, and came up with the following groups:

         Race to be the biggest a-hole: These candidates remind me of the kid who tried too hard in school. Jumping up and down with his hand in the air, he may have the right answer, but he pisses off everyone else. In a GOP primary, this can take the shape of a race to see who can say the most outrageous things. And if you are participating in that race, you are not going to sit at the adult table when the smoke clears. Candidates who fit this profile: Cruz, Jindal, Carson, Trump

         Running to remind folks they exist: Let’s face it, people in politics have larger-than-average egos, or they would never run for office. Sometimes, those egos have gone unstroked for too long. Solution? Run for President, of course!
Candidates who fit this profile: Pataki, Gilmore, Fiorina

         If only God voted: While there is clearly a strong evangelical faction in the Iowa GOP, that alone does not win elections – ask Governor VanderPlaats. The business of America is taking care of big business. Talk too much about God, and some “love thy neighbor” might creep into the mix!
Candidates who fit this profile: Huckabee, Santorum

         Libertarian, not Republican: Rand Paul has never fit neatly into any GOP group, and he doesn’t fit in neatly here. Why? Because at his core, Paul is a Libertarian. That is OK by me – it’s just not OK with the majority of GOP caucus goers.
Candidates who fit this profile: Paul

         Should be contenders, but aren’t: I think this is the most interesting category of all. Certain candidates look good on paper, but simply never get any traction. The interesting part is - why? In the case of Christie, I think scandals took a toll (pun intended). And policy-wise, he is Bush without the money connections. Kasich seems to simply not “want it” as much as other candidates, and that shows. Graham? I think everyone (except perhaps Graham) knows Graham is gay. But since he is still in the closet, they need to find another reason to dismiss him.
Candidates who fit this profile: Christie, Kasich, Graham

         Serious Contenders: I can see a path for each of the remaining four candidates. Bush is a no-brainer – he has the name and the money. While this may help in terms of securing the nomination, I think it is a liability for the GOP in a general election. Walker has the resume. Do not overlook Perry, whose resume is very similar to Walker’s. A Walker scandal or slip up (both could happen) might set things up nicely for Perry. Perry himself is going to need to overcome the notion that he is not intellectually up to the task. Then there is Rubio, who probably offers more positives (Hispanic, young, handsome, no long voting record) and fewer negatives than any other GOP candidate.
Candidates who fit this profile: Bush, Walker, Perry, Rubio

         Ultimately, I think you end up with three final candidates on the GOP side: Trump, Bush, and “not Bush”. Once the field is down to those three candidates, Trump’s support will fall away, and the GOP will need to decide if they want Jeb or not. That is my take on things. What do you think?




*DID YOU KNOW?  There are actually 36 declared Republican Presidential candidates, not the 17 you hear mentioned. (There are 17 on the Democratic side.)



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.

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