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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 27, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/1/15
In this edition:
*County Budget
*Micromanaging
*A Tale Of Two Counties
*Did You Know?
*County Budget
Johnson
County begins budget discussions in earnest in December.
We will be working
on the FY16 budget. Iowa’s counties use a July 1-June 30 fiscal year, so the
budget we will be discussing begins July 1 of 2015. It is actually the FY16
budget, however – the budget year refers to the calendar year in which the
budget ends.
The
FY16 budget is due to the State by March 15, but due to requirements for
publishing, public hearings, etc. the process needs to be completed by early
February.
So, do you have
thoughts as to how Johnson County should be spending money? If so, now is the
time to communicate those thoughts!
*Micromanaging
I
found it interesting that “micromanaging” became an issue in the Iowa City
Council race. It seems to be a very insider topic to put before the voters. But
I do believe micromanaging is worthy of discussion.
Micromanaging can occur in any organization – for
profit, nonprofit, government… any organization that has a hierarchy. Wikipedia
defines micromanagement as “a management style whereby a manager closely
observes or controls the work of subordinates or employees. Micromanagement
generally has a negative connotation.”
Why
does micromanagement have a negative connotation? I think that is pretty easy
to understand. If a manager spends time micromanaging, essentially two people
are doing the job of one. That type of staffing is clearly less efficient and
more costly.
More
importantly, micromanagement takes a toll on the employees who are being
managed. These employees feel as though they are walking on eggshells. They are
not proactive. They are not creative, because they fear a reprimand. They are
less productive and less happy. Basically, micromanagement hurts both your
organization and the people in it.
So
we know micromanagement is bad. The problem, in my experience, is recognizing
it. Clearly there was a difference of opinion between Iowa City Councilors as
to what constitutes micromanagement. The ICCSD Board is currently having this
argument. I think we have differences of opinion on the Board of Supervisors as
well.
There
is a pendulum here. An elected body can clearly ask too many questions, and can
prevent things from happening in a timely manner. On the other hand, elected
bodies can simply allow staff to make all the decisions. I do not like either
extreme. In my opinion, Iowa City has not suffered from micromanagement in the
past couple of years. In fact, the opposite has been true.
The
pendulum may be swinging too far the other direction when we discuss Johnson
County government. I worry that Supervisors are spending too much time on some
details, and I worry about negative impacts on our staff.
At
the same time, the price of not paying attention is very steep. Someone did
something wrong? Why didn’t you catch it? The public expects elected officials
to know everything, and be aware of every situation. How does one achieve that
without getting heavily involved?
Striking
the appropriate balance is not easy. It requires constant diligence, an
abundance of good judgment, and real self-awareness. It is not easy to find
seven (or even five) people who meet these criteria.
What
are your thoughts? Too much micromanagement? Not enough? Do you even care?
Please let me know!
*A Tale Of Two Counties
(This
piece ran in Salvos at Thanksgiving 2013. I believe it is still relevant
today.)
I frequently write about issues of wealth and poverty. Thanksgiving
offers me the opportunity to do this to an even greater extent.
The
country as a whole is becoming more and more unequal. The same phenomenon is
taking place in Johnson County. It really is a “Tale of Two Counties”, with a
small but growing wealthy population, a shrinking middle class, and a huge and
growing population of poor people. This is not hyperbole – it is fact. There
are all kinds of statistics backing this up.
Some
people honestly believe this is good. Social Darwinism. Survival of the fittest.
Free markets. Invisible Hand. Call it what you want; we can see the results. I
happen to believe these results are unacceptable. I also believe that a proper
role of government is to help regulate in areas where the unregulated results
are unacceptable. In my mind, our economic results are unacceptable.
Last year, Ohio Senator Rob Portman changed his view on same sex
marriage after his own son came out as gay. I heard a few comedians remark,
“Too bad his son didn’t come out as poor.” Not sure who first said this, but I
love it! We need an awakening!
So,
what governmental interventions do I suggest? Most of the best anti-poverty
programs are federal. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, school
lunches, Section 8 housing and many other federal programs are proven to be
effective anti-poverty measures. Sure, each of these programs has had its
problems, but the successes number in the hundreds of millions! The national
media likes to pretend these programs do not work. Nothing could be further
from the truth. We should support these programs – not just their maintenance,
but their expansion.
There
are also things can and should be done at the local level. One that I have
mentioned frequently is inclusionary zoning. Developers do NOT build affordable
housing without being forced to do so; local governments should simply require
it. Done. It is that easy, and it would really help poor people.
We
are working on the FY15 Johnson County budget. Some time in January, there will
come a day where we see what county government will cost the owner of a
$100,000 property. And once we see this amount, the Board will begin to cut
programs and services.
It
happens the same way every year. Supervisors will want to prove their fiscal
bona fides, and make indignant comments such as, “How much more can people
afford?” It is all great theater.
Yet we will be discussing $3 per $100,000 assessed value. $3. And
believe me, much of that $3 will be cut. So the owner of a million dollar house
will not have to spend that extra $30. And we Supervisors will pat ourselves on
the back and talk about how frugal we are.
But
few people ask about what was cut. Who is not helped? What service was cut?
What position was not funded? What agency cut back on staff?
Yes,
we have a Tale of Two Counties. We are living it. If you are reading this, you
are likely one of the fortunate people. This is a great time of year for you to
count your blessings. Trust me – many folks in Johnson County do not share in
your good fortune.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Johnson County ranks 40th of Iowa’s 99 counties in overall
property tax rate. (Source: Iowa State Association of Counties.)
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
November 20, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/24/15
In this edition:
*Happy Thanksgiving!
*Neuzil To Kalamazoo
*Refugees and The Christmas Story
*Did You Know?
*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all Salvos readers! I hope you and yours
have a wonderful holiday!
I
love Thanksgiving! It truly is one of my top couple holidays! That is likely in
large part due to the fact that I have many things for which I am thankful.
Family, friends, health, relative wealth… I am a pretty lucky guy!
One thing that I do not acknowledge enough, however, is the Salvos
audience! I really appreciate the fact that you take the time to hear what I
have to say. It is humbling, and I truly am honored to have this soapbox.
So
thanks for reading, and have a great holiday!
*Neuzil To Kalamazoo
Johnson
County Supervisor Terrence Neuzil recently took a job as the County
Administrator in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The Kalamazoo County Board voted
7-2 to hire Terrence over an internal candidate. The job was advertised at
$130-150k annually. Terrence will be leaving Johnson County December 20, and
starting in Kalamazoo on December 21.
Kalamazoo
County is located in southwestern Michigan, and is home to 259,000 residents.
The City of Kalamazoo is the County Seat, and Western Michigan University is
the largest employer.
Terrence
was first elected in 2000, and took office January 2, 2001, tying him with Pat
Harney as the most senior Board Member. I have served with Terrence the whole
11 years I have been in office.
During
that 11 years, Terrence and I have had strong agreements, strong disagreements,
and everything in between. We definitely have accomplished some things of which
I am very proud! The bottom line is that he is extremely competent, and should
serve Kalamazoo County very well. I certainly wish him all the best!
As
for what happens next? The Auditor, Recorder, and Treasurer meet to choose one
of two options: schedule a special election or appoint a replacement. This
group has done a bit of each over the years. When Lorada Cilek died in office,
her son Mike was appointed to finish out her term. After Joe Bolkcom left for
the State Senate, Carol Thompson was appointed. After Larry Meyers died in
office, Janelle Rettig was appointed. After Sally Stutsman left for the State
Legislature, a special election was called.
I
have no idea what they will choose, nor do I care. These three elected
officials are put in a very difficult position. If they choose an election,
they are wasting tax dollars on an unnecessary election. If they choose to
appoint, they are playing favorites or rewarding political buddies. In other
words, they cannot win.
If
there is one deciding factor, it may be history. State law says that if the
group appoints a replacement, the public may still petition for a special
election. That happened in both of the most recent appointments. Given that
fact, an election may make sense. Plus the time frame for the unexpired term is
a whole year, not simply a couple months.
So,
stay tuned. If the group does call for an election, both parties will need to
call County Conventions to select their nominees. Numerous individuals have
already expressed their interest. Add to the fact that this will likely be
happening as we ready for the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, and we have our typical
Johnson County political craziness!
*Refugees and The Christmas Story
Thanksgiving
is (unfortunately, in many cases) the kickoff to the Christmas Holiday. People
will be shopping until they drop. But how does that relate to the actual origins
of Christmas? And how does it relate to the news in our world today? I
understand that not everyone who reads Salvos is a Christian. But if you are,
you need to give this some thought.
Most readers are going to be familiar with “The Christmas Story”.
Just in case you are not, I will give a quick synopsis:
Due
to events beyond their control, a group of people are forced to leave their
homes. (In this case, to be counted in a census.) They travel to a different
place, where the people turn their backs. No one will accept these refugees, so
they are forced to take shelter in a manger, among the animals.
You
may recall the rest of the story – a woman gives birth to Jesus Christ, Our
Lord and Savior, the King of Kings. Yes - Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were Middle
Eastern refugees.
Young
Jesus grows up, and tells several stories illustrating the Commandment – one of
the two Greatest Commandments - that we love our neighbors as ourselves. The
Parable of the Good Samaritan comes to mind.
Even
before the Christmas Story, there were many Biblical stories encouraging us to
care for refugees: Deuteronomy 10:18-19 fits the
present case: “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves
the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to
love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”
Substitute the USA for Egypt, and we have something!
This story is one of two fundamental underpinnings of the whole
Christian religion. This is what it is all about, folks. Taking in refugees.
You may have a litany of reasons for refusing to help refugees. But Christianity
is not among them! Refusing refugees is the very antithesis of the Christmas
Story!
*DID YOU KNOW?
When Abe Lincoln declared
Thanksgiving a national holiday, it was thanks to the tireless efforts of a
magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale. Her other claim to fame? She also wrote the nursery rhyme,
"Mary Had a Little Lamb."
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
November 13, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/17/15
In this edition:
*Working Families Summit
*USPS
*In Defense Of Marc Moen
*Did You Know?
*Working Families Summit
I
had a very enjoyable day last Saturday at the Dubuque Working Families Summit.
The highlight was a keynote from John Nichols, a columnist for The Nation.
More
importantly, the entities that came together to put on this conference are the
same entities that came together to win the local city council elections. I
hope we see more of this!
*USPS
One
of the interesting things in John Nichols’ speech was a vociferous defense of
the US Postal Service. A few facts you might find interesting:
The USPS is not in debt. The USPS is not losing money. The USPS
costs taxpayers exactly ZERO. The USPS has always been self-sustaining. The
USPS employs over 500,000 Americans. The USPS is the largest employer of
veterans. The USPS is explicitly authorized in the US Constitution.
In
addition, Congress put a requirement upon the USPS that they pre-fund pensions for
the next 75 years but do so in the next 10! Nothing of this sort is required of any other federal
agency. The GOP and corporate America want to kill the USPS. But we need to
keep it healthy! Privatization is not the answer to our postal needs!
*In Defense Of Marc Moen
I
like Marc Moen. I think he has done amazing things for downtown Iowa City,
leaving a legacy that will last well over 100 years. More importantly, I
believe him to be a good person who cares about others and backs that up
through philanthropy. Iowa City has been very lucky to work with the Moen Group
over the past 20 years or so.
You may find this praise odd, since Marc and I supported different
candidates in the recent election. And Moen’s name came up frequently during
the Iowa City Council race.
But
here is the deal: Moen never did anything other than look out for his own
interests, which is what any reasonable businessperson would do. Almost all the
issues people have with his developments are actually issues with the City.
I
know there are issues with aesthetics. And I know that I am the wrong person to
argue aesthetics – I am very much a function over form guy. That said,
aesthetics are very personal. You like glass, I like brick. Who is right?
Frankly, I’m not certain there is a right or wrong. The projects are Moen’s,
and he built what he likes. That is his right. And judging by how quickly his
units sell, the market agrees with him. I simply don’t have a dog in this
fight. And I think the rest of us would do well to focus on more important
things.
Are
the buildings too tall? Again, I think reasonable people can disagree.
Personally, I like the fact that Iowa City is going vertical. The
infrastructure is already in place, and I think we benefit culturally,
environmentally, and economically from higher urban densities. Moen and I agree
on this.
How
about financing? Now we must be in a place where Moen and I disagree! Not
necessarily. I have DEEP disagreements with the current Council on the amount
and manner of public financing. But it was their staff that negotiated the
various deals with Moen. He simply did the best he could at the negotiating
table. His job was to look out for his company. The staff and Council’s job was
to look out for the City. Staff and Council failed us there, not Moen.
I
do not have a problem with TIF and other public financing being used. I simply
believe that if you are going to use it, you must require that significant
benefits accrue to the public. I have been underwhelmed by the public benefits
included in these projects.
Councilor
Mims has been adamant that simply increasing the tax base is a good enough
return on a TIF investment. I strongly disagree. This gets back to the old “but
for” argument. She feels it is incumbent upon opponents to prove that tax
receipts would be there anyway. I feel it is incumbent upon proponents to prove
the tax receipts would not be there. We disagree at the most fundamental level.
But the disagreement I have is with the Council, not Moen.
And
his projects HAVE been successful! From the former Whiteway Building, to the
corner of Iowa and Linn, to the Plaza Tower, to the former Vito’s, to Park @
201 – every building is quality, and every building contributes to the
community in terms of attractive space and taxable value.
The easiest way to add public benefit to these projects is a
larger affordable housing component. Affordable Housing is the number one need
in our community. We need it in different locations. Moen is building housing.
It is in a location without much affordable housing. The opportunity to create
a win-win scenario has been there all along. But this Council has not chosen to
fight for affordable housing. Moen never said “no” to this; as a matter of
fact, affordable housing is included in the Chauncey. Moen will included affordable
housing in his projects; it is up to the Council to make that a priority in the
negotiations.
There
are other concerns, all of which should be directed toward the Council. Look at
the additional issues surrounding the Park @ 201 building. First, homeless
people were thrust into the center of the Ped Mall due to its’ construction.
Then the City handled that situation poorly. A petition was presented to the
City with over 1,000 signatures, and the City ignored it. The Council was
completely tone deaf. Neither of these situations had anything to do with Moen.
That was the City Council.
The
Council sold Moen the land for the Plaza Tower at a much lower price than was
offered by other developers. The Council selected Moen’s proposal for the
Chauncey despite deviations from the approved process. The list goes on and on.
But each of these is a Council problem, not a Moen problem. Moen works within
the parameters he is given.
I
hope the new City Council continues to work with the Moen Group. I hope there
are more projects forthcoming. Like I said, I am a fan of the work of Marc
Moen!
*DID YOU KNOW? Oldest
post office still in the same building: Hinsdale, New Hampshire, since 1816.
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
November 6, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/10/15
In this edition:
*Election Results
*The “Slate”
*Veteran’s Day
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
*Did You Know?
*Election Results
The
2015 elections are in the book, and the results are all over the place!
Write
ins appear to have won Mayoral contests in Oxford and University Heights.
University Heights has a one-vote margin and gets a recount. Two years after a
heavily funded challenge and record turnout, Coralville incumbents are
unopposed. Progressive candidates swept every race in Iowa City for the first
time in… well, ever.
Congratulations
to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who ran. I could attempt to express
my appreciation for the candidates, but I could never say it as well as the
following quote from Teddy Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how
the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them
better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face
is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who
comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and
shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great
enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at
the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the
worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place
shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor
defeat.”
*The “Slate”
I
found it interesting to see how many folks were up in arms over the fact that
the Iowa City Council election turned into two slates. I heard the word “slate”
mentioned as though it were a pejorative that could not be said amongst polite
company!
Laughably,
as soon as folks finished criticizing one slate, they urged you to vote for the
other. Apparently this irony is lost upon people who write letters to the
editor.
What,
exactly, is wrong with slates in the minds of voters? Well, obviously not too
much, as slates won in both the School Board and City Council races. Plus many
of us identify as Democrats or Republicans, and vote a slate almost every time
we go to the polls. Yet a minority of voters vociferously oppose the idea of
slates. I have some theories:
First,
there is this idea that you are being “told how to vote”. Ummm…. Yes. Yes you
are. That is the purpose of any and all political advertisement – to persuade
you to vote for a certain person or issue. Municipal elections are notoriously
low-information elections. Voters are seeking cues. Slates offer those cues.
Secondly,
I think some of the resentment goes back to the League of Women Voters and the
“good government” changes that began in the early 1900s. There were large
organizations like Tammany Hall in New York City in which political bosses
controlled everything. They put forth slates, and people dutifully voted those
slates. Johnson County has long had a powerful League chapter, and many of the
members have been there a long, long time. It is entirely possible that the
legacy of the people who had fought the “anti-slate” fights of the early part
of the 20th century still resides with them.
There
have been attempts at slates before, and they have been less successful. Why is
this? I believe a slate requires several ingredients to work:
1.) The members of the slate must agree as to the key issues in
the election. In the ICCSD School Board election, you heard “accountability”
and “save Hoover”. In the recent Council election, you heard “accountability”
and “listening to everyone, not just developers”. Being a group of “outsiders”
helps. Whether you agree with these issues or not, the slates were coalesced
around them.
2.) A chain is only as strong as its’ weakest link, and a slate is
only as strong as its’ weakest candidate. Tim Conroy was clearly hurt by his
association with Michelle Payne. On the other side, each candidate brought
different constituents to the mix.
3.) The candidates in the slate have to support each other. If you
begin to go your own way, you lose the strength of the coalition. And we live
in an individualistic country, where going your own way is championed. The “Core
Four” stuck together.
Will recent successes lead to more slates? It might. I still
believe future success will be dependent upon slates being able to follow the
above rules.
*Veteran’s Day
Happy Veteran’s Day on November 11. Thanks to
all the men and women who have served our country. I appreciate your service,
and wish you peace.
Veterans For Peace
Chapter #161 is sponsoring an Armistice Day Observance to be held on Wednesday,
November 11th at the Clinton St. entrance to Old Capitol, Iowa City. Gather @ 10:45AM. Bells will be rung @
11:00 AM, as they were rung around the world at the end of WWI in 1918 and on
each November 11th for decades thereafter. Armistice Day is a day to promote
peace and to remember the victims of war, both veterans and civilians.
The event will feature Veterans for Peace from throughout the state of Iowa.
The event is free, and the public is welcome.
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
The
2015 Homeless Children’s Trust Christmas Shopping & Party is coming up on
December 5, and many donations are needed by Wednesday, December 2nd.
Among the items
needed: Toys (ages 0-17); Stuffed Animals; Caps, Gloves, Mittens, and Scarves; Puzzles,
Books and Games (ages 0-17); and toiletry items for teenagers.
You
can drop items off at: Hills Banks in Coralville and on S. Gilbert St; Big K
Mart, Senior Center, GEICO Insurance; KXIC, all Core Fitness locations, and all
HACAP Service Centers.
MAKE
A CHILD HAPPY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
*DID YOU KNOW?
November is National Adoption Month.
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
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