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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
December 29, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 1/3/17
In this edition:
*Welcome to 2017!
*Welcome Kurt!
*Medicaid Managed Care
*Medicaid, Part 2
*Minimum Wage Reminder!
*Did You Know?
*Welcome to 2017!
Happy
New Year! Here’s to a better and brighter year ahead! I have never been big on
New Year’s resolutions – you can see that by my weight! But I certainly welcome
the “fresh start” feel of the New Year. I hope 2017 is good to you and yours!
*Welcome Kurt!
Kurt
Friese has joins the Board of Supervisors as of January 3rd. A
Democrat, Kurt was elected back in November along with Lisa Green Douglass and
myself.
I
look forward to working with Kurt. I didn’t know him particularly well until he
started running for office, but I have learned that he is smart, thoughtful,
articulate, and progressive. I look forward to working with him! Welcome
aboard, Kurt!
*Medicaid Managed Care
I
wrote the following in August of 2015. I wish I had been wrong!
Medicaid just celebrated its’ 50th birthday. Medicaid
and Medicare were among the greatest achievements in the history of our great
nation. Health care for the poor… we have been called to provide this at least
since Jesus walked the earth. The US finally got around to it in 1965.
Iowa will soon be embarking upon a system of “managed care” for
folks enrolled in Iowa’s Medicaid program. I do NOT believe this will be a good
thing for our poorest residents.
Managed
care is a pretty simple notion. The idea is that healthcare is full of waste
and fraud, and managed care companies will root that out. Without all this
waste and fraud, the costs will go down.
The
problem is, managed care companies rarely root out waste or fraud. They take an
easier route. They simply cap services, and let the rest of the healthcare
system sort it out. The managed care companies make their millions, and
patients and providers fight over what is left. In my opinion, managed care is
nothing more than a transfer of public tax dollars to private companies who are
GUARANTEED to hurt the poor. Rather than being encouraged, managed care by
private companies should be illegal. But that is not the environment in which
we live.
Allow
me to back up a moment. Medicaid (often referred to as Title 19) is the federal
program that provides government health insurance to our poorest residents. Medicaid
was passed in 1965 as an addition to the Social Security Act, a key component
in President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty”.
While the vast majority of the funding for Medicaid is federal,
each state pays a portion based upon the relative wealth of that state.
Connecticut pays the most, Mississippi the least. Iowa is in the top half when
it comes to relative wealth; in fact, our state match just went up because of
the recent good years enjoyed by the ag industry.
Over time, states have argued for and received greater flexibility
in designing state Medicaid programs. This is where the managed care concept
began, and how it is spreading to states with Republican governors. In
fairness, over the years, Medicaid has become a bigger and bigger piece of each
state’s budget.
While many conservatives will try to tell you Medicaid has “not
worked,” the reality is a very different story. In fact, 72 million Americans
received some type of Medicaid service last year, almost 1 in 4. These services
were provided at an average cost lower than private insurance, and at an
average administrative cost MUCH lower than private insurance.
Will
managed care improve things? No, it will not. Unless you own one of the firms
that is about to suck millions of our tax dollars from our poorest residents.
If you own one of those, you’ll be fine.
*Medicaid, Part 2
I
used to work in the Iowa Medicaid program. Even though that was several years
ago, I know Iowa Medicaid pretty well. That is why the Republican’s privatization
scheme upsets me so much.
I
understand who is on Medicaid. (About one in six Iowans; almost half of them
children.) I also understand how poor they are. (To be eligible, an individual
can only earn up to $11,491 per year.) And I understand how vulnerable they
are. (Most nursing home residents are on Medicaid.)
Medicaid
really, truly serves our most vulnerable citizens. Without this help, these
people die. That is not made up. It is real.
Governor
Branstad and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have voted to give millions of
our tax dollars to out of state corporations while poor Iowans get sicker and
die. You may call that hyperbole, but I disagree. The fact is, when Medicaid is
cut, poor people get sicker and die more quickly. It is proven. Any ignorance
here is willful ignorance. They voted to hurt poor people. Period. What they
voted for was evil.
Evil
is a strong word. But what word would you use to describe someone who took away
nursing home care from a sick elderly woman? What word would you use to
describe someone who kept a sick baby from getting tubes in her ears? What word
would you use to describe someone who left a poor man with an IQ of 40 on the
street to eat from the trashcans? If you knowingly voted to make this happen? I
call it evil.
This
“experiment” is not working, just as experts warned. The Republicans in the
Legislature not only put money ahead of people – they do that several times
every day. But this time, they chose to pick on the weakest, poorest, least
able to fight back. It is simply deplorable.
There
is still time to fix this debacle. And fix it they should! The major cuts have
not yet hit. The Managed Care Companies (MCOs) are begging for millions more;
simply tell them no!
They may not get their just desserts electorally. They may go on
to win many more elections. But I am convinced that someday they will be judged
harshly. And I imagine it will be harsher than anything handed down by Iowa
voters.
*Minimum Wage Reminder!
The third increase in Johnson County’s
minimum wage took effect Sunday, January 1, 2017, taking it to $10.10 per hour.
Covered employers are required to pay
the higher of the current federal minimum wage (29 U.S.C. Section 206), the
current state minimum (Iowa Code Chapter 91D) or the Johnson County wage.
Currently, the wage set forth in the Johnson County ordinance is the highest of
those three, but this may not always be the case. Any employer subject to the
requirements of the State minimum wage must follow the County minimum wage,
unless the local city council has passed a counter ordinance.
The ordinance affects not only
businesses that have a location in Johnson County, but also those whose
employees perform work in Johnson County. Ordinances in individual
municipalities may vary.
Questions about the ordinance may be
directed to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors at 319-356-6000 or
sups@co.johnson.ia.us.
*DID YOU KNOW?
The largest group covered by Medicaid is children, which accounts for
43% of the enrollees. (Source: Health Care Finance Administration.)
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
December 21, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/27/16
In this edition:
*Happy New Year!
*Salvos Salutes!
*Did You Know?
*Happy New Year!
Happy
New Year to all Salvos readers! I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a wonderful
2017!
*Salvos Salutes!
2016 is coming to a close, and it is time for honoring a few
select Johnson County residents with that most treasured of honors, the Salvos
Salute. A few observations:
* This is the tenth annual set of awards, and there are always
more people who deserve awards than there are awards to give. We live in a
great County!
* The focus is on Johnson County. It is certainly worth noting the
daily heroism of someone like our firefighters, police,
and paramedics. There are
also examples that garner international attention. But we have everyday heroes
right here in Johnson County that deserve a shout out.
* There are some people out there that could win every year. I am
trying to honor different folks, but repeat winners are not out of the
question.
* Salvos Salutes do not have specific criteria, but you can bet
that in general, most of the winners are courageous, advocate for peace and
justice, have good ideas, speak truth to power, avoid hypocrisy, and look out
for the less fortunate.
Without
further adieu, your 2016 Salvos Salutes go to:
Joe Bolkcom: It is said you can judge a society by the way they treat their most
vulnerable citizens. The decision to turn Iowa Medicaid over to private Managed
Care Organizations (MCOs) will go down in history as one of the worst political
decisions in Iowa history. While his battle is decidedly uphill, Senator
Bolkcom has been a leading voice for the 1/6 Iowans who receives some type of
Medicaid service.
Jim Throgmorton: There are many reasons to want to serve as Mayor. It can be a
springboard to higher office. It can fulfill a need for attention. It can
promote personal business interests. It can serve as the capstone to a career
in public service.
Or, you could be Jim Throgmorton. The Mayor of Iowa City genuinely cares about
the lives of the individual people who live in this city. Jim does not show up
places looking for kudos; he shows up because he CARES. I am so proud that Jim
is the Mayor of my town!
Geoff Fruin: I don’t know if I have ever seen anything quite like it. It seemed
that EVERYONE wanted to see Geoff Fruin promoted from Assistant City Manager to
City Manager! Liberals, conservatives, old, young, Chamber, Labor… it seems
everyone wanted to hire Geoff. And I can see why! Geoff is a great guy and a
team player who seems to really get things done. I think his future and the
future of Iowa City are both bright!
Linda Fisher: Given the current state of the world/country/state, it can be easy to
get discouraged. You need a source of positive energy. That is what I get from
my friend Linda Fisher. A woman of a great many interests and talents, Linda’s
true gift is her unrelenting positive energy. I always feel better after
speaking to Linda!
Linda Herring: A modest house in Tiffin has been a home for literally scores of
foster children. When I met Linda Herring over 25 years ago, she was already 25
years into an unbelievable body of work as a foster mother. Linda routinely
accepts children with significant needs, even after all these years. I truly
cannot imagine the number of hours she has invested in the children of Johnson
County.
Terry Dahms: For government to work, citizens must get involved. In Johnson
County, no one is more involved than Terry Dahms. All year long you’ll find
Terry hard at work on any number of Boards and Commissions. From Planning and
Zoning to Bicycling and Trails, Terry quietly works his tail off to create a
better Johnson County. He has been doing this for decades - and his work is all
volunteer!
Bill Waldie: Did you read what I just wrote? The same description also fits Bill
Waldie. From the Johnson County Conservation Board to the Solon Library Board
to the Comprehensive Plan Committee, Bill is a full time volunteer. Every time we
appoint him to another group, someone comes up to me and says, “Where did you
find that guy? He’s great!” Truth is, we didn’t find Bill – he just showed up
and began offering good advice!
Mike and Chris Weinard: I have been volunteering in local political
campaigns since the late 1980s. In that whole time, I do not believe I have
EVER seen anyone work as hard over a 4 year period as Mike and Chris Weinard!
Show me someone who has knocked on more doors – you can’t do it! More
importantly, they bring passion, intelligence, and senses of humor to the tasks
at hand. I am glad they are on my side, and I’m proud to call them a Union
Brother and Sister!
Kice Brown: Lone Tree has been lucky to have Carl “Kice” Brown as a resident these
many years. In addition to his service on the City Council, Kice has done great
work with senior dining, housing, and the local cable franchise. On top of
that, Kice represents Lone Tree on all sorts of county Boards and Commissions,
and has done so for some time. And Kice does it all with his signature smile!
Patrick Wallace: Serving as President of the Iowa City Federation of Labor is a very
challenging job! Patrick Wallace not only did the job well, but he did it while
continuing to work the line at Rockwell as a member of IBEW 1634. Typically
Labor Councils have Business Reps as Presidents; it is great to see a rank and
file worker serve in this capacity. All labor activists owe Patrick a big
thanks for his service!
Jessica Peckover: It is REALLY difficult to get the majority of all
the public officials in the area to agree on anything. Jessica Peckover has
done even better – she has convinced everyone to wholeheartedly support Crisis
Intervention Training (CIT) and bring it to Johnson County. CIT will help law
enforcement officers to better serve people who are struggling with mental
health and/or substance abuse issues. While this approach makes sense, it would
not be happening without Jessica’s knowledge, passion, persistence, and just
plain hard work.
Veronica Tessler: Johnson County has a fantastic group of young
professionals on the rise. I am anxious to see what they will do when they take
charge! When that happens, I expect Veronica Tessler to be in the center of it
all. As the owner of Yotopia, Veronica has put her beliefs into action as a key
part of her work. As an activist, Veronica has organized many successful events
in Iowa City. Keep your eye on Ms. Tessler; her future is bright!
Barry Bedford: It has been a long time since Coralville was a sleepy little town,
yet residents still feel safe and secure. Much of the credit for this goes to
Police Chief Barry Bedford, who is retiring after 29 years. You see many
communities struggling with police-citizen relationships, but Barry has managed
to avoid these issues for three decades. He must be doing something right!
Congratulations on your retirement, Chief!
Marcella Hurtado: You know the old saying that Grace Kelly did everything Fred Astaire
did but backwards and in heels? That is exactly how I feel about Marcella Hurtado.
Through her work with the Center for Worker Justice (CWJ), Marcella has won
many battles for the immigrants and low-wage workers of our County. Marcella
has been as effective as any activist in Johnson County. Yet she does it all in
her second language, and with her children in tow! Enhorabuena, Marcella! Sigues impresionándome! Mantener el buen
trabajo!
Andy Johnson: This one hurts my heart, as Andy is leaving Johnson County to join
family in Omaha. If you have ever worked with Johnson County in any capacity,
you know that Andy is the one that makes it all happen. I cannot even begin to
describe all of his good qualities. Our Boards have not been the easiest groups
for whom one could work. We are very flawed as individuals, and even more
flawed as a group. But for the most part, things get done, and they get done
because of Andy. His wisdom, kindness, thoughtfulness, patience, honesty, humility,
and decency are beyond comparison. I wish I was half as good a person as Andy.
I could exhaust my thesaurus looking for words to explain how I feel about
Andy, but I think I’ll settle on one: Grace. I never deserved a person like
Andy as a friend or coworker, but I got to enjoy him as both. Grace. Thank you,
Andy. Thank you for everything. Grace.
Congratulations to all our winners! I look forward to all the
great things you’ll accomplish in 2017!
*DID YOU KNOW?
146 individuals/groups have received a Salvos Salute since they were
started in 2006.
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
December 16, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/20/16
In this edition:
*Merry Christmas!
*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
*Remember the Upcoming Wage Increase!
*Serving as Chair
*Listen For Yourself!
*Saturday Hours for Veteran’s Affairs
*Did You Know?
*Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to those of you who
celebrate it. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
We live in a GREAT county! Why? Because of the great people that
live here! Unfortunately, we rarely do enough to acknowledge these wonderful
people and the wonderful things they do.
That
is why I really look forward to Salvos Salutes. It provides an opportunity to
mention just a few of these cool people and the good things they do. I hope you
look forward to it as well!
*Remember the Upcoming Wage Increase!
Remember - the
minimum wage in Johnson County will increase another $.95 to $10.10 per hour
starting January 1st!
Johnson County
raised the wage $.95 to $8.20 on November 1, 2015, and another $.95 to $9.15 on
May 1, 2016. Since then, the unemployment rate has remained static, while
low-wage workers have enjoyed a higher standard of living. So far, so good!
There
are still plenty of critics out there. But their protestations are sounding
more and more like a case of ideological sour grapes. Increasing the minimum
wage has been a very good thing for Johnson County.
Remember - this law applies
to everyone who works in Johnson County more than two hours in a two-week
period. No other employment laws were changed when the minimum wage was raised.
If you have questions about the minimum wage in Johnson County, please visit
the County website at www.johnson-county.com.
*Serving As Chair
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has a tradition of
rotating the position of Board Chair. Each year, a different member of the
Board takes over at the first meeting of the year.
Though
it is basically a formality, the Board still votes to select its leader. There
have been a couple notable instances when the “rotation” did not happen. Dick
Myers and Joe Bolkcom, who both went on to serve notable careers in higher
office, were both passed over by their peers.
In
some counties, the Chair rotates amongst the political party in charge. In Polk
County, for example, the three Democrats rotate the role of Chair, effectively
shutting out the GOP. In Muscatine County, the GOP used to do the same thing to
Democratic Supervisors. In other counties, one individual has held the role of
Chair for decades. So there is no set method other than holding the election.
Personally,
I do not see any reason to shut anyone out. While it can get cumbersome, we
have always operated on the premise that three members (a majority) of the
Board can put anything they wish on the agenda, even over the objection of the
Chair.
Additionally,
individual Board members can impact the agenda without being Chair. I am proud
of the fact that at my suggestion, agendas were changed to allow public
discussion at both the beginning and end of each meeting. When I first started,
public discussion was only at the end of the agenda. So if you showed up for a
5:30 PM meeting, you might not get to raise your issue until 9 PM. That was not
friendly toward the public. But when I brought it up, others were happy to
oblige.
To
me, the biggest job of the Chair is ensuring that meetings run smoothly. The
public deserves efficiency and effectiveness. A well-run meeting can also save
hours of staff time – and that means money!
I
am finishing up serving as the Chair for 2016. I hope I acquitted myself well
in that role!
*Listen For Yourself!
There
have been recent social media posts questioning things said at meetings of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. If you ever have any
questions as to exactly what is said at any meeting, you can listen in for
yourself!
Regular Thursday meetings have
both video and audio feeds. Work sessions, etc. are available audio only. You
can find both at the Johnson County website - www.johnson-county.com.
Don’t
assume that what you hear on social media is true – just listen in for
yourself!
*Saturday Hours for Veteran’s Affairs
The Johnson County Commission of
Veterans Affairs is offering limited Saturday office hours in upcoming months.
The office will be open December 3, 2016; January 7, February 4, and March 4,
2017, from 9 am to noon. Its regular business hours are Monday through Friday
(excluding holidays), 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Veterans Affairs Director Gary Boseneiler
said the weekend hours are intended to accommodate veterans. “I’ve spoken with
people who have difficulty getting to my office because of their work schedules.
Boseneiler said his office can help connect Veterans to the benefits they have
earned, including:
• Approving Veteran Designation on Drivers Licenses
• Filing for Service Connected Disabilities
• Filing for Veterans Pension
• Obtaining Military Documents
• Providing Temporary Emergency Financial Assistance with
rent, utilities, or food
• Enrolling for VA Health Care
• Assisting with signing up for military property tax
exemption
• Assisting with ordering Veterans license plates
Although walk-ins are
welcome, in order to better serve Veterans, Boseneiler recommends making an
appointment by contacting him at 319-356-6049 or gbosenei@co.johnson.ia.us.
More information is available on the Veterans Affairs page at
www.johnson-county.com.
*DID YOU KNOW?
The real Saint Nicholas was born in Turkey in 270 AD.
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
December 9, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/13/16
In this edition:
*County Budget Process
*Some History of the County Budget Process
*Did You Know?
*County Budget Process
The
County is hard at work on the FY17 budget. In case you had ever wondered about
the process: Supervisors hold meetings with every Elected Official and
Department Head, discussing and debating their budget requests. New requests
get added to a “Decisions Pending” list.
Assessment
and tax data comes in around Christmas. That data is loaded into the
spreadsheets, and we see how much is available. We then return to the Decisions
Pending list and determine what things will be a part of the budget and which things
will be axed.
Numbers
are checked and double checked, and a budget is produced. That budget is
published; after publication, a budget can be lowered but not raised. A public
hearing is set; the Board considers this public input before a final vote
occurs. The vote happens – the budget is approved – and said budget is sent to
the State of Iowa for their blessing.
*Some History of the County Budget
Process
The March 11, 2008 meeting of the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors did not appear to be controversial. The Board was meeting on a
Tuesday morning rather than our usual Thursday due to the Iowa State Association
of Counties (ISAC) meeting in Des Moines later that week. Otherwise, things
seemed quiet.
The
big item on the agenda was the approval of the County Budget for FY09. While
the approval of the budget is indeed a very big deal, we had held a Public
Hearing the previous Thursday evening. While there were some people in
attendance at the Public Hearing, no one from the public even chose to speak.
The budget seemed noncontroversial.
I
was the Board Chair then as now. Supervisor Terrence Neuzil moved the budget;
Supervisor Larry Meyers seconded the motion. I asked if there was any
discussion on the motion; there was none. I called for a roll call… Neuzil?
Aye. Harney? Nay. Stutsman? Nay.
Only
six words had been spoken, and my heart was in my throat. Our FY09 budget was
in jeopardy of failing. This would be unprecedented. The time slowed down, as
it does when you are in car wreck.
I
flashed back three years. Curious by nature, I had asked then-County Attorney
Pat White a question: “What happens if the budget vote fails?” His reply was
quick and firm. I am paraphrasing a bit, but I know the first sentence of his
statement is a direct quote: “It would be a catastrophe. Building and road
projects stop. Contracts are broken. The Bond Rating would plummet. There is no
money for raises or new staff. You do not want to go there.”
Pat
White’s words rang in my head as I turned to my left. Larry Meyers was one of
the most unlikely Supervisors you would ever find. KCJJ jokingly referred to
him as an “urban woodsman”. While Larry did not look or act the part of a
Supervisor, he was a very kind, fair, funny, and smart man. We had grown to be
good friends in his 14 months on the Board.
That said, I was worried. No one had expressed more concerns over
that year’s budget than Larry. Johnson County was in the middle of an
unprecedented building boom: the Health and Human Services Building and SEATS
Building were both under construction, we had a new Conservation Operations
Center, and we were planning the Joint Emergency Communications Center (JECC). Larry
had expressed his reservations over the amount of construction we were
undertaking.
I looked at Larry, and he stared back at me. I thought about
nodding my head – mouthing “aye” – trying somehow to send a message. But I did
nothing. I just stared.
It felt like an hour. Larry turned toward Casie Parkins, the minute
taker from the Auditor’s Office. “Meyers?” She asked. “Aye,” he replied.
My sigh was audible. I voted “aye” before Casie had even completed
pronouncing the word “Sullivan.” The FY09 budget had been approved. Our
projects would continue. Our bills would be paid. Tragedy had been averted.
I have never forgotten the way I felt at that meeting. And I went
about ensuring that it never happened again. We instituted a few changes in the
budgeting process that remain with us today.
I had a pointed conversation with Supervisor Harney at our next
work session. I noted that he had been supportive of all of the individual
components of the budget, but had voted against the sum total. He claimed that
he had opposed several items. That seemed disingenuous to me. I knew it was
false. But there was nothing on record. So Supervisor Neuzil and I created a
Budget Decision form.
We now record a vote on each decision that costs new money.
$25,000 for a new Sheriff’s vehicle? Every Supervisor must vote. $40,000 for a
new Clerk? Every Supervisor must vote. Supervisor Harney has attempted to get
out of several votes since, noting, “There are already three yes votes.” We
don’t care. Every Supervisor must vote. This process has served us well. It is
now very clear how each Supervisor feels about each issue.
We
also began a process of asking at every budget meeting from late January on,
“Is there anything in here that is a deal breaker? Please speak now.” That way,
Supervisors would be obligated to express their concerns before it was too
late. This process, too, has served us well. It has brought a necessary level
of transparency to each Supervisor’s decision-making process.
A
budget is the sum of literally thousands of smaller decisions. Every budget
cycle there are a few things I wanted but did not get. Every budget cycle there
are things I voted against that end up in the final document. That is simply
how it works with 5 people making decisions – you win some, you lose some.
At
least I know that our current process allows me a voice. I may get outvoted,
but I have had the opportunity to convince two colleagues that my idea is
worthy.
The
FY09 Budget vote was stressful, but it led to many improvements in our
budgeting process. As we move through the FY17 budget, I am certainly glad
those protections are in place!
*DID YOU KNOW?
Your property tax bill is a combination of three factors: 1.) The value
of your property; 2.) The rollback (if applicable); 3.) The tax rates of the
applicable taxing authorities.
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
December 2, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/6/16
In this edition:
*Big News!
*Comprehensive Plan
*Items in Salvos
*Recall Elections
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
*Did You Know?
*Big News!
We
got some big news recently… my oldest daughter Rachel is pregnant with our
first grandchild! She is due in mid-May – and life will never be the same
again! I am both nervous and excited; please wish us luck!
*Comprehensive Plan
Johnson
County is beginning a first-ever Comprehensive Plan, which will also serve as a
more comprehensive update of our Land Use Plan. We have contracted with JEO, a
large Midwestern firm, to lead us through the process.
We
have also appointed a Comprehensive Plan Committee that consists of 21 Johnson
County residents. This group has me very excited! A bit about them:
The
committee consists of 11 women and 10 men. 11 live in the unincorporated parts
of the county, while 10 live in cities. The most common address is Iowa City (8),
followed by Coralville (4), Solon (3), North Liberty (2), Riverside (2), Lone
Tree (1) and Swisher (1).
There
are 4-6 people involved in agriculture, and 6-7 involved in real
estate/building/development. There are at least 8 people who would almost
certainly be viewed as environmentalists. There are backgrounds in recycling,
bicycling, finance, teaching, and law enforcement.
There
are two professors from the UI College of Urban and Regional Planning, plus
representatives of the League of Women Voters, Farm Bureau, Homebuilders
Association, and Local Foods Policy Council, just to name a few.
As
you can tell, this is a diverse group! Most importantly, they all care deeply
about Johnson County, and want to make it a better place to live, work, and
play!
The
committee’s next meeting is January in room 203 of the County Health and Human
Services (HHS) Building. All meetings are open to the public. The committee
will meet about 6 times. There will also be a few public input sessions. All of
this will be listed on the County website at www.johnson-county.com.
*Items in Salvos
I
get occasional requests to run things in Salvos. I never realized how
controversial this could get, but it seems to have caused some friction between
some of my friends and I! So please allow me to explain my thoughts.
I
have never created “rules” in terms of what I will/will not include. I just
don’t want to get that formal, frankly. Getting this out weekly can be a bit of
a chore, and I just don’t want to make it any more difficult. I don’t have any
staff. No intern. Nothing. This is just me, which can get a bit daunting.
I
date each edition of Salvos as a Tuesday, even though you will likely get it
over the weekend. The idea of how to date each edition is stolen from the
publishing industry; they want you to be able to buy magazines over a period of
time knowing they will remain relevant. So Salvos is written in such a way that
if you do not read it until Tuesday morning, it should still be relevant.
That
affects what I will run and when. If you send me an item on Thursday the 13th
for Saturday the 15th, I am extremely unlikely to run it. Because I
know several folks will not see it until after the 15th. And I want
each edition to be relevant.
So
get me your information ASAP. Give me some time to work it in. And please do
not be offended if I decided not to run your item. I am doing my best to put
out a product that 400+ people will find interesting and informative each week.
It is not easy!
*Recall Elections
Recent
election results have some folks discussing the idea of recall elections.
Personally, I think recall elections are extremely bad policy. When a person
gets elected, she/he deserves to fill out the term of office, no matter how
badly she/he performs. I feel strongly that recalls are bad at any level of
government.
I
do think every level of government needs a provision for impeachment. If an
elected official is convicted of a felony, fails to fulfill the duties of the
office, or commits some other high crime, there should be recourse available to
remove that person from office.
Note,
however, that impeachment should not EVER be used because elected officials
disagree. It should ONLY be used when the law and/or oath of office has been
violated.
Eight
states allow recall elections, but only when laws have been violated. 11 states
allow recalls with no reason necessary. Iowa is one of the 31 states with no
provision for recall elections.
I
am very glad Iowa does not allow recall elections without cause. That probably
means the Legislature will pass it this year!
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
This year's Christmas party is
Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Moose Lodge in Iowa City. The Trust, sponsored by the Hawkeye
Area Community Action Program (HACAP), helps families in poverty celebrate the
holidays.
Participating parents get a $50 Kmart gift card to
buy gifts. While the parents shop, the Trust throws a holiday party with donated
food and entertainment.
Melissa and I volunteer every year. You
can volunteer, or mail checks payable to the Homeless Children's Trust to 367
Southgate Ave. Iowa City, IA 52240.
*DID YOU KNOW?
The
addition of an energy-efficient heating, air conditioning and ventilation
(HVAC) system to the Johnson County Administration Building has resulted in a
rebate of $126,789 from MidAmerican Energy.
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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