rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
September 28, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 10/3/17
In this edition:
*Puerto Rico
*Apples!
*Happy Homecoming!
*Congratulations Fiona Johnson!
*Congratulations Dave Koch!
*Richard Mentor Johnson, Part 3
*Did You Know?
*Puerto Rico
We
have a crisis! I am amazed at how little attention is being paid to the crisis
in Puerto Rico. American response has been too little, too late – and these are
American citizens we are talking about! (Not that it should matter, but my
God!)
There
is a lot of noise out there right now. Please make sure your elected officials
are putting the needs of Puerto Rico near the top of the list!
*Apples!
We
have apples, and you are welcome to take all you want! The tree is in the
backyard of our house at 2326 E. Court Street in Iowa City. Just bring a bucket
and stop by!
*Happy Homecoming!
Happy
Homecoming! I love the traditions of Homecoming; the parade, the pomp and
circumstance, alumni returning from afar. Homecoming is one of the real
benefits of living in a University town.
I
hope you enjoy Homecoming as much as I do. Either way, have a great week and Go
Hawks!
*Congratulations Fiona Johnson!
The Board of Supervisors announced the appointment of
a new director of the Johnson County Ambulance Service (JCAS). Fiona Johnson,
currently a paramedic supervisor with JCAS, has accepted the position. Johnson
will begin her duties October 2. The current Director, Steve Spenler, is
retiring October 23.
Fiona
came to Johnson County in November 1999 after working as a paramedic for Mast
Ambulance in Kansas City, Missouri. She began with Johnson County as a
paramedic, then took on a paramedic supervisor position in 2008. Johnson has
coordinated staff education and also serves as a community instructor for
Crisis Intervention Team training.
In
July, Johnson County opened its new Ambulance and Medical Examiner facility.
The 36,000-square-foot facility was designed to not only keep pace with Johnson
County’s current need for services, but also to address future needs. Johnson
County is the second-fastest growing county in the state, which puts continued
pressure on services. For example, in Fiscal Year 2016, the number of calls for
service to Johnson County Ambulance surpassed 10,000 for the first time with
10,348 calls. Ambulance calls have increased 40% over the last five years.
*Congratulations Dave Koch!
The
Johnson County Board of Health last week appointed Dave Koch [pronounced COACH]
to serve as the Director of Johnson County Public Health (JCPH), effective
October 8, 2017. Koch replaces Director Doug Beardsley, who served in the
position for nine years.
Koch
earned a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health from Iowa State University and
is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration through the University
of Nebraska at Omaha. He has worked in the Corridor since 1991, including more
than 10 years as Assistant to the Cedar Rapids Fire Chief for Community
Outreach and Research, where he served as the City of Cedar Rapids’ lead Public
Information Officer during the historic 2008 flood. Koch has held his current
position with JCPH—Community Health Division Manager—since 2012.
*Richard Mentor Johnson, Part 3
Old
Dick – AKA Richard Mentor Johnson – continues to haunt me!
As you may recall, I wrote a few weeks ago about Johnson’s
troubling history. My primary goal was to get folks interested in learning the
history of Johnson County’s namesake.
In the weeks since, I have received over a hundred emails, many
Facebook messages, and a few calls. A few thanked me for bringing the issue up.
One woman noted, “I have lived my whole life in Linn County without knowing for
whom it was named. Now I’m determined to learn.”
Unfortunately,
she was part of a distinct minority. Most people have simply chosen to call me
names. Many were upset at the costs associated with changing the name. I agree!
That is why I NEVER suggested changing the name! This is a really important
point to make.
In
the 9-12-17 edition of Salvos, I wrote: “Obviously, changing the name of the
County itself would cause millions of problems for thousands of people. But
what about honoring a DIFFERENT Johnson?”
I
think I was pretty clear – I was talking about the namesake, not the name. I
recognize that many people do not read articles thoroughly. I also realize that
some people just read what they want to read. But I wish they would stick to
the topic.
It
really hasn’t even been mentioned that Johnson thought of Native Americans as
“vermin”, and kept track of Native American killings the way a deer hunter
might be able to tell you how many bucks he had killed. Johnson killed Native
Americans indiscriminately, including outside of wars, and he was proud of it.
Now,
perhaps you can argue that he was just a man of his times. He was a
slaveholder, for example. And lots of Americans have ancestors who killed
Native Americans. Unfortunately, Johnson’s attitude was far from unique for the
time. In fact, Johnson’s exploits are precisely what made him a popular choice
for Vice President. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just have that conversation
civilly? What if we were able to actually reflect on just what this meant then,
and what it means today? What if we actually brought some Native Americans into
the conversation?
Meanwhile,
I just find this whole episode sad. Only a tiny handful of people are/were
willing to have a conversation about our past. Most online respondents bullied
the folks who wanted to have an actual discussion, regardless of the side they
were on. Over 90% of the people simply replied by calling me names. The guy
from the Solon Legion called me all kinds of names, but will not take my call.
That is what has become of political discourse in our country. It
is just sad. (And the Press Citizen will not find THAT tragic reality worthy of
an article!)
*DID YOU KNOW?
The number of indigenous people living in the Americas prior to Columbus
is widely debated by scientists. Some think there were as many as 112 million
(in North, South, and Central America combined); others put that total as low
as 10 million. DNA research done by National Geographic shows a post-Columbus
population crash unrivaled in human history.
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
September 21, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 9/26/17
In this edition:
*Apples!
*Versaland
*Local Food and Agri-Tourism
*Janesville
*Veteran’s Appreciation Tailgater
*Did You Know?
*Apples!
We
have apples, and you are welcome to take all you want! The tree is in the
backyard of our house at 2326 E. Court Street in Iowa City. Just bring a bucket
and stop by!
*Versaland
You
probably heard about the recent rezoning request from Grant Schultz, who lives
near Morse. Staff had urged the applicant to amend the request, but he demurred.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted it down 5-0. Again, the applicant was
offered an opportunity to back out, but he refused. Last Thursday, the Board
voted 5-0 to deny the rezoning. (You can listen to the meeting yourself at
www.johnson-county.com.)
There
were a lot of really cool things proposed in this application. There were also several
significant problems with this application. But there was a fundamental issue
at stake – the applicant doesn’t own the land! The people who do have title objected
to the rezoning. That really made this pretty simple.
This had nothing to do with the rezoning, but I do want to note
for posterity: I have received a fair amount of racist hate mail over the
years. I have gotten a few more hate letters from Posse Comitatus and other
anti-government groups. But I was called more names in the past week by
Versaland supporters than I have been in my whole 13 years as a Supervisor. That
had nothing to do with my decision in this case, but guys – this is NOT how you
win friends and influence people! (To his credit, Mr. Schultz publicly
condemned these emails.)
It was also really disappointing to me how many people I know
pretty well decided to jump to conclusions without speaking to me first. Salvos
readers – if you want to talk about Board business, just give me a call.
These
decisions are never made lightly. I hope folks will remember that good
intentions exists on all sides.
*Local Food and Agri-Tourism
So
now begins another round of internet-based bashing of Johnson County. Now we
are opposed to farms, farmers, local foods, America, apple pie, and baseball.
It
is really difficult to give small farmer what she/he wants (a 5 acre lot with a
house and no rules) without creating out of control sprawl. I have been trying
to find a set of solutions to this for years, but nobody wants to hear it. It
is easier to just claim that I oppose local food.
The
whole thing is really getting old. I am desperately seeking people who want to
solve problems rather than simply complain.
*Janesville
I recently finished the book “Janesville” by Amy Goldstein. It
tells the story of Janesville, Wisconsin from 2008-2013; a time period during
which their GM plant closed.
Janesville is the County Seat of Rock County, Wisconsin, and there
are many similarities between us and them. Rock County and Johnson County are
very close in population, and Iowa City is just a bit bigger than Janesville.
There is a rivalry between Janesville, Beloit, and Milton that is not unlike
some of the clashes we used to see between Iowa City, Coralville, and North
Liberty. Both places have (had) Lear plants. Both places are Midwestern cities
with great work ethics and great community pride.
But that is where the similarities end. Rock County was HEAVILY
dependent upon manufacturing, especially GM and its’ suppliers. In a matter of
just a couple of years, Janesville hemorrhaged over 10,000 manufacturing jobs –
each with high pay and good benefits.
Janesville is the home of House Speaker Paul Ryan. That plays a
role in this book. The election and failed recall of Scott Walker plays a role.
But more importantly, the book tells the stories of the families who lost those
manufacturing jobs.
The people of Rock County have fought back admirably; unemployment
there is only about 5%, after once sitting at 15%. But the jobs that were lost
were union jobs - $28/hour plus health insurance. The new jobs are nonunion -
$12/hour with no insurance. Income inequality in Rock County has become a
microcosm of the rest of the US. And the plans families once had are now
changed forever.
An
interesting local angle – a regular player in the book is John Beckord, who
served as President of the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce before moving to
Janesville. I knew John quite well, having recruited him to serve on the Board
of Directors of The Arc of Johnson County.
We
have not suffered the same way as Janesville. But we can and should learn from
their experiences! I strongly recommend this book!
*Veteran’s Appreciation Tailgater
The
Johnson County Veteran’s Affairs Office is holding its’ annual Veteran’s Appreciation
Tailgater on Saturday, September 30 at the Kinnick Stadium Press Box. Veterans
and immediate family members are invited to watch the (away) Iowa‐Michigan
State game inside historic Kinnick Stadium on 24 TVs.
A
light lunch will be served, and information on Veteran’s benefits will be
available.
Free parking is available on the west side of the stadium. Doors
open at 2:15. There will be an opening ceremony at 2:40.
The
event is supported by: Johnson
County Commission of Veterans Affairs, along with Cedar, Henry, Jefferson,
Keokuk, Van‐Buren, Wapello, Washington, and
Wright County Veterans Affairs; Iowa City VFW Post 3949; UI Office of the
Registrar, Center for Diversity & Enrichment, Military & Veterans
Student Services, Veterans Associaon,
and Catering; Iowa State Building and Construcon
Trades
Council; Iowa Interstate Railroad, LTD; Humana; Residenal Mortgage Network—Jessica Greving; VA—Home
Loans; Swisher American Legion Family; Coralville American Legion Family; Iowa
City VA Medical Center; Law Office of Amy B. Kretkowski, PLC.
*DID YOU KNOW? Apples
are “self-incompatible”. This means you need at least two trees growing near
each other to achieve pollination.
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
September 14, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 9/19/17
In this edition:
*RIP, Bill Ambrisco
*Thank You, Senator Dvorsky!
*Apples
*Election Results
*Richard Mentor Johnson, Part 2
*Boycotts, Protests, and More
*Did You Know?
*RIP, Bill Ambrisco
Former
Iowa City Mayor Bill Ambrisco recently passed away. I talked a lot of local
politics with Bill at our neighborhood Hy Vee. We did not agree on too much
politically, but Bill was a very kind and decent man who always made these
talks enjoyable. Bill was also really good about focusing upon those areas in
which we DID agree. I appreciate his many years of public service, as well as
his numerous hours of volunteer work. RIP, Bill!
*Thank You, Senator Dvorsky!
State
Senator Bob Dvorsky announced that he is stepping down at the end of his term.
I am going to write much more about this in the future, but for now I’ll keep
it simple – Thanks, Bob!
*Apples!
We
have apples, and you are welcome to take all you want! The tree is in the
backyard of our house at 2326 E. Court Street in Iowa City. Just bring a bucket
and stop by!
*Election Results
Tuesday was a big election day in Johnson County! Lone Tree,
Solon, Clear Creek, and the ICCSD all elected new members to their Boards,
while CCA, ICCSD, and Kirkwood passed bond issues.
Turnout was a record-setting 16,700 in the ICCSD, a 23% turnout.
The big item here was the Bond issue, which passed 65-35. CCA and Kirkwood also
passed their respective bond referenda. In the ICCSD, Ruthina Malone, JP
Claussen, and Janet Godwin were elected to 4-year terms, while Shawn Eyestone
captured the 2-year seat.
Thanks
to everyone who ran, and everyone who voted!
*Richard Mentor Johnson, Part 2
I
wrote last week about Richard Mentor Johnson, the former Vice President (and
some would say racist murderer) for whom Johnson County is named. I have gotten
a few eye rolls, a few chuckles, and a few hate-filled rants. All par for the
course.
I
have gotten some hate mail on this issue from folks who identify themselves as
conservatives. It is interesting, given the passing of Bill Ambrisco. (See
above.) Bill and I disagreed on all kinds of things, yet he was always warm, kind,
and understanding.
I
also received a couple of interesting newspaper articles from my friend Jim Walters.
One noted that the Detroit area is struggling with its’ legacy vis-à-vis Native
Americans and slavery. The other talked about a naming struggle at Yosemite
with the National Park Service. So I am not alone in thinking about this.
But back to the topic at hand… admit it; you didn’t know much
about Mr. Johnson before this, did you? Our history is important, and the story
of Mr. Johnson forces us to look at some uncomfortable realities. It is easy to
mock; it is much harder to consider his life in context.
*Boycotts, Protests, and More
There
has been a lot of talk around boycotts recently. Obviously, there are many ways
that people can express their opinions. One of the easiest and most effective
is through their spending.
Personally,
I have been boycotting Wal Mart since the 1980s. I simply refuse to buy
anything there. (In case you hadn’t noticed, my efforts have not stopped them
from becoming one of the biggest companies on planet Earth.)
I
bet everyone who reads this is “boycotting” one business or another, even if
you do not call it that. Perhaps you refuse to use some business because it is
owned by your Ex. Maybe you got bad service somewhere and will not return. Maybe
you will only buy local. There are a million different reasons, but we are very
accustomed to “voting” with our pocketbooks.
You may recall the recent boycotts of Chick-Fil-A. The business
and its’ founders have long been vocally anti-gay. This led to some large,
nationwide boycotts of Chick-Fil-A, plus the associated “counter protests”. To
complicate matters, the owner of the local Chick-Fil-A franchise has been very
public with his pro-LGBTQ stance, and has funded events for local LGBTQ groups.
Even more recent is the issue of Renovation Carpentry and its’
owner, Jeff Pierce. Pierce is a racist who sells his wares at the Iowa City
Farmer’s Market. Protesters stood near his booth at the Market to inform
shoppers of his leanings.
Then there is my line of work! People get a very direct voice in
my employment – it is called an election! I have had at least two prominent
local businesspeople approach me over the years, saying, “I like you a lot, but
I can’t ever take a sign or make a campaign contribution. I can’t afford to
lose customers over politics.” That doesn’t upset me; I view that as people
exercising their right to free speech – in this case, to say nothing.
Saying nothing doesn’t always serve a business well, however. One
example is the recent student-led effort to support those businesses that support
a $10.10 minimum wage. Some businesses pay $10.10, but in an attempt to “stay
out of it,” do not take the signs. This actually hurts them, as many shoppers
will ONLY shop at a business that displays the $10.10 sign. So by choosing not
to get involved, they get hurt.
So – what do you think about all this? In my mind, it is no big
change. I have ALWAYS factored these things into where I spend my money. I
don’t think the Iowa City Farmer’s Market should ban a vendor because he is a
White Nationalist. On the other hand, protesters have a right (and probably an
obligation) to stand near his stall and let people know what he stands for. It
is fighting speech with more speech.
Obviously, even free speech has limits. Those limits have been
pretty well established by our courts over the years. Threats are typically
illegal, and should be punished as such. There is other speech that while
hateful, is not illegal. That is the stuff we need to drown out.
Are
you boycotting something? If so, what and why?
*DID YOU KNOW?
The previous record for a bond vote in the ICCSD came in 1992, when
13,139 (21.5%) voted whether or not to build Weber Elementary, along with some
classrooms at Wood, West, and City. That bond received 64% of the vote. A
second vote on the same ballot would have built the West High Auditorium, and
the band and orchestra rooms at City High, but failed to get the 60% margin
required, coming in at 56%.
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
September 7, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 9/12/17
In this edition:
*Get Out And Vote!
*One Community. One Bond.
*DACA
*Richard Mentor Johnson
*Did You Know?
*Get Out And Vote!
School
Board elections are upon us! Johnson County is the “control county” for 4
school districts – Iowa City, Clear Creek-Amana, Solon, and Lone Tree. Each has
elections; please get out and vote!
*One Community. One Bond.
As
you all know, I have been heavily involved in the ICCSD bond vote. I have had a
few people ask me – some joking, some seriously – “Why did you volunteer for
that?”
I
know the word around the Board of Supervisors office was quite clear – “Avoid
taking any kind of stance on this!” I heard it several times. But sometimes you
need to just take a stand, regardless of whether or not it might cost you a few
votes.
Why get so involved? There are several answers, but the bottom
line? The fight for public education is real! I have talked the talk through
many state and federal elections. I have talked the talk through many platform
committees. If I can’t walk the walk and stand up for this topic at this time,
I should be ashamed.
Today I proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with our teachers, in
support of the 14,000 children in the ICCSD. And I could not be more proud!
*DACA
I
am sure by now you have all hear that President Trump is undoing DACA, throwing
the lives of over 800,000 young people into limbo. Is there is a more cruel,
pointless, nasty thing the Attorney General and President could do? (I do not
want to know the answer to that!)
*Richard Mentor Johnson
I
recently finished an interesting book on the Election of 1840 – William Henry
Harrison versus Martin Van Buren. Harrison and running mate John Tyler
(“Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!”) defeated the incumbent Martin Van Buren and his
Vice President, Richard Mentor Johnson.
This election is generally viewed as the first modern Presidential
campaign, and gave us several common words and phrases: OK, hell-bent, keep the
ball rolling, The Buckeye State, booze, and many more!
There
were two really interesting local angles to the book. First, it is remarkable
how many of the counties in Iowa are named for the political players of that
era. I had never really stopped and thought about it until this book. Secondly,
it was interesting to learn more about Richard Mentor Johnson, the man for whom
Johnson County is named.
Johnson
was born and raised in Kentucky, and became a hero of the War of 1812. Johnson
repeatedly led troops into battle despite being shot 5 times himself!
Johnson
is known as the “Man who killed Tecumseh.” Tecumseh was a great Native American
leader who organized many tribes together to fight the Americans and preserve a
Native homeland. He was killed at the Battle of Thames in 1813, and
unfortunately, this was the beginning of the end of meaningful Native claims on
land in the US. It is said that Johnson personally killed Tecumseh, though
historical records vary. Whatever the truth is, Johnson led the US Army in
battles that killed thousands of Native people.
This
history as a General made Johnson, known as “Old Dick”, very popular. That
popularity began to wane, however, when it was discovered that Johnson had a
long-term relationship with a slave named Julia Chinn. Chinn and Johnson had
two daughters, and he considered her his wife, though they were not allowed to
be married.
Johnson
had a confusing relationship with his daughters/slaves. He insisted that his
daughters were his property, but also paid for their education and left them
inheritances. After Chinn died, Johnson took up with another slave. When she
left him for another man, he had her sold away. Johnson’s flouting of the laws
against racial mixing made him a huge liability for the Democrats, and he was
dropped from the ticket.
It
is interesting to consider the naming of Johnson County in light of the recent
movement toward eliminating Confederate monuments. Should we consider naming
Johnson Country after someone else?
Obviously,
changing the name of the County itself would cause millions of problems for
thousands of people. But what about honoring a DIFFERENT Johnson?
There
is precedence for such a move. King County, Washington – home to Seattle – was
named for William Rufus King, Vice President when Washington was founded and
later an Alabama Confederate. In 1986, the King County Board of Supervisors kept
the name “King County”, but renamed it for MLK.
So
– what other Johnsons do we have? I am a huge fan of the domestic policies of
LBJ, but his Viet Nam legacy would likely be too upsetting for too many. What
about Lady Bird? She was one of the original environmentalists.
Other
possibilities include Bluesman Robert Johnson or Civil Rights Leader James
Johnson. What do you think? Should we “rename” Johnson County?
*DID YOU KNOW?
James Weldon Johnson was a
civil rights activist, writer, composer, politician, educator and lawyer, as
well as one of the leading figures in the creation and development of the
Harlem Renaissance. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Johnson to
diplomatic positions in Venezuela and Nicaragua. Upon his return in 1914,
Johnson became involved with the NAACP, and by 1920, was serving as chief
executive of the organization. In 1900, James and his brother, John, wrote the
song "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which would later become the
official anthem of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People. (The Johnson brothers would go on to write more than 200 songs for the
Broadway musical stage.) Source: Bios.com.
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
September 1, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 9/5/17
In this edition:
*School Board Elections
*Teachers
*Supervisors Are Busy!
*Did You Know?
*School Board Elections
School
Board elections are upon us, and I want to put in a plug for my friend JP
Claussen.
I
LOVE JP Claussen! That sounds hyperbolic, and perhaps it is. But I have known
JP a long time. He taught two of my kids almost 20 years ago at the Broadway
Neighborhood Center. I fell in love with him then, and nothing since then has
made me think any less of him.
JP
has worked for the past three years as an educator for the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He is also a former president of the Iowa
City Education Association. JP
is kind, smart, caring, courageous, hard working, and a great listener. I have
never seen him do anything other than stand up for those with less.
JP
is also a labor guy – endorsed by the IC Federation of Labor. JP earned this,
having spent several years on the ICCSD bargaining team representing the
teachers. I am a big believer in the value of organized labor.
I
also support Ruthina Malone for a 4-year term. While I have not known her long,
I am impressed by her hard work and persistence. She has followed through at
every turn. Ruthina does not suffer fools, and that will serve us well.
My
final vote for a 4-year term goes to Janet Godwin. In addition to working hard,
Janet has demonstrated a willingness to reach out that we need in the ICCSD.
As
for the 2-year term: I really like Shawn Eyestone. He is smart, funny, and I
think he has the ability to serve the ICCSD well. But I am voting for Charlie
Eastham. I have spent years working side4 by side with Charlie on issues of
social justice. He is the real deal.
So
please vote, and please vote for JP, Ruthina, Janet, Charlie, and YES on the ICCSD
and Kirkwood Bonds!
*Teachers
I
wrote the following piece in May of 2015. Ironically, I wrote it thinking we
were done being parents in the ICCSD. Then more foster children came along just
a while later and changed our plans!
The piece came to mind again as we gear up for the One Community.
One Bond. Vote. My children were blessed with literally scores of GREAT
teachers; I tried to say as much in this 2015 selection.
The people I talk about below? They deserve the very best. Our
kids deserve the very best. Though it was not written for the purpose of
supporting the bond, I hope it motivates you to vote yes! Here it is:
BJ is our baby. Within a few months, we will be empty nesters. It
has not sunk in yet, but we are almost finished with our long run in the ICCSD.
I
cannot allow this milestone to pass without acknowledging the amazing, AMAZING
teachers that have helped our children along the way!
I
estimate that the kids probably had ~ 100 teachers between the three of them. Then
there are the teachers we met throughout the District through serving as foster
parents. So we saw a little bit of things everywhere, and a LOT at Hoover,
SEJH, and City High.
Not EVERY teacher was excellent – over the years, there were
probably 2-3 people who needed to leave the profession. But oh, the other 98%!
You were smart, patient, kind, firm, fair, hard working, and you really, truly
cared for my kids.
OK, now I am tearing up. It seems almost unfair to name anyone,
because I will be leaving others out. But I just cannot help it. So, with
apologies to all those wonderful people who also deserve to be mentioned, my
greatest appreciation to:
*Ann Allaire: They were so little, so hurt, and so scared. You
taught them that school was safe and fun.
*Lorraine Whittington: It is amazing what a young person can do if
you challenge them!
*Jeff Kosier: The bark was always worse than the bite! J
*Pete Muir: Nobody does it better, my friend. You are a legend!
*Jill Harper: My daughter graduated because of you, plain and
simple. You made such a monumental difference in her life. Thanks.
*Terry Coleman and Bill McTaggart: Great coaches and better men.
What more could a parent want? It was a fun ride!
*Ali Borger-German and Robin Fields: The kids know you care, and
they appreciate it. They don’t always show it, but they appreciate it! Keep
pushing!
*Carrie Watson: The Pete Muir “Force” lives on, and it lives on in
you. Carry that torch! J
And it was not just teachers. We had great custodians, support
staff, and food service workers. We even had Bob Cowell, the legendary hugging
crossing guard.
Administrators? Principals Marilyn Wirtz, Deb Wretman, and John
Bacon make up ¾ of a Mount Rushmore of Principals. It simply does not get
better!
I should not have named people. Because I could have named so many
more. But my goodness, you folks have helped my family! How does a person
adequately say “thank you” for that? I feel as though I should break into “To
Sir With Love”! But I will spare you that.
I
simply do not have the words to express the gratitude I owe these people. It is
a debt that can never be repaid. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I love
you all! And I love the ICCSD!
*Supervisors Are Busy!
I
have served as a County Supervisor for about 12 and a half years now. During
that time, I have read thousands of reports and budgets, responded to thousands
of emails and phone calls, and sat through many hundreds of meetings. All of
that is just part of the job.
None
of these things are my favorite part of the job, however. That would be
attending community meetings and events. Even my favorite part of the job can
get a bit daunting, however.
The
busiest time of day for me – by far – is 4-7 PM on weekdays. This makes sense;
the people scheduling such events understand that many people cannot attend
events during the day. In addition, attendance is often better if folks can
attend right after work, rather than going home, then heading out again. So 4-7
PM becomes a popular time for meetings and events.
I
started thinking about the frequency of these events following a particularly
busy week. On a typical Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, I can have 5 different
events I could (should?) attend during that 4-7 window.
Naturally,
this presents some challenges. A Supervisor can simply skip certain events. You
can put greater focus on areas that interest you. You can call organizers and
offer condolences. You can try to get to everything, just stopping in to be
seen, then heading off to the next event. Frankly, it is just more than any one
person can do. Every Supervisor handles it differently; I’m not certain that
there is a “best” way.
I
think the message I want to send is that while attendance at events is one
measure of a Supervisor’s effectiveness, it is not the only measure. As a
matter of fact, I would rank attendance at events pretty low on the list of
important qualities in a Supervisor.
Supervisors need to study the issues, master the facts, and spend
time with staff. They need to be compassionate, fair, honest, ethical, and
genuine. And yes, they need to attend some community events!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The ICCSD employs 2330 faculty and staff.
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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