SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
May 9, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/14/19
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday, Zuri!
*Happy Mother’s Day!
*Johnson County Sheriff News
*Funding Center for Worker Justice
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday, Zuri!
Friday, May 10 marked the second birthday of my granddaughter Zuri Foote! I simply do not have words to describe how much I love this little girl! Happy Birthday, Zuri! Papa loves you!
*Happy Mother’s Day!
Sunday, May 12 marked Mother’s Day. Thanks to all the moms out there for all you do! A special shout out to my own Mom and my wife, who is a really remarkable mom in her own right!
*Johnson County Sheriff News
You may have seen two news items last week. Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek announced that he will not seek reelection when his term is up in 2020. Also, Deputy Brad Kunkel announced that he will be running for Pulkrabek’s Office.
I am sad to see Lonny go. He is a great guy and a great Sheriff. But I wholeheartedly support Brad Kunkel. He will do a fantastic job, in my opinion.
I will write more about this in the future. But for now, all my best to both men!
*Funding Center for Worker Justice
The Board recently received a request for funding from the Center for Worker Justice (CWJ). By now, most of you are familiar with the CWJ and all its good work. They serve local immigrant communities, providing translation and support. The CWJ hooks them up to vital services and helps them to find work. The CWJ has done a remarkable job of wage recovery, assisting workers to get the pay they are owed.
On top of all that, the CWJ has played a critical role in many local victories for low income workers. They helped pass the Community ID. They helped pass the increase in the minimum wage. They helped get the displaced residents of Rose Oaks more fair compensation for their losses. They helped create the first-of-its-kind development agreement for Forest View Mobile Home Park. In just 6 years, the CWJ has amassed an amazing record!
Unfortunately, the CWJ has run into tough financial times. Some grants that once funded the organization are gone. It is a membership organization, but the members only have so much to give. They have a solid annual fundraiser, but that only gets you so far. Organized Labor and various religious communities have been generous, but it is still not enough. So the CWJ came to Johnson County requesting funds.
There were a couple problems with this. We just finished our annual budget. It would have been much better if we could have considered this during the budget process. Additionally, we are getting close to the end of our fiscal year, and we have to be careful to be sure that adequate funds remain to cover every expense.
That said, we spend money outside of the budget all the time. As a matter of fact, we have done it three times in the past few weeks: we decided to extend a contract to address disproportionate minority contact; we voted to contribute to the Englert/Filmscene capital campaign; and we voted to complete window repairs at the Health and Human Services building. Those all took place in the past month!
And that is not unusual. The Board spends money outside of budget a few times every year. It is impossible to anticipate everything that might come up. If you aren’t flexible, you miss critical opportunities. Anyone whose attitude is, “I would NEVER spend money out of budget!” is too rigid, and costs the taxpayers of Johnson County money in the long run. Flexibility is a virtue.
Four members of the Board appreciate the CWJ and see the value in funding the agency. Unfortunately, one Supervisor has decided to play politics with this issue.
Supervisor Rettig is demanding that the County issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the funding. Just in case another agency wants to provide the same services as the CWJ.
First, that is absurd. If another agency was capable, we would know it. Secondly, why create a dozen hours of work for our staff to create the RFP, and a dozen hours of work for CWJ staff to fill it out? What a waste! Most importantly, we were not asked to fund a certain set of services. We were asked to help save a specific agency - an agency that has done incredible good in our community!
Again, we were asked to help a specific agency. Governments regularly redeploy resources where they see fit. The fire department does not take RFPs; they go to what is burning, and put it out. We don’t fix roads based upon RFPs; we repair what needs to be repaired. RFPs have their place. This is not it.
And let’s be VERY clear; Rettig has voted to spend money outside of the budget process DOZENS of times in her career, including THIS MONTH. For her to insinuate otherwise is hypocrisy, plain and simple.
We are told this will “set precedent”. That is a legal term, and it has a very specific meaning. This action does NOT “set precedent”. Last week we sent resources to our flooded neighbors in Scott County. Are we now somehow obligated to send them resources annually? Are we now somehow obligated to send resources to flood victims in Mills County? Obviously, the answer to both questions is no. Because we are NOT setting a precedent.
Rettig referred multiple times to this being a “good old boy” decision. First, that totally minimizes the incredible work of the CWJ. Secondly, it impugns the character of the other 4 Supervisors. And finally: “Good old boy”? Yeah. Right. Nobody is connected quite like an Arabic-speaking dishwasher or a Spanish-speaking maid!
I am literally laughing at the image of CWJ members hobnobbing with the County’s elite. I sincerely HOPE we reach a point where immigrant women of color who speak little English can be in the same room as the real “good old boys”. Actually, they often ARE in the same room – bussing the tables. Let me change that image to “sitting at the same table” as the County’s elite.
There is more. This is the last straw for me. This is just another regrettable instance of Rettig using her position to bully and intimidate others. She is a master at punching down – attacking custodians, secretaries, and bus drivers. (All represented by organized labor.)
She will not actually discuss any issues; when someone stands up to her, she storms out of the room. It is classic bully behavior. And I am sick of it.
Now she has turned her anger toward immigrant communities. This is shameful, frankly. But every day we are forced to deal with another embarrassing incident.
Thankfully, the Board of Supervisors is just that – a Board. There are 5 members, and you need to get 3 votes to take any action. In this case, 4 people agreed to do the right thing. So long as that is the case, we will continue to do good things for the people of this County.
*DID YOU KNOW? The Center for Worker Justice has accomplished a lot in a very short time. For more info, visit https://www.cwjiowa.org.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 7:30 PM
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