SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 20, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/25/19
In this edition:
*Congratulations Doug Elliot!
*Ernst Bad Senate Vote!
*Foxhoven Out
*Summer Means Music!
*Did You Know?
*Congratulations Doug Elliot!
Congratulations to Doug Elliot, who is retiring after 25 years with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG).
The East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) is an intergovernmental council established in 1973. Governed by a board of directors comprised of elected officials and private citizens, ECICOG was created to promote regional cooperation and to provide professional planning services to local governments in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Tama, and Washington Counties (all services are not offered in all counties). A portion of the operations are supported by a per capita assessment paid by these counties.
Since its creation, ECICOG has become recognized as an ideal vehicle for addressing planning issues that require a regional perspective. Cities and counties benefit from the assistance of ECICOG staff in their efforts to promote community and economic development, improve housing stock in the region, manage solid waste, and meet the transportation needs of the area.
Interestingly, the idea for ECICOG came from former Johnson County Attorney J. Patrick White. Pat was an Assistant County Attorney at the time, but was also serving on the Iowa City Council. Pat deserves all the credit for the creation of ECICOG! (Another feather in an amazing cap!)
The Johnson County relationship with ECICOG has generally been strong. Unfortunately, I just learned that Johnson County had a Supervisor storm into and out of an ECICOG meeting a couple of years ago, threatening to sue the organization. I had wondered why other members acted a bit strange around me. Now it makes more sense. Just another mess to clean up. But I digress…
So this guy you have never of is retiring from this organization you’ve never heard of. Why does it matter to you? Well, ECICOG has brought $25 million into Johnson County in the past ten years alone – most of it transit-related. We have received funding for SEATS busses, road projects, trail projects, and flood buy outs, just to name a few.
ECICOG is a big deal. And it has been managed extremely well for a long time by a really great guy! (Doug really is a wonderful person. It makes me happy every time I see him!)
Congratulations, Doug on your retirement! Thank you for your service to the people of ECICOG!
*Ernst Bad Senate Vote!
Senate Republicans recently voted for a budget that cuts almost $500 billion from Medicare and $1.5 trillion from Medicaid. Yes, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst voted for these cuts! And those are but a few of the really terrible things in that budget!
Hurting our most vulnerable residents to give more to our richest residents. Ernst should be ashamed! We have a chance in 2020 to show her the door. Let’s do it!
*Foxhoven Out
Jerry Foxhoven, Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, was asked to resign on June 17. No reasons were given.
I have had some longtime Polk County residents tell me to temper my criticism of Foxhoven. They say he has a “good heart”. I disagree. No one with a “good heart” runs DHS for Kim Reynolds – knowing full well that they are being asked to hurt our most vulnerable citizens. He does NOT have a “good heart”. Period.
Before you shed any tears for Foxhoven, know that he was the ONLY department head in State Government that did not request an increase in funding for his department. He told Kim Reynolds that he had enough resources. This is just additional evidence that there is no “good heart” there.
Foxhoven is gone. Good riddance. You lay down with dogs, you get fleas. I will pray for his soul.
*Summer Means Music!
Summer is music season, right? I am a Board Member of Summer of the Arts (SOTA) – the nonprofit group that brings you the Friday Night Concert Series, Arts Fest, Jazz Fest, and Soul and Blues Fest. When I think summer, I think of these events!
But there is more! Summer music means hearing our many outstanding musicians in our many great open-air venues. Summer music means cranking the tunes with the car windows rolled down. Summer music is just a bit louder and a bit happier.
My own musical tastes are pretty eclectic, to say the least. Both my grandmothers loved country music legend George Jones. Growing up at the Sutliff Store, the juke box was full of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. I definitely still love that music.
On the other hand, my Dad loved to listen to *his* music – the music of the mid-to-late 1950s. I grew up loving the giants of rock and roll: Elvis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, and all kinds of Doo Wop, just to name a few. Again, that is still a big part of my playlist.
Unlike most young people, I never really fell in love with the music of my junior high and high school days. I certainly have some individual songs I love, but I was a bit different in that regard.
Around that same time, however, I developed a love of musicals that I still have today. I was in all the plays and musicals in high school, and I have several soundtracks on my playlist. It is funny when I catch myself pulling up next to a car at a stoplight and realize that I am singing “There’s No Business Like Show Business” at the top of my lungs!
When I arrived at the UI in the early ‘80s, I got exposed to some new things: REM, Grandmaster Flash, the Clash, and the Violent Femmes, just to name a few that I still enjoy.
I am a curmudgeon when it comes to music, so I never willingly listen to new stuff. But I hear it via Melissa and the kids. I will admit, every year there are a few darned good new songs!
So, enjoy your summer. Catch some live music. Send some money to SOTA. Crank up the tunes. And forgive me if you pull alongside my car and hear me singing “Oklahoma”!
*DID YOU KNOW? ECICOG provides services to over 500,000 Iowans – one sixth of the State’s population.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 11:19 AM
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