SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 16, 2020
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/21/20
In this edition:
*ICCSD COVID Decisions
*Taxpayer Protections
*Alabama GOP Senate Candidates
*Did You Know?
*ICCSD COVID Decisions
The ICCSD Board of Directors made a difficult decision on Tuesday, choosing to begin the 2020-21 school year online. The vote was a unanimous 7-0.
I have a lot I feel I need to say about this. For starters, this is difficult. No matter what the Board decided, there were going to be significant downsides. It is truly a lose-lose situation.
So, if you like the decision they made? Don’t celebrate too hard. If you are happy about this, you are likely one of the most privileged people in the District. (Remember, the average household income in Johnson County is $56,000 annually. And that is pre-COVID.) We need to recognize that this decision is devastating for a lot of families in our community.
Don’t like the decision? Don’t complain too loudly. The Board made a decision based upon what they thought would save the most lives. That is pretty heady stuff. Most of us do not ever once in our lives make life and death decisions for 100,000 people. In this case, the ICCSD Board felt that was what they were doing.
I don’t know Lisa Williams very well. We have spoken maybe four times. I have enjoyed those conversations. She seems to be a nice person. And from watching and reading about Board business, I can tell that she is smart and committed.
I did not know Ruthina Malone, Shawn Eyestone, Paul Roessler, or Janet Godwin until they were candidates for the Board. In the time since, I have gotten to know all four pretty well. And you know what? All four are wonderful. They are smart, caring, hardworking people who really want what is best for our School District. These are four truly committed public servants. I have voted for every one of them, and I would be proud to do so again.
To top it off, Ruthina has received racist emails, even though all 7 voted the same way. I have a whole folder of racist emails if you want to compare notes, Ruthina. I am serious here! Sorry this happened. You deserve SO much better!
I have known JP Claussen and Charlie Eastham longer than the rest. These two men are not just excellent Board members. These are two of the finest people I have ever known. Period.
Since becoming a functioning adult, I have tried pretty hard to live my life by Matthew 25: “That which you have done to the least among us, you have done to me.” I would be hard pressed to name two people who exemplify this more than Charlie Eastham and JP Claussen. I truly do not know two people who fight harder for those with less. These guys walk the walk. There is literally NO ONE I would rather have making this difficult decision.
The Board has made its’ decision. Now it is up to all of us – supportive or not – to help them as we move forward. Offer your time, talents, and money. Offer your suggestions. And yes, hold them accountable. That is the only way we get through this.
*Taxpayer Protections
The Board recently made a couple grants to a couple of organizations who are trying to help others through the COVID crisis. One group – Better Together – is helping locally-owned small businesses. The other -Center for Worker Justice – is assisting families who are ineligible for other relief programs.
I was happy to support both efforts. While both requests were not accounted for in our budget, the COVID crisis is putting all of us in some difficult positions. We will hope the Federal government comes through; if not, we have some reserves.
So I am pleased that the Board voted unanimously to assist these organizations. We have not always had unanimity when it comes to fighting COVID. We recently approved hiring an additional Disease Prevention Specialist, a position critical to fighting the pandemic. But one Supervisor voted against that because it was not budgeted. (Seven months ago the Director could have asked for a new position “just in case we are struck with the biggest pandemic since 1918.” I wonder how that request would have been viewed? But I digress.) So again, I was pleased to see these two requests pass unanimously.
I am, however, a bit disappointed in some of the allies of these two organizations. I had four people I like and respect, two supporting each project, who felt the Board was being “difficult” and should just hand over the money. There were too many “strings”, in their opinions.
I have never been one for red tape. So I take such criticisms seriously. But this made me angry. The Board is spending public money. The taxpayers deserve to know when a discussion is held, to listen to it, and to participate, if they wish. The public should expect that the County has done due diligence, and that safeguards exist in case of fraud, abuse, or other problems. The public deserves to know how the money was spent, and judge the outcomes of the spending.
Face it – if Donald Trump was giving grants to two organizations that he liked, you would expect a thorough set of checks and balances. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. The public deserves transparency and security as much as the organizations deserve the funding.
Interestingly, at almost exactly the same time, State Auditor Rob Sand came out with a warning for local governments on exactly this topic. He warned about best practices for granting money to nonprofit organizations. While our processes are pretty good in that regard and should comply, it still served as a good reminder.
*Alabama GOP Senate Candidates
There was a time when I thought my LEAST favorite US Senator was Jeff Sessions. Bad in almost every conceivable way, plus smug about it. I did not think the Alabama GOP (or the Country) could do worse.
But then the Alabama GOP said, “Hold my beer!” They nominated a pedophile and disgraced former judge named Roy Moore to be their nominee. While this was still OK with the Alabama GOP, the Democratic and non-party voters in Alabama said no thanks, electing Democrat Doug Jones instead.
Now the Alabama GOP has had another go at it, and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is their nominee. While he is not the train wreck the Moore is, I actually think this man is worse than Sessions. Tuberville is quite a piece of work.
Unfortunately, I expect Tuberville to beat Jones in November. That means, in effect, Democrats do not need 3 seats to control the US Senate – they need four. I think winning an additional four-plus seats is very possible! I just want folks to understand the math.
*DID YOU KNOW? From Historian Ed Hartig: The 2020 baseball schedule does *not* include a Cubs-Braves game... for the first time since 1873. That ends the longest non-interrupted series in American sports history after 146 seasons.
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 @ 12:15 PM
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