SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

September 30, 2020

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/6/20

In this edition:

*Early Voting Schedule

*Harvest

*Johnson County Eponym

*Did You Know?

*Early Voting Schedule

Early voting begins Monday, October 5! For the complete schedule, please go to the County website at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov. There you will find the complete list of early voting opportunities.

*Harvest

Fall in Iowa means the harvesting of crops, and that means large machinery is out in the roadways. Please exercise caution as you navigate our roads!

*Johnson County Eponym

Before I start this discussion, please allow me to explain what an eponym is. A namesake is a thing named after something else. An eponym is the person or thing for which the namesake is named. For example, George Washington is the eponym; Washington, DC is the namesake. (I did not know this word until we began down this path. Thanks to Supervisor Green Douglass for the vocabulary word!)

I had a proud moment on Wednesday, September 23. On that day, the Board decided to accept the recommendation of our Eponym Task Force, and to proceed with changing the eponym of Johnson County from Richard Mentor Johnson to Lulu Merle Johnson.

A bit about her borrowed liberally from the UI publication “Iowa Now”: Lulu Merle Johnson’s Iowa credentials are impeccable. She grew up outside the small town of Gravity in the southwestern part of the state, played 6-on-6 basketball in high school, and earned three degrees in history from Iowa. Her family members include Hawkeye athletic legends Duke Slater and Richard “Bud” Culberson.

Lulu Merle Johnson earned her Ph.D. in history in 1941 from the University of Iowa. She was the first Black woman in the state to earn a doctorate, and was among the first Black women to earn one in the whole US. She was born on a Taylor County farm in 1907, but her parents had been born into slavery. She went on to become a world-renowned scholar and professor. Her work upset the dominant narrative of the time, which claimed that most slaves had been happy and well-treated by their owners. Johnson was also a civil rights pioneer and activist against segregationist policies.

There are still some details to work out. The law seems to be silent in terms of what the Board would need to do to make such a change official. We have asked the Attorney’s Office to research that and report back.

My guess? This is probably not anticipated in Iowa Code. I am also guessing that if Bobby Kaufmann defeats Lonny Pulkrabek in November, he will have a GOP buddy in the Iowa Legislature introduce a measure disallowing this type of thing. Then Bobby can pretend he had nothing to do with it, but still upend the will of the people of Johnson County. Just another reason to vote Pulkrabek!

Either way, I would anticipate the Board holding a series of three public hearings over a three-week period, then adopting a resolution officially changing the eponym. This process could begin as soon as the Attorney’s Office reports back.

I have received a bit of feedback on this topic, but not much. There was a petition with over 1500 signatures, but I did not speak to many of the signers. I have had 3-4 people call me and express concerns over the idea of “erasing history”. I am actually quite sympathetic to this argument. In my opinion, Confederate statues and monuments should never be destroyed. They should be moved from places of prominence, and reinterpreted. The US needs to treat slavery the way the Germans treat WWII. I think that whatever we do, we should tell the whole history. Here is how and why the County came to be named for Richard Mentor Johnson, and here is how and why it was switched to Lulu Merle Johnson. The more info, the better.

Historian Tim Walch of Iowa City, retired Director of the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, has been tremendously helpful throughout this process. Tim gave us great insights into exactly how Johnson County got named in the first place, and it is enlightening. During the time Johnson served in the US House and as Vice President, the US was expanding at a torrid pace. Counties were being created in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, California, Oregon, and other territories. The process of carving out a county wasn’t that difficult – you just needed Legislative approval. What better way to secure such approval than to name counties after the politicians who would do the voting? So many less-than-stellar politicians of that day remain memorialized in county names.

Richard Mentor Johnson was an interesting character. He was quite popular in the abstract, as a war hero. But according to Tim Walch, once people actually met Johnson, he was almost universally disliked. He became so unpopular, in fact, that he was dropped from the ticket when President Van Buren ran for reelection.

People have focused on the fact that Johnson was a slaveowner, which is true. But his relationship to the institution is muddled. He was a pro-slavery politician, but 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.

Criticism of Johnson always seems to focus on the slaveholding angle. While that is worth noting, Johnson's political career was built upon the reputation of being the man who had personally killed (murdered) the most Native Americans, including Chief Tecumsah. Not a small thing to consider.

With the benefit of hindsight, a few things become clear. Richard Mentor Johnson was an ill-tempered, unlikeable man in any era. Like many of his era, he owned slaves. Like many of his era, and perhaps moreso than anyone of his era, he hated Native Americans and slaughtered them.

Another point I’d like to make regarding the change of eponym: I spoke to a local person of Native American descent who teaches Native history. I asked her what she thought about the name change, and I found her response haunting: “This place already had a name when white people stole it. If you don’t want to use the name it had, I can’t help you.” That bothers me still. And it bothers me because I know she is right, and I am not going to do anything about it. I feel ashamed, and I should.

So why target Johnson? Other notable Americans (Washington, Jefferson, Madison) owned slaves. The most racist words I have ever read were written by Abe Lincoln. Many notable Americans contributed to the suffering of Native Americans, including Lincoln. So why focus on Richard Mentor Johnson? I think the simplest reason is he had no redeeming qualities. The other notable Americans each did important things for the United States. It is harder to make that claim about Johnson.

I hope we can find a way to explain this story, from one Johnson to another, in some type of memorial or monument. I think it is a great way to learn about our history. I don’t know where it would be or what it would look like, but I want to do something. I will definitely be pushing to put something in our budget this year; I’d love to hear your ideas.

*DID YOU KNOW? King County, Washington (home to Seattle) changed it’s eponym from Alabama Senator Rufus King to MLK. The vote took place in 1986, but because it required State approval, the eponym was not made official until 2005.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

September 24, 2020

I was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Mike Hennes of Oxford. Mike was a longtime employee of the Secondary Roads Department, serving as Assistant Maintenance Superintendent the past 5 or so years.

Honestly, Mike was one of my favorite County employees. Fun, funny, smart, charming, hard-working – Mike was the type of person you wanted to spend time with. I will really miss him. My prayers go out to his family and friends. RIP, Mike.

I have said it before, but it bears repeating: I am not given to hyperbole. Some of that is probably just a personality trait. Some of it is because I am a fan of history. So phrases like, “best ever,” “worst ever,” and “most important ever” rarely enter my lexicon.

A lot of people are going to spend a lot of time telling you the 2020 election is the most important in our history. Obviously, the only way we will know for sure is with the gift of hindsight. But my guess is that the 2020 election will NOT be in the top 5 or so most consequential US elections.

Don’t get me wrong; it is important! Life and death important for many people. And it is likely the most important US election since 1940, when the vast majority of Americans were not even born. As a matter of fact, later in this same edition of Salvos, I am going to beg you to get involved because 2020 is so important.

But consider some of these elections when you think about “most important in our history”:

1940: With WWII raging, the US is split as to whether we should get involved. FDR becomes the first (and only) President elected to more than two terms, and sets about preparing for war – which comes to him on December 7, 1941. It is entirely possible that if FDR does not seek a third term here, the course of human history is changed forever. And not for the better.

1932: With the Great Depression raging, FDR is elected for the first time. They develop what we have come to know as the “Social Safety Net”, and about 125 million people slowly go from starvation to sustainability.

1860: The institution of slavery was on the ballot. Lincoln won, the southern states seceded, and the Civil War began.

1800: Almost everything we take for granted as Americans was shaped by this election. Could we have a peaceful transfer of power? Would we follow the Constitution? How do we do elections? What is the role of the Supreme Court? What is the role of state governments? What is the role of the military? The US quadruples in size. Free public education and political parties arrive on the scene.

Yes, the 2020 election is important. Critically important. But the elections listed above were pretty darned important, too!

The League of Women Voters of Johnson County is holding a forum for candidates for County Supervisor on Tuesday, September 29 at 6PM. The forum will be held by Zoom, and the public is encouraged to join in.

We have established the fact that this election is important. So I am going to ask you to do something. Please plan your vote. That might sound silly, but it is actually really important.

Start by deciding on a method. You have three choices: vote by mail, vote early in person, or go to the polls Election Day. Obviously, any of these is ok. If you want to do the most you possibly can to help your candidate and to help those running the election, choose one of the two early options.

So, let’s say you want to vote by mail. What do you need to do? Well, you know all those absentee ballot request forms you have been getting? Send one in. You will get a ballot mailed to you that should arrive October 6 or 7. All you need to do is fill out the ballot, seal it up, and either drop it in the mail or return it to the Auditor’s Office. HINT: Vote as soon as you can! Just in case there is anything wrong with your ballot, the Auditor’s Office will have more time to help you fix any problems.

Let’s say you want to vote early in person. The County will offer drive through voting from October 5-November 2 from 8-5 on weekdays and slightly modified hours on the last two Saturday and Sundays in October. Decide what date you want to go, and what time of day. Pick a less busy time (think weekday early afternoons) if possible. Again, get it done earlier in the month helps both the campaigns and the Auditor’s Office. And be sure to bring ID!

Finally, Election Day. Research your polling place; they sometimes move. Once you know where you are going, pick a time, and figure out how you are getting there. And be sure to bring ID!

By planning your vote, you can help both the campaigns and the Auditor’s Office.

Not only is it critical that YOU vote, but you need to actually step outside of your comfort zone and help others to do the same. I am not referring to phone calls here, though that is important, too. Actually engage someone who might need some help voting. Do you know any high schoolers who are 18? College students? Seniors? The barista you see every morning? The guy who mows your lawn? A coworker? Think about the people you know, and make a list of the people that might need help. Then reach out!

Above I talked about planning your vote. This is exactly what you need to do with the people mentioned above. Help them to make a plan, and help them to execute it.

The City of Iowa City recently voted to establish a “Truth and Reconciliation” Commission to address systemic racism. I fully support this idea, and applaud the Council for moving forward. Unfortunately, negotiations with the Iowa Freedom Riders (IFR) got hung up on some legal issues.

The following came directly from the Iowa City Press Citizen; I took the liberty of editing it for length.

Iowa City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes described the four requests that she found to be "problematic":

"Undefined Mandates and Budget Authority": The IFR wants to enumerate its own mandates and control the funding to carry out those mandates. Dilkes wrote that neither Iowa State Code nor Iowa City charter gives a non-elected ad hoc commission the ability to determine how public funds are spent.

"Independence from Council": The IFR called for the commission to be independent from the council. Dilkes offered that for such independence, the commission would need to be its own legal entity.

"TRC to support those witnesses who allege retaliation": In cases where a person alleges retaliation, the IFR called for the commission to take "affirmative action." Dilkes wrote that this is not defined, and its sanctions are further unbacked by the law.

"Compulsion of Witnesses": The IFR asked for the commission to compel "documents and witnesses." Dilkes wrote, "The Council has no authority to obtain private documents or require persons to speak to the TRC."

You know what? I have a few African American friends that have lived here 50+ years. Why not give them this authority? Why not give these powers to the local chapter of NOW? The local chapter of LULAC? The local Federation of Labor? The Affordable Housing Coalition? The local Veterans for Peace? The local Chamber? See how ridiculous this is?

I cannot believe Councilor Salih supported these demands. They are absurd. Good for Iowa City for moving forward using common sense.

*DID YOU KNOW? There are many opportunities to phone bank ahead of the upcoming election. Just contact me and I will put you in touch.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

September 17, 2020

Johnson County’s longest-serving employee is calling it quits. Gary Pidgeon, better known as “George” is retiring after 50 years with the Conservation Department! That is not a misprint – 50 years!

This is not 50 years behind a desk, mind you, though that is amazing in and of itself. This is 50 years of pulling weeds, repairing things, cleaning things, mowing, etc. Through floods and droughts, heat waves and cold spells, working with hundreds of different people. This is impressive, folks!

I have gotten to know George a bit during my time as a Supervisor, and I can see why his coworkers love him. He’s not a loud guy, but he has a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He is known as a very hard worker who takes great pride in his work.

The League of Women Voters of Johnson County is holding a forum for candidates for County Supervisor on Tuesday, September 29 at 6PM. The forum will be held via Zoom, and the public is encouraged to join in.

I really hope you will tune in to this forum and share the results. I think it is critical that voters know where their candidates stand.

This is all just so weird. I would really like to campaign for reelection. I am very proud of my work on the Board of Supervisors, and I wish I could make my case to the voters. I would love to knock on doors and hear what things people care about. Unfortunately, the Coronavirus has made that pretty unwise.

In addition, we are facing the most important Presidential election since at least 1940. We desperately need a Democratic majority in the US Senate. And we need to hold on to gains made in the US House. Democrats have a real shot at recapturing the Iowa House, and should gain ground in the Iowa Senate. By the time you get all the way down to the office of County Supervisor… let’s just say it is not top of mind for most people. Nor should it be.

That is why I am choosing not to put out yard signs. Any location with a Sullivan sign should probably have Biden, Greenfield, and Hart up instead. Any calls I would make urging people to put up my signs are calls I am not making on behalf of the Coordinated Campaign. (I write this as I take a break from making GOTV calls.)

I hope a failure to campaign does not cost me a seat. I still feel as though I have a lot to offer the people of Johnson County. I hope they feel the same way.

If you want to help, that would be great. A letter to the editor, a positive Facebook post – anything would be great. Don’t take your eye off the bigger prize. But if you have a few extra minutes, I would appreciate your help.

I received a couple unsigned letters recently; one at home and one at work. Both were anti-mask. Neither had the guts to sign their names.

This is not new territory for me. I have gotten dozens of unsigned letters in my time as Supervisor. Most were racist, leading me to believe that racists are the biggest cowards. It appears anti-maskers are second.

Here is the thing: it may make you feel better, but it only serves to strengthen my resolve. If you are too cowardly to actually discuss the issue, then it must not be an opinion that stands the test of a little sunlight. Going forward, your best bet is to just give me a call.

I read the piece below by Ezra Klein at Vox, and it really struck me – our political identities are REALLY stuck in place, probably the more than at any point since the Civil War. Read for yourself:

“On August 27, 2019, President Donald Trump held a 41.3 percent approval rating and a 54.2 percent disapproval rating, according to FiveThirtyEight. During the 365 days that followed, Trump became the third president impeached by the House of Representatives; America assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani; more than 200,000 Americans died from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus; the unemployment rate rose from 3.7 percent to 10.2 percent; the US banned incoming travel from Europe, China, and Brazil; an estimated 12 million people lost health insurance coverage; Trump pardoned Roger Stone, who was facing jail time for dirty tricks on the president’s behalf; and George Floyd’s murder sparked a nationwide movement protesting for racial justice — to which officials responded by tear-gassing demonstrators in Lafayette Park in Washington, DC, so Trump could take a photograph holding a Bible.”

“That is, of course, a bitterly incomplete list of a grimly consequential year in American history. But you’d never know it simply by following Trump’s poll numbers. On August 27, 2020 — one year later, and the day Trump used the White House as a backdrop for his convention speech — FiveThirtyEight had Trump at 42.2 percent approval and 54.3 percent disapproval. Everything had happened, and politically, nothing had mattered. Or, at the least, not much had changed.”

Beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, the URL for the Johnson County, Iowa, governmental website will change to www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov. Johnson County governmental email addresses will also change to [name]@johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

The change comes because the Iowa Secretary of State now requires all county election commissioner websites to exist on the .gov domain. The change has been recommended by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the National Association of Secretaries of State.

This will not affect any Johnson County services, or response to email messages.

Though the change takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 8, the old website URL (www.johnson-county.com) and email addresses ([name]@co.johnson.ia.us) will continue to work and rollover to the new website URL and emails for at least one year. Even with the continued rollover, it is important to update URLs and email addresses.

For questions or more information, contact Johnson County Information Technology at 319-356-6080 or bhorning@johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

*DID YOU KNOW? Coralville voters can cast ballots now for the September 29 Special Election to fill the City Council seat left open by the resignation of Tom Gill.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

September 10, 2020

COVID-19. Black Lives Matter. Derecho. Economic collapse. Presidential election. It is a lot, isn’t it? If you are stressed, you are not alone! Hang in there! And please seek help if you need it. If you aren’t sure where to go, just email me. Thanks!

Tom Douglass of rural North Liberty passed away earlier this week. Tom was a Professor Emeritus of Spanish at the UI, and husband of my friend and colleague Lisa Green Douglass.

Tom was a wonderful husband, father, and teacher, and someone whose company I always enjoyed. RIP, Tom.

Congratulations to Johnson County’s Facilities Director Eldon Slaughter, who retired after 8 years with Johnson County. Eldon is quite a character, and I really enjoyed our conversations. Now he has more time to restore old cars at his home in Lone Tree. Thanks for everything, Eldon!

With everything else going on, I sometimes forget to mention that I am on the ballot this fall. I am very proud of the work I have done, and I hope you will consider honoring me with your vote. Below is a quick argument for giving me another term:

I grew up on a Heritage farm (150 years in the same family) near Sutliff, and attended K-12 in the Lisbon school system. I am an alumnus of the University of Iowa. I have held several positions in the field of human services, including 6 years with the Department of Human Services and 6 years as Executive Director of the Arc of Johnson County.

I am married to Dr. Melissa Fath, a Research Scientist at the UI and a volunteer Pharmacist at the Free Medical Clinic. We have 3 adult children-Rachel, Jordan, and BJ, and have served as foster parents for another 50+ children.

I am a member of several community organizations, including: St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, NAMI, Center for Worker Justice, ACLU Hawkeye Chapter, AFT Local 716, and Iowa City Federation of Labor. I also served 4 years as Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party.

· Passed the Conservation Bond Initiative – the 1^st county in Iowa to do so.

I am grateful for your past support, and I thank you for your future consideration. I promise to never take this position for granted! I respectfully request your vote on or before November 3. Thank you!

I used to have an ongoing conversation with my late friend Diane Finnerty. She liked to quiz me on some of the internal and external politics of being a Supervisor. Then at some point, she would stop and say, “You know someday we are going to need to learn how to be in charge, right?” Then we would chuckle. And she was right.

I look at the current ICCSD Board. I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined having such a good group. I look at the Iowa City and Coralville Councils – full of outstanding people. I have been recruiting candidates for elected office since the late ‘80s. These are the best collective groups we have had in that span.

So? I feel better about the cast of characters. Does that mean everything is fixed? Nope. So let’s talk a bit about why that might be.

I think one big reason is that some members of the public are simply oppositional. They dislike and distrust everyone who is in power. Give the new person two weeks, then they will turn on her. These folks may help you remove a bad group of elected officials, but they will not assist you in accomplishing anything.

A second reason is that bureaucracies are difficult to change. Just winning the election does not change policy. The same administrators are there with the same policies. It takes tremendous effort AFTER you have been elected to make meaningful change.

Finally, I would argue that most of us do not know how to handle being in power. We do not know what to do once our candidate wins. How do I support her? How do I hold her accountable? I think this is an area where most of us can improve. Personally, I do not mind being held accountable. In fact, I appreciate it. But there are definitely certain methods that work better than others.

When I first ran for office, one major issue for me was a County Human Rights Ordinance. When I got elected, I found the dynamics challenging. Three incumbent Supervisors supported it, but really didn’t want to work on it. (Remember, the topic was much more controversial back then!) One incumbent said he supported it in public, but opposed it privately. Meanwhile, the people who had to do the actual work had other priorities.

Honestly, it would have been much easier to give up. I kept pushing, and we passed the first County Human Rights Ordinance in Iowa’s history. But it took a lot of work. There were also several people (both inside and outside the County) pushing me to keep going forward. And I pissed some people off along the way. Looking back, I am certainly glad things went as they did. But I can also see several ways in which it simply would not have happened. And yes, I chose to focus on a success. I am sure there are probably other things I promised, then never produced the results. (If I ask, someone will remind me!)

I think an interesting current example of dealing with power is the Iowa Freedom Riders. They have the Council’s ear. They have some power. But it will not last. Because it never lasts. Just watch: the older, whiter public is going to grow weary of their tactics, and elect a council that will “get tough on crime.” If the Iowa Freedom Riders wanted my advice – and I know for a fact they do NOT – I would say figure out what you want the most and get it negotiated right now. You probably will not get 100% of what you want. Shoot for it, but do not forget to take smaller victories along the way.

Supporting candidates and getting them elected is only the first step. Think about how you deal with the people in elected office. They are not always your enemies. You have the ability to get things accomplished, but you need to be thoughtful as to how you go about it.

*DID YOU KNOW? Plans are in effect for drive through voting in Johnson County. Starting October 5, voters will be able to enter the Health and Human Services Building lot from Clinton Street, drive through the lower level of the parking ramp, vote, and exit onto Dubuque Street. For more details, contact the Auditor’s Office at 356-6004.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

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