Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

August 26, 2021

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/31/21

 

 

 

In this edition:

 

 

*Thanks, Bob!

*Good Luck, Andre!

*Fall Elections

*Not as Easy as It Looks!

*If I Can’t Have It, No One Can!

*Did You Know?

 

 

 

*Thanks, Bob!

         I wanted to note a retirement… former State Senator Bob Dvorsky is retiring from the Board of Directors of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County (HTFJC). Believe it or not, Bob has served on the Board since the organization’s founding in 2004. Over that time, the HTFJC has grown from zero funding to an organization that has provided over $10 million in new affordable housing, plus almost $1 million in repairs to existing affordable housing.

 

         Nonprofits are only as good as their Boards of Directors. The HTFJC has been extremely lucky to have Bob Dvorsky on board all these years! Thanks for your service, Bob!

 

 

 

*Good Luck, Andre!

         Author, musician, and all-around great guy Andre Perry has announced that he is stepping down as Executive Director of the Englert Theatre. Thankfully, it sounds as though he is staying in the area. Thanks, Andre, for all your great work, and best of luck with whatever comes next!

 

 

 

*Fall Elections

         A couple of years ago, Iowa changed the law to put school and city elections on the same ballot. Iowa City has 3 contested Council seats this year, while the ICCSD has 4. Bottom line - my yard cannot take any more signs!

 

         I know where my votes are going to be cast. For Iowa City Council, I am supporting Bruce Teague and Megan Alter in the At Large race, and Shawn Harmsen in District B. 

 

         For the ICCSD Board of Directors, I am supporting JP Claussen, Ruthina Malone, and MaKa Pilcher Hayek.

 

         Please let me know if you want to chat about Iowa City or ICCSD candidates. And remember, every city and school district in Johnson County is holding elections!

 

 

 

*Not as Easy as It Looks!

         I just told you how I plan on voting in the fall. But please allow me to add this tidbit: City Council and School Board are very difficult jobs. Many citizens only see the votes they take – was she a yes or a no? In fact, very few of the decisions either body makes are easy. The choice may be yes or no, but there is much agonizing work that goes into every decision.

 

         Thanks to all who serve in these roles, and all who are seeking election to these seats. I appreciate your willingness to serve!

 

 

 

*If I Can’t Have It, No One Can!

         I have written a lot lately about what I see as an increase in selfishness in our society. Unfortunately, it seems too ubiquitous to ignore. It is sad to see how many people refuse to allow others good things. 

 

Johnson County had two different situations recently illustrative of this trend. One led to a group of employees getting a raise; the other led to a group of employees getting an increase in vacation. Good for them, right? Nope. Not in today’s hyper-selfish environment.

 

         Instead, I got numerous complaints from other employees. Why was someone else getting something and they were not?

 

Before you even go there – yes, we are talking about a couple instances of disparate treatment. That is not something we strive for at the County, but it does happen. Obviously, if there are too many instances of disparate treatment, employees get angry. Often this is the type of thing that precedes a push for unionization. Ironically, that is not going to be the case here. First, the vacation increase was welcomed by the union. Second, the raises came because a union was voted out of existence. Trust me, I would LOVE it if these folks would unionize! 

 

I think this irritates me more than other topics because: 

1.) We can quantitatively prove that Johnson County employees are well-compensated when compared to their peers; 

2.) No one lost anything. Nothing changed for these other employees. It is only that a few of their coworkers gained something. 

3.) Many of the people who complained had access to a union but didn’t pay dues, then voted it out of existence; 

4.) I have worked very hard my whole career to make sure all Johnson County employees are well-compensated. Right or wrong, I see this as a part of my reputation; 

5.) I have taken a beating over the years from people on my right who feel County employees are compensated too well.

 

It is simply frustrating to hear all the complaints. I suppose Supervisors are supposed to be extra thick-skinned when it comes to this stuff. And I suppose if anyone in County Government should bear the brunt of complaints, it is the Supervisors. But you know what? We are people, too. We have feelings, too. The criticism feels quite unfair.

 

         It is not just happening at Johnson County. There are examples everywhere. I have been amazed by the debate over forgiving some student loans. I had student loans. To be clear, I had a shitload of student loans. Just because I had to struggle to pay mine off, others should struggle? That is just stupid. It’s also bad for our economy.

 

         I was on the Steering Committee for the last ICCSD Bond Referendum. One of the major goals was making certain that all schools had air conditioning. We heard a LOT of people say, “I went to schools without air conditioning; why can’t they?” My response was always, “My school lacked air conditioning. It sucked. Why would I want that for our kids?”

 

         I guess I was just lucky to learn this lesson from my Dad very early in life. You see, my Dad was born in a very small house with no electricity, no running water, and a dirt floor. My Grandparents knew there was something better out there, so they moved to Cedar Rapids and landed good union jobs. The lives of Dad and his sisters got much better.

 

         So growing up, Dad always corrected the guys who claimed “kids today” had it too easy. I often heard him relate his story, and ask, “Why the Hell would I want my kids to have what I had? I want better for them!”

 

         I wish Dad was still around to chew the asses of some of these selfish folks. (He could really light into someone when he was mad! I inherited that same ability, but almost never get to use it.  J ) But in the spirit of wanting to do better… why do we have so much selfishness now?

 

         I think some is a result of social and economic insecurity. I think some is a result of America becoming very bifurcated. I think some is a very direct result of Donald Trump. I think some is the blasphemy of “prosperity gospel.” Some is because there is profit to be made turning our neighbors into the “other.” Some is because of our focus on rights alone, rather than rights and responsibilities. There are probably dozens of additional reasons.

 

         I hope we can all do better; I really do. The only way America succeeds is if we recognize that we are all in this together.

 

 

 

*DID YOU KNOW?  If you want to view the last school board election, you can do so on the Johnson County website – Auditor’s page. Unfortunately, that is the ONLY previous school election to which you have access, because the Auditor removed all the rest of the historical data. (Yes, it is public record.)

 

 

 

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.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

 

 

 

 

August 19, 2021

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/24/21

 

 

 

In this edition:

 

 

*UI Students Return

*Excluded Worker Fund

*Rights. We All Got ‘Em!

*There But For The Grace of God Go I

*Did You Know?

 

 

 

*UI Students Return

         Over 30,000 UI students are descending upon Johnson County. Yes, this means no parking, longer lines, more litter, and late night hijinx. As a Johnson County resident, you need to alter your driving habits. You’ll need to allow more time for pretty much every endeavor. You’ll need to be more careful.

 

         Those are a few of the downsides. But the upsides are too great to measure! We are blessed to live in an intelligent, caring, diverse community! The pros most certainly outweigh the cons! In addition, I love the rhythms that come from living in a university community. Go Hawks!

 

 

 

*Excluded Worker Fund

         You have probably heard that Johnson County and all our cities have received generous funding from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). In the case of Johnson County, we are getting $29 million dollars, half of which has arrived, and half of which is coming next May. You may also have heard that there are various groups pushing Johnson County to create an “Excluded Worker Fund.” 

 

         That fund already exists! Any low-income Johnson County resident who needs help can speak with someone in General Assistance (GA), part of the County Social Services Department. GA will not only help eligible people with bills, but also referrals when and where appropriate. Everything is confidential.

 

         Taking advantage of GA services now does not necessarily prohibit a person from taking advantage of additional county or city assistance in the future. It simply gets help to those in need a bit more quickly.

 

         The County and cities are still taking public input in terms of how to spend the ARP money. But needy residents should not wait! Just call Johnson County Social Services at 319-356-6090, or stop in at 855 S. Dubuque Street. Help for some excluded workers is available now!

 

 

 

*Rights. We All Got ‘Em!

There are a lot of people running around talking about their “rights” at this point in our history. I consider myself a pretty serious supporter of civil rights, so I take these discussions seriously. But it strikes me that many of the folks who feel aggrieved don’t fully understand the concept of individual rights.

 

For starters, individual rights can be limited. Let’s take the Second Amendment, for example. Do prisoners in jail cells get firearms? No, that right is limited in that case. Do people get to own nuclear weapons? No, that right is limited in that case. Other individual rights are similarly limited. You cannot beat up your spouse and call it freedom of expression. You don’t get to lie to a judge and call it free speech. 

 

A surprising number of people seem to believe their individual rights are unlimited. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Every right has limitations. Many people today need a civics lesson. They are 100% certain that their right to do whatever they wish trumps their neighbors’ rights. I deal with this topic every day, and I find it to be a lot more complicated.

 

Here are just a few of the topics with which I deal regularly. In each case, a person feels he has a “right” to do something. In each case, his neighbors feel THEIR rights have been infringed. 

 

Loud music, pesticide overspray, contaminating the water, shooting fireworks, target shooting, dogs running wild, letting thistles grow, letting water run off your property onto an adjacent property, service animals, open burning, motorcycle racing, jack brakes on semis, excessive traffic (resulting in excessive dust), animal infestations, bright lights, and yes, vaccines. I see cases every day where a person who claims a "right" to do (or not do) something that harms their neighbor.

 

In every one of those situations, rights are colliding. Whose rights prevail? Unfortunately, many of the people I speak with put their own rights above the rights of everyone else. In my mind, that includes taking vaccines.

 

         These debates have been going on longer than America has been a country. They are going to continue. I hope more people will take an opportunity to actually learn about how rights actually work in this country. 

 

Let’s finish this off with a few quotes from better writers than I:

 

"Begin with duties of a man and rights will follow as spring follows winter" ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

"Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

"What goes around, comes around." ~ Willie Nelson

 

 

 

*There But For The Grace of God Go I

This ran in Salvos in September of 2020. I believe it is still quite relevant; look no further than the previous piece for evidence.

 

One of my best friends posted something on Facebook recently. He said (I am paraphrasing) that he was tired of working hard while others sit back and get something for nothing. You have probably seen the meme. I think we all have this feeling at times; I am concerned about how often I seem to hear it now.

 

         I wrote him the following response. But in addition to this, I told him I loved him. Because I do. And I don’t want the culture wars to tear us apart. But it is hard, man. I wrote:

 

My Grandma Sullivan was a pretty religious woman. Staunch Catholic. In all the years I knew her, she almost never said a judgmental word. What she DID say, on some occasions, in a whisper, was, "There but for the Grace of God go I."

 

My Grandma was quiet and humble. I did not inherit those traits. But you know what? She got it. There but for the Grace of God go I. It's not my job to judge others, or to decide who is worthy. A couple seconds or inches here or there, and I would be dead or paralyzed. A few people giving me breaks along the way. The kindness of strangers. There but for the Grace of God go I.

 

I do agree with you that people should take personal responsibility. And I agree that people should work hard. But I don't get to judge who is taking responsibility and who is working hard. That is left to a higher power. I just need to recognize that I am a full-blown sinner who enjoys the fruits of this world *NOT* because I have worked hard or taken responsibility, but thanks to the Grace of God. There but for the Grace of God go I.

 

 

 

*DID YOU KNOW?  The recently deceased Connie Champion served 10 years on the ICCSD Board, and 16 years on the Iowa City Council. Current Iowa City Councilor Susan Mims has also served on both bodies.

 

 

 

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.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

August 12, 2021

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/17/21

 

 

 

In this edition:

 

 

*Happy Birthday Melissa!

*Happy Birthday BJ!

*Happy 100th Birthday Mae Schatteman! 

*Lone Tree Fall Festival

*COVID Logic

*You Got the Formula Wrong!

*Work? Campaign? Personal?

 

 

 

*Happy Birthday Melissa!

My wonderful wife Melissa Fath celebrates her birthday on August 17th. I have got to tell you – Melissa Fath is AMAZING! Her ability to balance cancer research with her roles as a wife, mother, and community member – I have no words to do it justice! I guess I’ll just stick to: Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!

 

 

 

*Happy Birthday BJ!

My son BJ turns 25 on August 22. He has already had several adventures, and there are no doubt more to come. BJ lives in Florida, pursuing his dreams. 

 

BJ is funny compassionate, kind, and all around wonderful! I am very proud of him! Happy Birthday, BJ! I love you!

 

 

 

*Happy 100th Birthday Mae Schatteman!

         Do you recall the feisty little old lady from Dave Loebsack’s early campaign commercials? First, she wasn’t acting! Second, her name is Mae Schatteman. Third, she turns 100 on August 17!

 

         I spent a lot of time with Mae and her daughter Gina when they lived in Iowa City. Both were very involved in the local Democratic Party; Gina served 6-8 years on the Executive Board, including a stint as Treasurer. Both were elected into the Johnson County Democratic Party Hall of Fame in 2006.

 

         Since then, Mae and Gina moved to Idaho, where Gina works in STEM-related consulting. I’m happy to report that Mae is as feisty as ever! Happy 100th, Mae!

 

 

 

*Lone Tree Fall Festival

The Lone Tree Fall Festival is August 20 - 21 in Lone Tree. This event is a great opportunity to share some good times with the fine folks of Johnson County’s “panhandle”!

 

 

 

*COVID Logic

         Let me get this straight… Governor Reynolds says it is OK for Tyson to require masks at meatpacking facilities, but not OK for schools to require masks. Can someone explain this to me?

 

 

 

*You Got the Formula Wrong!

         Nothing makes me angrier than when my fellow Iowa Democrats make statements like:

“Our candidate has to be a man,” or 

“We will lose if we run someone from Des Moines (or Iowa City),” or 

“The candidate has to have a rural background.”

 

         Honestly? All that is bullshit. Look at Iowa’s Second District in 2020. Rita Hart is a true farmer. She literally does farm work and makes farm decisions every single day. The farmer got beat by an ophthalmologist.

 

         Dave Loebsack was a college professor living in Iowa City who represented the District for 14 years. Cindy Axne is from Polk County yet won her District.

 

         Men have won and lost. Women have won and lost. Farmers have won and lost. Rich people have won and lost. People from Des Moines and Iowa City have won and lost. It is all bullshit. None of those things matter.

 

         Here are a few things that *DO* matter:

 

Integrity.

Genuineness.

Charisma.

Good ideas.

Hard work.

 

         It really isn’t that hard. Having these 5 qualities does not guarantee a candidate will win. But they are guaranteed to lose without them. So quit talking about stuff that does not matter. Good candidates can come in many shapes and sizes. Quit using the wrong formula to choose candidates!

 

 

 

*Work? Campaign? Personal?

         I wrote this article for Salvos WAY back in 2013, but the issue continues to be of interest. 

 

Supervisors face choices when they engage in certain activities in the community. Is the activity work, campaigning, or personal?

 

         An example: I used to volunteer at the ICARE Pancake Breakfast. I volunteered for this breakfast for quite some time – longer than I have served as a Supervisor.

 

         So, was I working? It hardly strikes me as work – it is a volunteer gig. Yet I know some Supervisors would consider it work.

 

         Was I campaigning? I suppose a cynic would say that every public appearance by a Supervisor is campaigning. But it did not feel like campaigning to me.

 

         I feel as though I was volunteering. (I also bought a ticket, even though volunteers ate free.) That makes it my personal time. I think that is the way the public would want it. But it is not always so clear.

 

         Let’s use another example: I always attend the Solon Firefighters Pancake Breakfast. While I have not volunteered, I do purchase a ticket, which helps the cause.

 

         Working? That would be a tough case to make! Volunteering? Only if you consider eating volunteer work! Campaigning? I would say yes.

 

         Another scenario: while at Hy-Vee, three different people each stop a Sup and take ten minutes discussing work-related items. Is that work? If not, what is it? Volunteering? Can you volunteer at your job? (Union rules often strictly prohibit this so no abuses can take place.)

 

Is a Sup working when reading work related materials at home? Is it work to attend a Chamber luncheon? Is it work to just drive some gravel roads?

 

While this might be an interesting exercise for an elected official, it is only important to the public in one way: does the elected official put in enough work? Does she/he get results? Do they accomplish what needs to be accomplished? If you work enough, then it really does not matter if some of your time is spent campaigning and volunteering. 

 

         Much gets made of the fact that Supervisor is considered a ¾ time position. I have done my own time studies, and while there is no such thing as a “regular” week, I almost always work right around 80 hours every two weeks.

 

         While this is more than ¾ time, there are other factors that should be taken into consideration. Supervisors do not punch a clock, so the hours get worked largely when each Sup wants. Some hours are at the office, some are in the community, and some are at home. The flexibility is amazing, and that is worth something.

 

         As we all know, there are people who can work 80 hours every two weeks and get nothing done. There are folks who can work less and accomplish more. There are folks who you WISH would work less, because they tend to screw things up. There are also those who just go through the motions. 

 

         Personally, I think anyone who complains about the hours and/or the pay should quit whining and take another job. Nobody forces you to run for office. On the other hand, the pay must be substantial enough to attract good candidates.

 

         Meanwhile, when one Supervisor works considerably less than the others, it has an effect. Those who are in the office take more calls from the public. They respond to more e-mail more quickly. They spend more time on employee concerns. They are viewed as more accessible by Department Heads, meaning they are consulted more frequently. That means some people work harder than others, though the pay is the same.

 

So, what are your thoughts? Maintain the status quo? Make Sups full time and pay them more? Reduce the expectations of time spent in the office? Should individual Supervisors be held to account for the hours they spend? Or do you have another suggestion altogether?

 

 

 

*DID YOU KNOW?  Lone Tree derives its name from a giant elm that grew nearby in the pioneer era and served as a prairie landmark. This elm stood on a slight hill south of town. The tree succumbed to the Dutch Elm disease of the 1960s, although valiant efforts were made to save it.

 

 

 

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.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

 

 

 

 

August 5, 2021

Sullivan’s Salvos     8/10/21

 

 

 

In this edition:

 

 

*RIP Connie Champion

*Cultural Divide

*Children’s Rodeo

*Did You Know?

 

 

 

*RIP Connie Champion

         I was sad to hear of the passing of former Iowa City Councilor and School Board Member Connie Champion. I knew Connie pretty well through various committees, and I always liked her.

 

         Yes, I found her frustrating – it was almost impossible to predict how she would vote on any given issue – but she was always friendly, honest, and genuine. In addition, Connie did amazing work on behalf of Shelter House, the Englert, and other charities. When she set her mind to fundraising, she was incredible! And though she didn’t talk about it much, Connie succeeded as a woman in what was very much a man’s world at the time.

 

         My daughter Jordan was close with Connie’s granddaughters. All her grandkids seemed to be wonderful people that loved their Grandma. A pretty good legacy, I’d say! RIP, Connie.

 

 

 

*Cultural Divide

There are some deep cultural divides that have grown up between the rural and urban parts of this country. Unfortunately, these divides seem to be growing deeper. Also unfortunately, Johnson County is not immune to this phenomenon. My colleague Lisa Green Douglass had a frustrating encounter at the Johnson County Fair that is illustrative of this.

 

A woman confronted Lisa and said, “The problem with you Supervisors is that you are all from Iowa City!” Even if we WERE all from Iowa City, I would argue that such an outcome isn’t necessarily a problem, and must reflect the will of the voters. But this woman’s statement is absolutely incorrect.

 

Lisa lives north of North Liberty in an old farmhouse, and has for over 35 years. Jon Green lives in Lone Tree. Pat Heiden lives in rural Newport Township. Royceann Porter and I are the only two Supervisors that live in Iowa City. And as I have mentioned ten thousand time, I grew up on a farm. So did Pat. Jon spent part of his childhood on a farm. The woman’s facts are simply incorrect.

 

After Lisa corrected the woman’s misstatement, the woman stammered. Lost for what to say next, she proceeded to complain somewhat incoherently that: A) Her taxes are too high, and B) Not enough money is spent on roads. Let me begin by stating the obvious – roads cost a lot of money. Taxes pay for roads. It is difficult to imagine big tax cuts that do not result in worse roads. What’s more, over the past several years, Johnson County has taxed the maximum allowed by law on our roads. We literally cannot tax more in that area. For the most part, the public seems satisfied by this approach. So, in short – B is dead wrong, and A&B do not go together.

 

As her stammering implied, taxes and roads are not her real concerns. We all know what this woman is really trying to say: “I see lots of people who look and act differently from me, and it worries me. I feel a loss of control, and I am scared. Meanwhile, I feel as though you are telling me I am stupid.” No one wants to admit that, let alone say it out loud at the Fair. 

 

So how do we address this situation? I think getting the facts out there are important. Perhaps the facts will lead this woman to focus on what really has her upset. My experience is that this might put an end to her straw man arguments, but will just lead to more of the whole, “They treat us like we are stupid” argument. As you can see, it is pretty much no-win for us. We can let your false statement stand, or you believe “we treat you like you are stupid.” How are we to navigate that?

 

As my fellow Supervisor Jon Green wisely noted, “If fixing this was easy, someone would have done it by now.” Jon is correct. We will keep trying, but this is not easy.

 

 

 

*Children’s Rodeo

         One example of a local cultural divide is a fight that has been brewing over a children’s rodeo that is held at the Fairgrounds.

 

         My niece showed and rode horses her whole childhood – including at the Johnson County Fair. I watched her in action on several occasions. She is now studying horse husbandry in college. But the kid’s rodeo we are talking about is different than that.

 

If you have never seen a children’s rodeo, just Google it. You will likely get plenty of what is called “mutton busting” – this consists of children jumping on the backs of sheep and holding on for dear life. 

 

I know this is going to get me in trouble, but here it goes… I don’t care for rodeos. There are events that should be celebrated – barrel racing, for example – where the horse and rider work as a team and show off some impressive training and athleticism. There are too many other events – bull riding, for example – that are really just cruel to the animals. 

 

I feel the same about children’s rodeos. I think it is cruel to the sheep, and I don’t really see the kids getting much out of it, either. That said, the issue is not how I feel about things.

 

         The Johnson County Agricultural Association is the private nonprofit entity that owns the Fairgrounds property and puts on the Fair every year. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of the organization, but not an active one.) People often mistakenly believe that the County owns the Fairgrounds and puts on the Fair. We do not. 

 

         The County does contribute substantial funding to the Ag Association, however. In addition to giving somewhere in the neighborhood of $90,000 each year, the County has assisted on numerous facilities upgrades over the years. We have contributed a lot of money.

 

         The Ag Association puts on a children’s rodeo every year. As I mentioned earlier, it is not my cup of tea, and I have never attended. But by all accounts, it draws a big crowd. So we definitely have constituents who do like it. It is also a fundraiser for the Ag Association.

 

         Recently a group of Johnson County residents has begun protesting the children’s rodeo, and challenging the County to cut off Ag Association funding if the event is not dropped.

 

         The Board of Supervisors (Solomon-like?) split the difference. We continued to fund the Ag Association, but stipulated that tax dollars not be used for the children’s rodeo. The Ag Association agreed. The protesters (who do not have any official group name of which I am aware) accepted this as a step in the right direction. But they still want the event banned.

 

         So the protesters showed up at the event. There was a confrontation and an arrest. Both groups feel their rights were violated. Protesters note that the event is open to the public; therefore, they should be allowed to protest. The Ag Association feels they should be able to ban the protesters from their property. There are several Supreme Court cases that address similar situations, but I know just enough to be dangerous. We are going to need the County Attorney’s Office to clarify the rights of all involved. 

 

         This matters to the County because the Sheriff’s Office is being called by both sides, and Deputies do not know how to respond. We cannot allow that situation to persist; Deputies need clear direction.

 

         Back to the funding issue. Adding caveats to our block grants troubles me. Over my time as a Supervisor, I have been a loud and consistent voice for taking a hands-off approach with our block grant agencies. I am actually very proud of my work in this area. I came from a nonprofit background, and I know how much paperwork and administrative time can go into securing even a small amount of money. I want our relationship with the nonprofits we fund to be the easiest, most flexible, most stress-free relationship they have with a funder.

 

         Of course that does not mean there is NO accountability. We still require a contract, regular updates, and an annual review. It is not free money. But the idea is very much, “Go do good things, and we will not micromanage.” I know nonprofits appreciate that.

 

         That is why I am concerned about putting additional strings on the Ag Association money. Will we get another group demanding we put restrictions on DVIP? Will a third group demand restrictions on Shelter House? Will a fourth group demand restrictions on Neighborhood Centers? I definitely see the potential for a slippery slope. I would really prefer to go no farther than we already have – no tax dollars may support the kid’s rodeo.

 

         So – I am not a fan of the kid’s rodeo. The question is, should I force those beliefs on everyone else? In some cases – such as civil rights matters – I would say yes. In this case, I am not similarly moved. Perhaps that is a moral failing on my part; I certainly admit to being imperfect. As Board members, we are in a position where we can use the power of the purse. But because we can does not necessarily mean we should.

 

         See what I did there? From a purely political standpoint, I got it all wrong. Both sides feel as though I do not support them. Politically, it is a classic lose-lose situation. But I firmly believe we need to make the best decisions we can, not the best decisions for us politically.

 

 

 

*DID YOU KNOW?  The University of Iowa was the first public university in the US to admit women on an equal basis.

 

 

 

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

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

 

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---Rod