SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 4, 2021
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/9/21
In this edition:
*Say it Ain’t So, Joe!
*Veterans Day
*Election Results
*Critics and Elected Officials
*Trees and Climate Change
*Did You Know?
*Say it Ain’t So, Joe!
Joe Bolkcom, my State Senator since 1998, announced his retirement. In a time where progressives have not had a lot to celebrate, this comes as yet another blow.
My headline makes me sound pretty desperate. Honestly, that is not how I am feeling. (As much as anything, Joe and I are both big baseball fans, so it just seemed to fit.) I am going to treat this moment as it should be treated - as a cause for celebration. Joe Bolkcom is my friend, a mentor, a fantastic public servant, and a great guy. He has served the people of Johnson County long and well, and he has earned this retirement.
I remember back in 1989, when our mutual friend Dave Leshtz told me I needed to get involved in local politics. He suggested that I start with supporting a candidate for Iowa City Council named Joe Bolkcom. I was impressed by Joe, and pitched in on the campaign. Luckily, Joe lost that race. Luckily, because two and a half years later he was elected to the Board of Supervisors!
Joe Bolkcom was almost certainly the most transformative Supervisor in the modern history of the Board. Before Joe, technology and transparency were afterthoughts. Joe took environmental concerns to the next level. Joe supported people with disabilities living in the community. Before Joe, the Board was generally run by a very conservative group of Democrats. Joe led the way for a different type of Democrat to serve. Joe also recognized that Johnson County had become urban, and many urban residents were going unserved.
I have written before about how I sit in the same seat Joe occupied on the Board of Supervisors. Every single day I remind myself that he held the seat before I did. Every single day I try to live up to his standard. I rarely achieve that standard, but I am honored to have the opportunity to try.
This is an important time in Johnson County. Christina Bohannon is running for Congress, so her seat in the Iowa House will be open. With Bolkcom retiring, his seat in the Iowa Senate will be open. That is a lot of change in a delegation that had been unchanged for 20 years. I sincerely hope we get a good group of candidates to take on the impossible job of filling Joe’s shoes.
Meanwhile, thanks again, Joe. You have been a great State Senator, and I truly appreciate all your work.
*Veterans Day
Happy Veterans Day on November 11. Thanks to all the men and women who have served our country. I appreciate your service, and wish you peace.
Veterans For Peace Chapter #161 is sponsoring an Armistice Day Observance to be held on Thursday, November 11th near the new peace pole in Blackhawk Mini Park. The event begins at 10:45 AM. Bells will be rung at 11:00 AM, as they rang around the world at the end of WWI in 1918 and on each November 11th for decades thereafter. Armistice Day is a day to promote PEACE and to remember the victims of war, both veterans and civilians.
The event will feature Veterans For Peace from throughout the state of Iowa. The event is free, and the public is welcome. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there will be no social event following the observance.
*Election Results
School Board and City Council campaigns were a hot topic the past couple of weeks. Let’s get right to the results!
In Iowa City, voters reelected Bruce Teague and elected Megan Alter to At-Large seats, and elected Shawn Harmsen to District B. I really missed this one… I expected a close race, and that never materialized.
In Coralville, Meghann Foster becomes the first female Mayor. Yes, the first in 148 years! In a contested Council race, incumbents Hai Huynh and Laurie Goodrich were reelected, while newcomer Mike Knudson joins the Council.
In North Liberty, longtime incumbent Councilor Chris Hoffman becomes the new Mayor, defeating Mike Mbwanza. Incumbent Brian Wayson and Erek Sittig both win, as both were unopposed for City Council.
In Lone Tree, incumbent Mayor Joanne Havel was beaten 170-55 by newcomer Josh Spillman.
In the ICCSD, voters returned incumbents Ruthina Malone and JP Claussen to the Board, along with newcomer Jayne Finch. MaKa Pilcher Hayek joins them as she was unopposed for the 2-year-term. Thankfully, voters said “yes” to ongoing school funding in overwhelming fashion.
In the Clear Creek Amana School District, a pretty ugly race resulted in incumbent Joe Burns winning, while incumbents Michelle Emmel and Abdouramane Bila were defeated by Jennifer Downes and Kara Prickett, respectively. They were joined in the winner’s circle by Shawn Kukuzke.
In the Solon Community School District, a spirited race saw incumbents Dan Coons and Tim Brown retain their seats, joined by Cassie Rochholz.
It was the usual story as far as turnouts were concerned. 19.3% is actually really good for school and city elections. But should we be satisfied with 19% turnout? Of course not!
*Critics and Elected Officials
I have heard it before, but more this year than ever: people asking candidates, “Why in the world would you want to do this?”
I get it. Candidates are opening themselves up to what has become a very ugly reality. Criticism is more frequent, more personal, harsher, and more unfair than at any time in my memory. There are lots of trolls out there, and very few people who want to actually make things better. So I salute those who decided to run.
I could attempt to further express my appreciation for the candidates, but I could never say it as well as the following quote from Teddy Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
*Trees and Climate Change
It is obvious to me that the effects of climate change are in evidence when you think about Iowa City’s trees.
Despite last year’s derecho, the tree canopy in Iowa City right now is truly magnificent. The colors are incredible! It is interesting, however… Melissa and I take one workday off each fall to go “leaf watching.” We typically drive somewhere between 30 minutes and three hours, to a place with good hiking and good fall color. It is always quite enjoyable.
Because we are busy and only get one shot at this day, I always spend some time on the internet and calling around to figure out the approximate date of peak fall color. And three years in a row, the experts have been at least two weeks early.
I think global warming is playing a part in this. Perhaps our experts just haven’t adapted as quickly as the trees!
I have made similar observations about leaves dropping. Iowa City runs a leaf vacuuming program that I appreciate very much. But once again, global warming seems to be impacting the program.
Iowa City expects to have leaf vacuuming wrapped up by November 24th. Just look around – 70 to 80% of the leaves remain on the trees. Unless we have major wind events, there is no way everything will be down by November 24. And this has been the case for at least a half-a-dozen years. IC extends the program every single year.
I understand the City’s frustration – the same trucks that vacuum are needed to plow snow, and the transition is neither easy nor quick. But obviously we are going to need to adjust to a changing climate, whether that means losing this popular service or a slower response to the first snow.
*DID YOU KNOW? African Americans have served 32 total years on the Iowa City Council. Ross Wilburn (12), George Strait (8), Kingsley Botchway (5), Mazahir Saliah (4), and Bruce Teague (3). There have been about 950 total Council years of service. (170 years times 5.5 seats serving each year.)
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 @ 11:35 AM
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