SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

February 24, 2022

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/1/22

In this edition:

*Congratulations Dan Kramer!

*Irony Regarding ARPA

*Ridiculous Charges Dropped

*More ARPA

*Luke 27-38

*Did You Know?

*Congratulations Dan Kramer!

A bit congrats to Environmental Health Specialist Dan Kramer, who is retiring after 42 years with Johnson County Public Health! That is not a misprint! For 42 years Dan has served the people of Johnson County!

Thanks for everything, Dan! I will miss seeing your smiling face around campus. Enjoy your retirement – you have earned it!

*Irony Regarding ARPA

I am pretty sick of the attacks the County and Iowa City are getting over the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. One person a week or so ago talked about “speaking truth to power.” There has not been much of that. Why? Because there are two parts to that equation, and one is truth!

Don’t get me wrong; many of the people who write us make their case well. But others – pretty much 100% white folks - rely heavily on talking points that are usually full of hyperbole and half-truths.

Here is a perfect example: on Thursday, February 16, Sheriff Kunkel and two of his staff sat in the Board Room, waiting to talk about A) mental health services in the jail, and B) the hiring of reserve deputies. These were the second and third items on that meeting’s agenda, respectively.

But rather than look at the agenda, I got several emails accusing the Board of “threatening” speakers by having the Sheriff there. A simple reading of the agenda would indicate that the Sheriff needed to be there to discuss the items on the agenda. But now this has been falsely described as “sic the cops on speakers.” It is simply not true. But I got a dozen emails accusing me of that.

Another example: They held a “training” recently, attended by 250 people, as to how to apply for the County assistance. The only problem? The County has not decided that yet! So when the County does come up with an application, and it differs from what they were “trained” on, the County gets to be the bad guy.

Every meeting, speakers demand millions for their pet project. But little gets said about where ARPA money is actually going. Want to know where the ARPA money is being spent?

We are hiring a couple Community Health Nurses in Public Health. We are boosting the GuideLink Center, which serves people facing mental health and/or substance abuse challenges. We have greatly expanded the money available through our General Assistance program, which provides direct financial assistance to our poorest residents. We put money toward support of minority-owned businesses. We are putting significant money toward our local nonprofits. We are investing in affordable housing. We are investing in affordable childcare. We are putting money toward addressing food insecurity.

So, if the Board responded to the protesters the way some of the protesters have addressed us, it would be like this: “Why do you hate people with mental illness? Why do you hate poor children? Why are you so opposed to food and housing for the poor?”

It is also worth pointing out that outside of Iowa City and Johnson County, there will not be a single municipal government in Iowa that will provide funding to folks who are not US citizens. None. There are only two governments that will do anything. And they are the two that are under constant attack. Think about that for a second.

Another irony: I put forth the idea of direct payments to excluded workers about a year ago - long before the protests and emails started. It is in the minutes – you can look it up. This has always been something I wanted to get done. But the folks who email us have never been told that. The white allies in the group have done everything they can to vilify certain Supervisors.

As you can tell by my tone, yes, this has been a real drag. The amount of wasted energy is unmeasurable. It has significantly contributed to Johnson County being a less-friendly, less open place. It is just so sad and pointless.

I’m so tired of the daily drama. Our efforts are being mischaracterized to such a great degree. It has taken such a toll on county staff, who don’t deserve this. I hope folks will take the time to look past the talking points, and learn what is actually happening.

But the thing that really pisses me off is the way a bunch of white, self-righteous attention-seekers have used a group of immigrants to further their own personal and professional goals. It is shameful. The immigrants may end up getting what they want. But it will be in spite of these people, not because of them.

*Ridiculous Charges Dropped

You may recall that last fall, the Iowa City Catholic Worker House and a small group of individuals filed a human rights complaint against me, claiming I was a racist.

The City of Iowa City was also named. Because it would be an obvious conflict of interest, the Iowa City Human Rights Investigator referred the whole thing to the Iowa Civil Right Commission.

The Iowa Civil Rights Commission has made a decision in the case, and dropped everything. Everything. They decided it was not even worth their time.

Here is the thing that blew my mind: the Catholic Worker House filled a legal complaint against me. Then they kept demanding that I speak with them. Needless to say, County Attorney Janet Lyness advised me to not speak with someone who had taken legal action against me.

So, the Catholic Worker House kept going on social media, haranguing me with comments such as, “Why is he afraid to meet?” “Why won’t Sullivan talk to his constituents?” Convenient, huh? I don’t know about you, but I grew up Catholic. This wasn’t how we were taught to treat people.

Anyway, all the lies they tell on a constant basis did not carry the day with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The Commission denied them utterly and completely.

This is not the first time the Catholic Worker House has been caught lying. They kept misrepresenting Congressman Loebsack to such a great degree that the US House of Representatives Legal Counsel had to send them a cease-and-desist letter. Keep that in mind next time you see one of their press releases that slams the Board of Supervisors.

*More ARPA

Yes, there is more ARPA to report. Such a joy, right? On Thursday, the Board voted whether or not to give some type of preference to workers who were previously excluded from other federal pandemic assistance programs. Supervisor Green and I voted to do so. Supervisors Green Douglass, Heiden, and Porter voted against giving a preference.

A bit of background: A few months ago, the Board made some changes to our General Assistance program (aid to poor residents) that I felt were very good. The changes dramatically increased the number of people eligible for assistance.

Because this assistance already exists for anyone who meets the income threshold, I feel it is totally appropriate to target this additional pot of ARPA money to a group of people who did not receive the earlier federal assistance. Again, I’m the person who put this forward in the first place, almost a year ago.

(I should note that until a long meeting with County staff on Tuesday, February 22, I was not clear that we even COULD target this group of people. I am now satisfied that we could do so.)

So – I am disappointed that the vote went the way it did. I am curious as to what steps the Iowa City Council will take now, as it had appeared to me that most of them agree with Supervisor Green and I on this. I guess we shall see. Meanwhile, I am committed to making the program that did get approved the best that it can be.

*Luke 6:27-38

I realize this edition of Salvos has been pretty negative. I apologize for that. I am trying to arrive at a better place. Last Sunday’s sermon came at a great time for me. It was based on Luke 6:27-38.

In short, this says, “Do good to those who hate you.” It is an important tenet, but in practice, not the easiest thing to do. I hope you will forgive me as I struggle to get closer to this ideal.

*DID YOU KNOW? Texas has both the second-most populous county in the US and the least populous county in the US. Harris County, TX (home to Houston) is the second most populous county at just under 5 million people. With a population of 64 per the 2020 census, Loving County, TX is the least-populous county in the contiguous United States. Its county seat and only community is Mentone.

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

February 17, 2022

Money matters in campaigns. If you donated to Jack Hatch and/or Fred Hubbell but have not donated to Dierdre DeJear and/or Ras Smith? Take a hard look in the mirror.

The DVIP Souper Bowl is happening February 24^th. Visit dvipiowa.org/events/ to purchase tickets.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is still available for qualifying low- to moderate-income workers in Johnson County. VITA provides free tax preparation assistance from trained volunteers from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, and College of Law. VITA services are available through Monday, April 12, 2022. This year tax returns will be completed virtually.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that 20 percent of American workers do not claim the refundable tax credits for which they are eligible, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). EITC is a special benefit for working people with an income less than $57,414. Workers who qualify for the EITC and file a federal tax return may be eligible for a portion or all of the federal income tax taken out of their pay during the year. They may also receive additional cash back from the IRS. Even workers whose earnings were too small to owe income tax may be eligible for the EITC.

Trained student volunteer tax preparers help ensure that eligible taxpayers receive the EITC and any other qualifying tax credits. All volunteers are certified by the IRS in preparing returns and have had at least one tax course as part of their coursework or law training.

Electronic filing is provided so that taxpayers can receive their tax refunds quickly. Taxpayers who work with VITA volunteers to help file their taxes do not pay to have their returns prepared and do not pay to get their refunds.

Eligible households must have a 2021 annual income below $57,000. Those interested in free tax preparation and filing should call 319-335-0857 or emailvita@uiowa.edu. Translation services are available. More information is available at biz.uiowa.edu/vita.

VITA is a partnership among Johnson County Social Services, the UI Tippie College of Business, Iowa Center for Economic Success and GreenState Credit Union.

I saw recently that my friend Charlie Funk is retiring from MidWest One Bank. I have known Charlie since he moved to Iowa City over twenty years ago, and over time our relationship has grown in multiple ways.

First, I have long been a customer. I was a customer when it was Iowa State Bank and Trust, and have remained through the transition. Have you ever stopped to think how much MidWest One has grown? When Charlie started, the assets were $500 million. They are now above $6 billion, with offices in several states. Meanwhile, they have remained true to Iowa City, investing a tremendous amount in local real estate, creating hundreds of jobs, and being great community partners on too many things to mention.

There is another piece to the customer side, however, and that is simply how any given customer gets treated. I am always floored by the outstanding customer service my family and I have received at MidWest One. Every time – every interaction – without fail, is a positive experience. Certainly some of that commitment comes from the top, and that is due to Charlie.

Charlie and I worked together on the steering committee for the “Yes for Kids” bond vote in 2003 that built Tate High School, North Central Junior High, Van Allen Elementary, and made several improvements to other facilities. We bonded (pun intended!) over both being City High sports parents, and began communicating regularly. We have had some great political debates, typically agreeing on most things. When I got elected and began this weekly missive, it was Charlie who dubbed it, “Sullivan’s Salvos,” a name that has stuck.

Most importantly, Charlie is a good person who cares about his community and is committed to doing the right thing. He is honest, intelligent, and funny. I am proud of what he has accomplished, and I am proud to call him my friend! Congratulations, Charlie!

I am always frustrated when a news article says, “The Board approved (blank)” when the vote was 4-1 or 3-2. There are two stories there, and one was completely ignored.

Yes, the vote passed. So something will happen (or not) because of that vote. That is the first story. But why did the dissenter(s) dissent? That gets into the details of the project, which some people may care about deeply.

It can also tell the public a lot about their Elected Officials. Perhaps one person consistently votes against things because she feels they are too expensive. That is good information to have about your elected officials.

It can also help you to find hypocrisy in Elected Officials. She voted “no” because this $100k project was too expensive, but then voted for 3 other $100k projects. What were the differences? How does she justify it? Do you see how important this information can be in evaluating the votes of elected officials?

Yes, 5-0 votes also deserve scrutiny. They can sometimes obscure group think, laziness, or even corruption. More commonly, there just isn’t much “there” there.

Even on 5-0 votes there can be differences of opinion from Board Members. We just very rarely ever get asked “why” we voted the way we voted.

I wish writers would take the time to discuss 3-2 and 4-1 votes. Sometimes that is where the real story lies.

The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake.

BBBS is trying several different things to get bowlers to participate: You can bowl in person (like normal) but masked and distanced; you can get a rain check and bowl later in the year; you can bowl virtually using an app; or you can compete in an online trivia contest.

I am not going in person this year. That is sad, because it is the second year in a row after a streak of about 16 consecutive years. (Ironically, BFKS was one of the last things we did in 2020 before COVID hit.)

But we are still going to raise money! Because BBBS is REALLY important! Statistics show that having a trusted adult mentor makes an unbelievable difference in the life of a child. Kids with BBBS matches do better academically, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. This simple idea WORKS.

*DID YOU KNOW? I got curious about the history of my new street address. It is named “Linn Street” because it headed to Linn County. Linn County, in turn, is named for Lewis Fields Linn, a Missouri Senator and strong proponent of Western expansion and development.

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 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!

February 9, 2022

Congratulations to County Attorney Janet Lyness, who recently announced that she will not seek reelection. Lyness will serve until December 31, 2022, at which time a new County Attorney will be sworn in.

Let’s begin with the obvious. County Attorney is a tough job. A quarter of the population wants you to “get tough on crime.” They want longer, harsher sentences, and fewer plea bargains. About 40% of the population wants you to reduce the number of charges filled and the severity of those charges. 35% of the people would answer, “It depends.” And one’s outlook can depend upon whether their loved one was a victim or a perpetrator.

In addition, the professional ethics of the office prevent the County Attorney from talking in detail about most cases. So the strongly held opinions of uninformed people on social media often carry the day.

I have had the pleasure of serving with Janet her whole time as an elected official (2006-2022), though she has served in the County Attorney’s Office since 1990. And that experience is something that has really benefitted Janet in her job – there is very little she hasn’t already seen.

Janet has instituted some important changes over the years – she created a drug treatment court, a marijuana diversion program, and assisted in the development of the GuideLink Center. Under her leadership, the county attorney’s office also developed diversion programs to address racial and economic disparity in the criminal justice system. In addition, she was the first woman to hold the office of Johnson County Attorney.

But that is all professional stuff. I will miss Janet because she is such a good person. She is kind, caring, compassionate, smart, dedicated, and funny. She really is a great human being. We have been lucky to have her, and I will really miss her. Congratulations, Janet!

You might have heard recently that the Compensation Board recommended 18% increases for the elected officials in Johnson County. Unfortunately, few of the news outlets that reported this never followed up to see how the Supervisors actually voted.

First, a bit of background: The Compensation Board is a creation of Iowa Law. It exists to recommend salary increases for elected officials. Supervisors appoint two members to this Board; the Sheriff, County Attorney, Auditor, Recorder, and Treasurer each appoint one member. The Board then meets once a year to recommend salaries for the elected officials.

The Auditor’s Office runs around gathering a whole bunch of information for these folks to use in their decisions; 99% of which is useless, though perhaps interesting. The two most important bits of information BY FAR are not included in this packet: that being the County’s budget outlook and the desires of the Board of Supervisors.

My stance has been consistent from the very beginning – elected officials ought to get equal to or less than what the unions have negotiated. There were years that I was outvoted, and that is fine.

Meanwhile, most years a rogue member or two of the Compensation Board decides to propose a 20% raise for the elected official they represent. Then they spend a bit of time explaining how the person they represent works harder than the other elected officials, leaving behind a roomful of hurt feelings. Then a recommendation for an increase of 6, 7, or 8% comes to the Supervisors. In that meeting, I make a motion to cut that recommendation to what the unions are getting. The motion carries. And we repeat the same, stupid cycle year after year after year.

The whole process is a ridiculous waste of time. All it does is generate misleading headlines and hurt feelings.

That is basically what happened this year. We approved 2.25% raises for the Supervisors. So why must we go through this ridiculous farce every year?

The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake.

The League of American Bicyclists has again recognized the Johnson County Downtown Campus with a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Business award. The campus first earned the designation in 2017.

The Johnson County Downtown Campus is being honored for such efforts as sharing safe riding guidelines in multiple languages, and hosting educational events and fairs. Newer recognized activities include an ICAD-Merge partnership to share advice with local businesses on how to be bike friendly, and a series of “bike commuter” profiles in the employee newsletter.

Increased financial support from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to the Iowa City Bike Library, which provides affordable bikes to people in the community and focuses on bicycle equity, education and accessibility, was also an important activity.

The Johnson County Downtown Campus renewed Gold designation will be active through 2025.There are 28 Bicycle Friendly Businesses in Iowa, including 13 in Johnson County. In addition, eight Iowa cities are Bicycle Friendly Communities, including Iowa City—Silver, Coralville—Bronze, and University Heights—Bronze. The University of Iowa has achieved Silver in the Universities category.

When you live in the same place for 21 years, you develop thousands of tiny habits. When you move, those habits get upended. So you suddenly struggle with things that did not used to require any effort. For example: Where do you put your keys? Where do you keep spare change? Why can’t I find a pen? You get the idea.

I took a very interesting class back in college at the UI (you know it was interesting, because I still remember it 38 years later) called Physical Geography. It simply asked us to record where we go, how we get there, and how long we spend there. Then we graphed it. Then we discussed it. It was fascinating! (In my case, many roads led to the Vine on East Prentiss!)

Interestingly, while I have spent a lot of time in Iowa City, I have barely spent any time in my new neighborhood. I have spent a great deal of time in the north side businesses, but not the residential area to the north. I always lived on the south side, until I bought a house on the east side. I worked on the north side briefly, with a part-time office at the old DHS for a few years. But I spent very little time in-office. Rarely recreated there. Rarely visited there. Although it is familiar, it is actually very new.

There has been a great deal of work done across disciplines about sense of place. I love the notion of a “third place.” I have always been attracted to this line of thinking. My friend Tom Dean writes about it frequently in Little Village. My friends Jim Throgmorton and Barbara Eckstein have done some wonderful work on places and stories; if you find any of this interesting, please check out their work. Moving has made me acutely aware of some of the things I have read over the years.

I have been feeling pretty discombobulated lately, and I’m afraid it will take a while to begin feeling a sense of normalcy in my new surroundings. So please bear with me as I develop a new sense of place!

*DID YOU KNOW? “Third places” is a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time between home ('first' place) and work ('second' place). They are locations where we exchange ideas, have a good time, and build relationships.

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 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!

February 3, 2022

Johnson County lost a giant recently with the passing of Carol Spaziani. Carol, 91, came to Iowa City from California with her then-husband Gene in the late 50s. She was contacted almost immediately by the Johnson County League of Women Voters. (I believe Carol told me it was Ruth Becker who originally reached out to her, but don’t quote me on that.) Carol joined in, starting a 60+ year-long run with that organization. Carol was active in the civil rights movement, local politics, and everywhere those two intersected.

Later on, Carol worked at the Iowa City Public Library, where she advocated vociferously on freedom of speech issues. This dovetailed well with her work as a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Carol was a feminist who fought for the ERA and started Iowa City’s first female softball league. Carol also became deeply involved in the local chapter of the National Association for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), where she held several leadership roles. Carol was also a major power in the local Democratic Party. Although she was always gentle and kind, Carol’s support could make or break a candidate.

I met Carol doing advocacy work for people with disabilities. We hit it off, and when I decided to run for office, Carol gave me her support. I understand full well how important that was; nobody knew me, but everyone knew Carol!

I remember a meeting many moons ago where a bunch of us were sitting around at the home of Karen Kubby and Joe Bolkcom trying to identify candidates for the IC Council. Carol was there, and someone said, “We have the best possible candidate right here - Carol Spaziani!” Carol demurred, saying, “I’m too old. We need new blood.” I teased Carol about that many times over the years, noting, “Carol, if you’d said yes back then you would have served 8 years today.” Eight became twelve, twelve became twenty; you get the idea.

I remember talking with some friends who were 15 or so years older than me on Election Night in 1992. They were very excited about the election of Bill Clinton. Actually, they were more excited than they expected to be, and they couldn’t quite put their collective finger on it. Carol had the answer: “He is from your generation. I had the same feeling in 1960 with John Kennedy. It felt as though we were now in charge.” Carol nailed it, of course. So it did not surprise me when I felt that same thing in 2008 upon the election of Barack Obama.

More importantly than all her amazing accomplishments, I will remember Carol as someone who was kind, gentle, and generous, but also persuasive and persistent. She usually got what she wanted! Carol was incredibly smart and well-informed. She inspired tremendous trust and loyalty. And she was funny! Really funny! I almost never had a conversation with her when we did not laugh.

Rest in peace, Carol Spaziani. I will miss you terribly. Thanks for all you have done for me personally; more importantly, thanks for all you have done for our community.

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Dave Tiffany of Iowa City. Dave was a longtime prosecutor in the County Attorney’s Office, so our paths certainly crossed there. But I actually got to know Dave through two different avenues.

I met Dave because I worked with his son, Michael. Michael has some significant disabilities, and it was truly a joy to watch Dave interact with his son. Dave was kind, gentle, and patient. But he also made a lot of little jokes, and rolled with the punches. That said, if Dave felt Michael was somehow not getting what he deserved, there was no fiercer advocate!

About that same time Dave and I connected through politics. Dave and I lived in the same precinct, and often found ourselves working on the same campaigns. He was a hard-core Democrat, who believed deeply in the idea that everyone deserved a fair chance.

Then there was Dave’s higher-profile gig as a prosecutor in the County Attorney’s Office. We talked about his job – especially after I was elected as a Supervisor. Dave had put many people away for murder, rape, and other crimes. He felt as though his work gave him an upfront view of the worst that humanity had to offer. And it probably did.

But despite those experiences, Dave was not jaded. He was a true believer in the American system of justice. While he acknowledged it could be improved, he really believed that we have the opportunity to get it right.

A very happy retirement to Dennis Reese of Iowa Public Radio! As a regular listener for decades now, I have found Dennis’ voice to be a calming and steady presence in my life. It may seem small, but it matters. In addition, Dennis is a smart, witty, and all-around good guy. Congratulations on your retirement, Dennis! You will be missed!

The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP)’s 25th Anniversary Souper Bowl Fundraiser will be held on Feb. 24 at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City from 2 to 6 p.m. In an effort to keep the community safe, participants may pick up their soup in person at Big Grove or choose contactless delivery. “Soupporters” will be able to choose from 15 soups donated by local restaurants.

The 25th Annual Souper Bowl tickets will go on sale Friday at 9 a.m. Visit dvipiowa.org/events/ to purchase tickets.

Tickets will be available through Feb. 10. Preorder soups and choose from 15 local restaurants in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty and Washington. Participants will receive a commemorative 25th anniversary mug with each general ticket sold. Come pick up your soup, and if you would like, stay a bit to socialize safely with fellow ticket holders, DVIP board of directors, volunteers, and staff.

To-go soups will need to be heated and enjoyed at home. There also will be family packages and a VIP package that includes free Big Grove beer tokens to be used when you would like, and special gifts. Ticket holders also have the option to have their soup delivered within a 15-mile radius of Big Grove between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m. Those in need of special accommodations should contact communityengagement@dvipiowa.org.

For over 40 years, DVIP has partnered with the community to support victim-survivors and provide safety solutions. As DVIP and other victim service programs face a 25% funding cut, “this event is vital because it provides the financial support to ensure our advocates are there when victim-survivors need them,” said Alta Medea, director of community engagement. “In addition, the Souper Bowl demonstrates that we, as a community, support and believe victim-survivors. This event shows them that they are not alone.”

This community event raises funds for victims of intimate partner violence, human trafficking, stalking, and harassment in the counties that DVIP serves. The “Souper Bowl” was created by Executive Director Kristie Fortmann-Doser to challenge the myth that more violence occurs against women around the NFL Super Bowl.

Past years’ attendees are encouraged to share photos and memories from the past 25 years by emailing communityengagement@dvipiowa.org. Images and stories will be shared on DVIP’s social media channels, web page, commemorative photo book, and on the day of the event at the pickup location.

The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) provides comprehensive services to victim-survivors of intimate partner violence. For over 40 years, DVIP has offered support, resources, and safety to individuals in an eight-county service region. DVIP’s services include a 24/7/365 hotline, safety planning, advocacy, trauma-informed counseling, emergency pet programs, and more. Individuals who need help should call our hotline at (800) 373-1043.

*DID YOU KNOW? Violence against women, men, and children happens every day. 1 in 4 women, 1 in 7 men, and 1 in 15 children will be affected by intimate partner abuse in their lifetime.

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 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!

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