SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
April 28, 2022
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/3/22
In this edition:
*Happy Mother’s Day!
*Congratulations Mark!
*Weiner for Senate
*Iowa Legislature
*ARPA Funds at Work!
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Did You Know?
*Happy Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8. I know that this is a difficult day for many people, and I want to respect that. Yet I feel the need to talk about some special people in my life.
I want to wish a particularly Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom, Susan Sullivan Smith, and my wife, Melissa Fath. One is a birth mom, one is a foster and adoptive mom – both are amazing people who have touched many lives.
I sometimes wish people could actually see how amazing Melissa is. We’ve had over 50 foster children over the years, and she has never missed a beat once. Melissa has done all that parenting, while at the same time doing full time cancer research. She is truly incredible!
Seven years ago at this time, I was afraid I might lose her. Melissa was fighting cancer, and we did not know exactly what to expect. Thank God things went well, and this Mom-of-all-Moms is still with us today!
I hope all the moms out there have a wonderful day! You deserve it! Thanks for all you do!
*Congratulations Mark!
After 37+ years of dedication to the Auditor’s Office, Mark Kistler has retired. His last day with Johnson County was Friday, April 29. He promised to return and help with elections, so you may see him around again sometime soon!
Mark began work in the Auditor’s Office on October 15, 1984. He spent four years as an Elections Technician before making the jump to Real Estate Deputy. In 1991, he opted for another challenge and as Mapping Deputy, he led the County’s new GIS mapping project. When that project finished in 1995, he redrew his boundaries again, this time as Minutes and Publications Deputy, where he tracked every vote taken by the Supervisors. In 2002, he reclaimed his title as Real Estate Deputy and remained there ever since.
We will sorely miss his institutional knowledge and experience, along with his can-do attitude, leadership, enthusiasm, and overall good cheer. In all seriousness, I have worked for Johnson County for 18 years. I have never seen a better public servant. Never. I tip my cap to you, Mark Kistler! Congratulations!
*Weiner for Senate
Democrats have several considerations as they prepare to go to the polls in the June primaries. Here is one decision that should be very simple: support Janice Weiner in Senate District 45.
Senate District 45 is basically 75% of Iowa City plus University Heights, and is currently occupied by State Senator Joe Bolkcom. If you like Joe’s work and care about Iowa City, then supporting Janice should be an easy choice.
Janice is a native of Coralville, and a graduate of West High. Her academic credentials are impressive – Princeton undergrad, followed by Stanford Law. Janice then spent 26 years in the US Foreign Service, including work in Germany, Poland, Turkey, Mexico, and Canada.
Upon returning to Iowa City, Weiner decided that public service was still in her blood, so she ran and was elected to the Iowa City Council in 2020. She has also been heavily involved in the Democratic Party at the local, District, and State levels. Janice is a lifelong member of Agudas Achim, and if elected, would be the first Jew to serve in the Iowa Legislature since the mid-90s.
I have gotten to know Janice well over the years, and I endorse her wholeheartedly. She is extremely smart, extremely thoughtful, works very hard, and really cares about people who lack power in this society. Janice has done the work and put in the time.
I spend a lot of time volunteering for the Democratic Party. Janice is ALWAYS there. ALWAYS. I have NEVER seen her opponent volunteering for the party. NEVER. This is an easy choice, folks!
I am voting for Janice Weiner for Senate District 45. I hope you will join me.
*Iowa Legislature
I have had a couple of people ask why I haven’t written more about the Iowa Legislature this year. Frankly, the answer is simple: my mental health gets much worse when I think about it.
Every single day of the session, Republicans in Des Moines work to make our state less clean, less intelligent, less wealthy, less healthy, less caring, less safe, less fair, and less kind. I just don’t feel like writing about it.
Don’t worry; I’ll work like hell to change it! But I just cannot write about it every week. It is too depressing.
*ARPA Funds at Work!
The Johnson County Direct Assistance Program application process will open at noon on Monday, April 25, 2022. Applications will be accepted through Monday, May 23, 2022.
The Direct Assistance Program provides assistance to residents who experienced negative economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The County is investing $2 million of funds received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The City of Iowa City has also contributed $1.5 million to the program.
Eligible residents who are low- to moderate-income with documented hardship due to COVID-19 are invited to apply for a $1,400 emergency relief payment.
The application will be available online beginning at noon on Monday, April 25, 2022. Because the number of applications may exceed available funds, eligible recipients will be chosen by random selection. Applying for the program does not guarantee that an individual will receive assistance.
Only Johnson County residents are eligible for the Direct Assistance Program. Based on Iowa Code, someone who lives in Johnson County for the purpose of receiving services; residing in a hospital, correctional facility, halfway house, nursing facility, intermediate care facility; or for the purpose of attending a college or university is not considered a Johnson County resident.
More information is available at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/direct-assistance-program. The list of accepted documentation is available on the website in English, Spanish, French, Swahili and Arabic. A Spanish translation of the website is available at https://johnsoncountyiowa.gov/programa-de-asistencia-directa.
More information about ARPA and how it impacts Johnson County is available at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/arpa.
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
Save the date! The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards event on Saturday, May 14 at 7pm at Brown Deer Country Club in Coralville.
Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available. Parking is free.
The Hall of Fame inductees for 2022 are: Karla Smith and Mat Matthess, Chris and Mike Weinard, and Carol and Roscoe Porch. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!
Tickets are available for a $25 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome, but please call 354-7199 so we can get a count.
Sponsorships are available at the following levels:
$100 includes two tickets
$250 includes 4 tickets
$500 includes a whole table (8 tickets)
$1000 includes a whole table (8 tickets) and lots of love!
Checks can be mailed to:
Johnson County Democrats
PO Box 1773
Iowa City, IA 52244
If you have any questions, please contact Rod Sullivan at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. We hope you will join us for a fun evening, and lend your voice to those who are honoring these very deserving people. We look forward to seeing you!
*DID YOU KNOW? Mark Kistler is the last Johnson County employee who worked in the Courthouse prior to the construction of the Administration Building in 1986!
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!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 10:44 AM
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