SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

February 22, 2023

Sullivan’s Salvos 2/28/23

In this edition:

*Night of 1000 Dinners

*The Good Guys

*Doing the Job of County Supervisor

*Leadership

*Free Tax Help!

*Did You Know?

*Night of 1000 Dinners

Unfortunately, I cannot attend due to a Public Hearing. But I am glad to see that Night of 1000 Dinners is back with in-person and virtual options.

Join the Johnson County UNA on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 6:00 pm for a community celebration of International Women’s Day. The in-person International Buffet with the Program will begin at 6:00 pm at the Mercer Park Aquatic Center in Iowa City. The Program’s Live Stream will begin at 7:00 pm.

Join us for an International buffet, entertainment from diverse cultures, and recognition of groups advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal #15 Life on Land: Grow Johnson County, Field to Family, and Great Plains Action Society.

Tickets are $25 ($10 for students and people with limited income). Donations are gratefully accepted to support participation by community members. To buy tickets or make a donation: https://N1KD23.eventbrite.com

This event is co-sponsored by PEACE Iowa.

*The Good Guys

As the Republicans in Iowa’s Legislature move forward with their book banning efforts, I thought about an old saying:

“Throughout history, it has never been the good guys banning books.” I don’t know who said it first, but AMEN!

*Doing the Job of County Supervisor

So what, exactly, is the job of a County Supervisor? People have been asking this question ever since I joined the Board, and long before that. Perhaps people have wondered ever since Johnson County was founded.

I think a big reason that people don’t understand what Supervisors do is that individual Supervisors have done the job quite differently. There is no textbook right or wrong way to do things. That said, as someone who has served for some time, I have strong opinions.

As a matter of fact, I have been working on a document that might serve as a kind of guideline for Supervisors. It was actually started years ago by then – Board Exec Andy Johnson, who never finished it before taking a different position.

I’m hoping my colleagues will look at it, weigh in, add to it, edit it, and bless it. We are preparing for some strategic planning in the spring; that seems like an appropriate time to bring it up.

For what it is worth, even if something is codified, it carries very little weight. Under Iowa Law, elected officials have very wide latitude. You can’t really MAKE anyone do anything.

But I think an agreed upon set of expectations might be a good first step. Here is what I have so far:

Maintain confidentiality whenever it is required.

Attend work sessions, formal meetings, liaison meetings, assigned committee meetings, and other meetings as scheduled.

If you cannot attend something, notify multiple people in advance.

Alert multiple staff people if you intend to be out of the office for an extended period of time.

Read the materials that appear in the Board packets.

Review the materials in your mailbox.

Do your part in employee evaluations.

Vote on everything unless you have a legitimate conflict of interest. (The County Attorney’s Office can assist in making that determination.)

Respond to routine internal emails within 72 hours. If it is going to take longer, you should have your “out of office” function enabled.

Respond to routine internal phone calls within 72 hours. If it is going to take longer, your outgoing message should reflect that.

Respond to emergencies as quickly as possible.

Abide by deadlines set by the Board. If you cannot meet a deadline, notify multiple people in advance.

Monitor your own spending on travel, training, etc. and stay within budgeted limits.

Spend enough time in the office to assist with occasional tasks.

You may read that and shake your head, and say, “I cannot believe he thinks he needs to write that stuff down.” I agree. But the fact is, it seems we might benefit from having “that stuff” written down.

Maybe the Board will decide discussing this is a bad idea. If so, I will just move on and treat the job the way I always have. I just thought it would be good for the public to know what I am thinking.

*Leadership

Anyone who has ever found themselves managing people has had an opportunity to be a leader. But what does leadership really mean? I have been thinking a lot about this lately; below are some of my thoughts.

We have a tendency to think of leadership as a positive trait. I think it is possible for an individual to be an effective leader, yet lead people down a bad path. Cult leaders come to mind, as do some political leaders. So it is not enough to just be an effective leader; you have to lead people in a good direction.

One of the challenges I find as far as leadership goes is being one of 5 equals on the Board. As much as I might like to, I do not get to decide the direction of the Board or the County. I can make my case, but ultimately I have to convince at least two other Supervisors that my direction is the correct one.

There is definitely a difference between being a good leader and being loved by everyone. I learned long ago that you cannot make everyone like you. Good leaders often have to say no. In my opinion, if everyone likes you, you are probably ineffective. If you are honest and open, people may not like you, but at least some will respect you. And respect is much more important.

Similarly, I think good leaders need to listen. Where we sometimes run into differences is when we listen, but still disagree. In the minds of many, unless we agree, you did not listen to me. That is not necessarily true.

I think leaders need to be decisive. Not rash, but decisive. Sometimes failing to decide is a decision. I try to push us to make decisions in a timely fashion.

I hope I am a good leader. But it is really difficult to know. I just keep doing the best that I can.

*Free Tax Help!

Tax time just got a little less stressful. Thanks to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, qualifying low-to-moderate income households in Johnson County can receive free tax preparation assistance from trained volunteers from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. VITA services are available through Tuesday, April 11, 2023. This year tax returns will be completed on an appointment-only basis. Appointments can be made at biz.uiowa.edu/vita.

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 annual household income of less than $58,000. 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 using 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 2022 annual income below $58,000. For more information and to schedule an appointment visit biz.uiowa.edu/vita. Translation services are available and can be made in advance by calling An Leonard at Johnson County Social Services at 319-356-6090.

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

*DID YOU KNOW? 39 of Iowa’s 99 counties have 5 Supervisors, while 60 have 3. Of Iowa’s ten most populous counties, only Linn, Dubuque, and Story Counties have 3.

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 16, 2023

Tuesday, February 21 is Fat Tuesday, the 22 is Ash Wednesday, and Easter is 40 days away. Sounds like a reason to celebrate! Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Big news from Johnson County Ambulance! Johnson County has been designated the 4^thHeartSafe community in the United States! Thank you for all your support with the implementation of PulsePoint and public access defibrillators.

Application for HeartSafe status was extensive and wouldn’t have been achieved without broad community collaboration.

•AED registry, public awareness and encouragement of bystander intervention (PulsePoint)

There have been several AED enclosures installed in our county over the last year. These were a major part of our successful application and are poised to save the life of one of your community members. There are ten additional AEDs and enclosures to be dispensed in 2023. If you would be willing to install an additional enclosure and AED please contact Ambulance Director Fiona Johnson.

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

Most people in Johnson County now agree that the lack of affordable housing in Johnson County is a crisis. Some of us have been making this argument for 30+ years, but we appreciate that it has finally sunken in - better late than never.

So, we now agree there is a crisis. How do we address it? Obviously, this is a huge problem all over the US, so federal intervention would help. The feds could start by tripling the number of Section 8 housing vouchers that are available. Right now, waits for vouchers are about three years. This is unacceptable. There are many other things the federal government could do, such as simply building federally funded housing projects. (They used to do this; Johnson County has a few of them.)

The State of Iowa? They could do a lot. But they will do nothing except make things worse. In fact, they may specifically try to stop local efforts. (Because it is worth having hundreds of unhoused people in order for them to “own the libs.”) So no help there.

Closer to home, it is clear the private sector has not solved the problem; in fact, it has gotten worse.

So we look to local governments for some solutions. There are several methods available:

1.) Governments can incentivize affordable housing. Think tax credit projects. Cities can consider less single-family zoning and greater density. Cities can relax parking standards.

2.) Governments can require affordable housing. Iowa City required a certain percentage of affordable housing be built into projects annexing into the city. They required a certain percentage of affordable housing be built into projects in the South District. They required a certain percentage of affordable housing be built into TIF projects. I would like to see more of this from IC, and to see Coralville, North Liberty, and Tiffin do the same thing.

3.) Governments can build affordable housing. We don’t talk about this much, but why doesn’t the UI require freshmen and sophomores to live on campus? It is proven to increase retention, graduation rates, and GPAs, while reducing instances of substance abuse and suicide. Why NOT do so? Sure, it would cost a bit of money upfront, but students end up paying it off. This is a much under-discussed solution. The UI privatized its responsibility to house students way back in the 50s and 60s. A lot of local businesspeople made small fortunes off that decision. But has it been good for the community or good for students? The answer is no. The UI created much of this problem; they should play a role in fixing it.

4.) Governments can make it easier to build affordable housing. This is also under-discussed. First of all, cities should stop allowing covenants. City code should be good enough everywhere. Restrictive covenants add unnecessary (and often discriminatory) rules and costs. Secondly, why not sit down with builders and discuss what rules drive up costs? Perhaps some of these could be waived or amended. Thirdly, we need to encourage smaller lots. Lot size drives cost – period.

Each one of these solutions has pros and cons. None of these efforts is free, nor are any easy. Local governments have done a bit of all these things, with varying degrees of success. I believe local governments are going to need to do more of each of these in order to move the needle on our existing crisis.

Have you ever looked at a map and noticed the small indentation on the far west side of Johnson County?

Look at an Iowa map, and focus on the horizontal row of counties that includes Johnson. You’ll notice small jags in their western boundaries. These are called correction lines, and were created to fix the fact that straight lines do not lay out perfectly on our spherical earth. So every so many miles, the surveyors would do a “correction” of approximately a few hundred feet. It is just enough to show up on a detailed map.

Our correction line falls on the border of Hardin and Washington Townships, and makes Washington Township slightly thinner than the townships to its north.

This mapping quirk also exists in other midwestern states. Iowa even has a town (Correctionville) in Woodbury County named for the procedure.

*DID YOU KNOW? On March 2, 1699, French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans, and named it "Pointe du Mardi Gras" when his men realized it was the eve of the festive holiday.

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, 2023

That’s right! A sure sign of spring! Pitchers and catchers report on February 14! Opening Day 2023 is March 30!

For some folks out there, Valentine’s Day will result in flowers, a nice meal, or some other show of affection. I also recognize that for many folks, Valentine’s Day is a very difficult day.

Go ahead and dote on a loved one – they deserve it! But please use this day to also check in with someone who needs some company.

Feb. 9 — Black leadership in sustainability webinar. The city’s Office of Equity and Human Rights and the Climate Action and Outreach Division will host a virtual discussion with Arthur Burton and Kamel Elgiseer about Black entrepreneurship as it related to climate action.

Feb. 12 — Black History Month crafting event at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. Children between 5- and 12-years-old can learn how to make a stamped African cloth.

Feb. 15 — Teen Create-It event at the library. Teens will create Jean-Michel Basquiat-themed totes and pouches.

Feb. 17 — Family Night: Author Visit and Sewing Project with Michelle Edwards, at the library. Michelle Edwards, a local author, will share her newest book “Me and the Boss: a Story about Mending and Love.”

Feb. 18 — Good Trouble Youth Activism Summit. Students in sixth to 12th grade can learn about different types of activism with a variety of workshops.

Feb. 22 — Book to Art Club at the library. Children in preschool through second grade will read a picture book about famous fold artist Clementine Hunter, and will make a painting based on Hunter’s style.

Feb. 23 — “Driving While Black”: A Black History Month film, at the library.

Feb. 23 — Totally Tweens event at the library. Tweens meet up each month to discuss graphic novels. For Black History Month the group will discuss “New Kid” by Jerry Craft.

Feb. 26 — Sunday fun Day at the library. Kids can participate in making Black History Month related art projects.

Feb. 26 — Explore the Underground Railroad at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. A family friendly event where community members can learn about the history of the underground railroad, create freedom quilts, and watch a showing of the movie “Harriet.”

This ran last year in Salvos. Unfortunately, the situation has changed very little.

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 three most important bits of information BY FAR are not included in this packet: those being the County’s budget outlook, the desires of the public, 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.

On the bright side, it demonstrates that elected Supervisors are much more in touch with public opinion than the people who propose the salaries. Small consolation, I guess.

The whole process is a ridiculous waste of time. All it does is generate misleading headlines and hurt feelings. So why must we go through this ridiculous farce every year?

The Iowa GOP has now set their sights on solar energy. Yes, this is unbelievably shortsighted and bad policy. I would argue:

Having rules that prevent or limit solar are a really bad idea. Such rules hurt our environment, increase costs to regular people, enrich big corporations, and limit the rights of individual landowners. There is no community benefit and no individual benefit. There might be a tiny benefit to a neighbor. Huge benefits accrue to favored industries. Seems bad to me in almost every way.

Yet some people see solar as “taking farmland out of production.” (This is untrue; panels go into the ground without concrete bases. The steel poles can be pulled out at any time. Heck, you can farm around and under the panels!)

Others claim it creates glare, or is visually unappealing. It is pretty hard to balance this with the Iowa GOP’s position on CAFOs. Those may *NOT* be regulated for any reason. Even if neighbors show real damages to their health and property. But solar panels can be banned because neighbors dislike their looks? Quite hypocritical!

I happen to believe all these reasons are red herrings at best. Completely untrue. The same people who think farmers should be stopped from doing solar think farmers should be free to put CAFOs wherever they want. The logic is not consistent.

Unfortunately, it appears that the GOP is ready to end solar energy in Iowa. Why? Ethanol, I guess? Whatever the reason, it is a lousy one!

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 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.

The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP)’s 26th Annual Souper Bowl Fundraiser will be held on February 23rd, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center from 5:30-7:30 PM. The event will be back in person, with drive-through and delivery options available. “Soupporters” will be able to choose from several soups donated by local restaurants.

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 funding cuts, “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.

To buy tickets see: https://dvipiowa.org/dvip-hosts-26th-annual-souper-bowl-february-23-2023/

*DID YOU KNOW? There are two theories about the origin of Valentine's Day. Some believe the day comes from Lupercalia, a raucous Roman festival on February 15th where men stripped naked and spanked young maidens in the hopes of increasing their fertility.

The second theory is that while the Roman Emperor Claudius II was trying to bolster his army, he forbade young men to marry. In the spirit of love, St. Valentine defied the ban and performed secret marriages, and for his disobedience, Valentine was executed on February 14 around the year 270 A.D.

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!

Previous Posts

Archives

SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

February 22, 2023

February 16, 2023

February 9, 2023