SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 9, 2023
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/14/23
In this edition:
*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
*Happy Valentine’s Day!
*Black History Month
*Proposed Raises for Elected Officials
*Solar Energy in Iowa
*Bowl For Kids Sake
*DVIP Souper Bowl
*Did You Know?
*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
That’s right! A sure sign of spring! Pitchers and catchers report on February 14! Opening Day 2023 is March 30!
*Happy Valentine’s Day!
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.
*Black History Month
Iowa City is hosting a number of Black History Month Events:
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. 9 — Showing of film “Descendant” at the library.
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. 16 — Virtual book discussion for “Passing” by Nella Larson.
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. 21 — BYO Book “Black Bottom Saints” to the library.
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.”
*Proposed Raises for Elected Officials
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?
*Solar Energy in Iowa
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!
*Bowl For Kids Sake
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.
Please contribute to the Sullivan for Supervisor team at:
https://bbbsjc.bbbsfundraise.org/bfks2023/myhq
*DVIP Souper Bowl
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.
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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 @ 1:11 PM
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