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-
"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 @ 4:02 PM
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