SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
September 6, 2023
Sullivan’s Salvos 9/12/23
In this edition:
*Rosh Hashanah
*Interstates 80 and 380
*Local Road Projects
*I Don’t Care What People Think
*The Curse of Experience
*Yes, and…
*Did You Know?
*Rosh Hashanah
Correction: Salvos got the date wrong last week. It has been corrected, and should be correct here.
Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends! Friday evening the 15th marks Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of year 5784 in the Jewish calendar.
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the two “High Holy Days” in the Jewish religion. Shanah Tovah!
*Interstates 80 and 380
It is nice to see that Interstates 80 and 380 are finally finished! It has been a very long and expensive project, but in this case, I think the Iowa DOT spent the federal money well.
The exits/entrances to 80 and 380 were riddled with accidents over the past couple of decades. The traffic had outstripped the design of the intersections, and the results were far too many deaths and injuries. That is exactly the type of situation in which government should act, and I’m glad they did.
By the way… Cyclist! Great news! You can now ride underneath the Interstates! A nice trail has been constructed that connects the Coralville Rec fields to the Tiffin Rec fields! Opportunities abound, so check it out!
*Local Road Projects
Johnson County has recently finished up some important local road projects; I’ll give you a quick rundown on a few of them.
F44 (Herbert Hoover Highway NE in Johnson County and Main Street in West Branch) at its intersection with Johnson Cedar Road is now open to traffic. This includes wider shoulders and a roundabout at the entrance to the City of West Branch.
Amana Road between Highway 965 and Iowa County is now open. This road has been reconstructed and raised to avoid future flooding.
James Avenue SW over a branch of Picayune Creek is now open. (This is in far south-central Johnson County.) The bridge has been replaced.
Utah Avenue SE over Buck Creek is now open. (This is in far southeast Johnson County.) The bridge has been replaced.
As always, if you have any questions about any road closures or road projects, please call Johnson County Secondary Roads at 319-356-6046.
*I Don’t Care What People Think
You sometimes hear people say, “I don’t care what people think.” This is often met with a supportive nod; we tend to celebrate people who “buck the system” and “think outside the box.” Some norms do indeed need to be challenged.
But oftentimes not caring what people think is a huge problem. Sometimes norms are there for good reason. Let’s discuss a few examples.
A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” then wears a wild outfit to the grocery store? That is probably a healthy attitude. A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” and exposes himself in a grocery store? Unhealthy. Similar issue, just a different point on the scale.
A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” then smokes some weed while at a friend’s house? That is probably OK. A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” and smokes weed in the doorway of the elementary school? Unhealthy. Again, similar issue, just a different point on the scale.
A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” then tells the boss that she is tired of him playing favorites? Maybe risky, but maybe a good thing. A person who says, “I don’t care what people think,” and tells a coworker that the coworker is overweight? Unhealthy. Once again, similar issue, just a different point on the scale.
Unfortunately, the fact that Donald Trump has destroyed so many norms means that people are destroying them all over the world. Again, sometimes this is healthy, like when Trump points out that all the other candidates are beholden to special interests. But oftentimes it is unhealthy – like Trump refusing to admit he lost and cheering on a coup.
Norms aren’t all good, and aren’t all bad. There is nothing wrong with having the stance that you “don’t care what people think.” But have you considered that perhaps you should?
*The Curse of Experience
There are sometimes downsides to having served longer than everyone else. I often find myself in a “wet blanket” role. A newer Supervisor comes up with an idea. A couple of heads nod. Then I say, “We spent quite a bit of time and money looking into that in 2015.”
Obviously, 2015 was a while ago. Circumstances can change. It never hurts to look into something again. But oftentimes, I feel like I am the person squashing others’ ideas.
I mean, saying something makes sense. People need to know if something was tried or investigated previously, and what the results were. If we do not heed the past, we are wasting a lot of time and money. I just wish it wasn’t always my job to be the bearer of bad news.
*Yes, and…
I have been on a kick lately, and I imagine you will hear me say this again: I am a big believer in the concept of “yes, and.” What do I mean by that? We have a tendency to attempt to figure out complicated situations by finding a single, specific cause of said situation. This typically results in arguments. I think the cause is A. You think the cause is B. So we argue. In reality, both A and B can be correct.
Complex situations almost always have multiple causes. There are several correct reasons why. But we have a tendency to dismiss the other person’s opinion rather than saying, “Yes, and…”
Let me give you a classic example. The Iowa Football team had a lousy offense last year. It was the talk of the town. I view myself as a relatively knowledgeable fan. So I was always amazed to hear people argue, “It’s the quarterback’s fault!” “No, it’s the Coach’s fault!”
Reality? Yes, quarterback play was a problem. And coaching was a problem. And the offensive line was a problem. And to a lesser extent, the receivers were a problem. That is a lot of “yes, and!” It demonstrates why the offense was pretty bad!
Here is another famous example: Why did Hilary Clinton lose the 2016 Presidential election? Misogyny. Her husband’s record. She was not likeable. She ran a poor campaign. She ignored battleground states. Unfair media coverage. Russian interference. James Comey. Jill Stein.
I just listed 9 completely different reasons for Clinton losing to Trump. There are undoubtedly even more than that. You may think one was bigger than the others, and that is your prerogative. Bottom line? Each of these reasons is true, to some extent. They added up to an election loss. Any one of these deserves a “yes, and.”
A final example: Lots of folks wish they could drop a few pounds. Why have they added some weight? A slowing metabolism. Eating the wrong foods. Eating when you aren’t hungry. Overeating. Failure to get enough exercise. Drinking too much alcohol. Genetics. Every one of these might be true. Odds are, more than one is true.
Since we deal with many complex issues at Johnson County, I am trying very hard to emphasize this idea of “yes, and.” We need to make certain that we recognize there are no silver bullets. We need to be thorough when we diagnose a problem, and understand that no single solution will solve it. We may need to take multiple steps.
I hope you will join me in viewing the world through a “yes, and” lens!
*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County has over 900 miles of roads.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 1:42 PM
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