SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

October 15, 2024

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/17/24

In this edition:

*Congratulations Mandy!

*COVID and Flu Shots

*Elf Cashmere Sale

*Now is the Time!

*You Have Another Job!

*Vote for Sullivan!

*Roundabouts

*Did You Know?

*Congratulations Mandy!

The Johnson County Commission of Veteran Affairs has selected Mandy Coates as the new Veteran Affairs director following the resignation of the previous director, Gary Boseneiler.

In her new role as director, Coates serves on the Johnson County Commission of Veterans Affairs and manages the Veterans Affairs office. The commission strives to assist all honorably discharged veterans and their dependents living in Johnson County by connecting them with local, state, and federal benefits.

Coates joined the United States Army Reserve shortly after graduating from high school. In 2003, she was deployed to spearhead the war in Iraq completing a 15-month tour. She returned to the States, completed her reserve time as a sergeant, and took a position in the private sector in human services. She moved career fields and worked for the railroad while attending Mount Mercy University, earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in human resources. Coates welcomed twins while working full-time and completing school in 2012. She became a stay-at-home parent and began her role as a Commissioner with Johnson County Veterans Affairs in 2015. In 2023, Coates started her career as a County Veteran Service Officer.

Those seeking services can contact the Veterans Affairs office at 319-356-6049 or email va@johnsoncountyiowa.gov regarding any questions or to set up an appointment. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information can be found at: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/department-of-veterans-affairs.

*COVID and Flu Shots

Fall is upon us, and there are many opportunities now for you to get updated COVID and flu shots. PLEASE do so!

Yes, I wish these shots were still free; our healthcare system never fails to frustrate me. But PLEASE take advantage of these opportunities. You may well be making a decision that saves your life, and/or the lives of others.

*Elf Cashmere Sale

Sunday, October 27 from 2-4 pm at 1411 Sheridan Avenue. All sizes and colors 420/each or 3 for $50. Boutique items also available; see

www.elfcashmere.com.

*Now is the Time!

Are you worried about the future of democracy in the US? (You should be!) Worried about a woman’s right to choose? (You should be!) Worried about the future of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid? (You should be!) Worried that the rich will just keep on getting richer and the middle class will keep getting screwed? (You should be!)

If you care about these issues or any others, now is the time to get to work. Voters are casting ballots as we speak. Volunteers are needed. Can you find some time to volunteer? If not now, when?

*You Have Another Job!

We just talked about voting. That is great, but it is NOT going to be enough! If you really care about this election, you NEED to put in the extra effort to ensure at least one extra person votes.

Here is my advice: Don’t assume people are voting, especially young people. Also, don’t assume they have a workable plan. Talk to them NOW to get a voting plan in place. I am doing this now with a former foster daughter and her husband. It is a long and complicated process. So get started!

*Vote for Sullivan!

Like most people growing up in rural Iowa in the 60s and 70s, I was raised to be humble. “Don’t toot your own horn,” was the phrase. But as an adult, I chose a profession that requires you to “toot your own horn” every four years if you want to keep your job. So if you will please indulge me, I want to use a few words to explain why I believe I deserve your support in the upcoming election.

The following comes straight from my website: https://www.rodsullivanforsupervisor.com.

Rod Sullivan's accomplishments put Johnson County's people and their wellbeing at the center of his work. During his time in office, Rod has facilitated discussions, advocated and led changes that have improved the lives of tens of thousands of Johnson County residents. Those efforts include:

· Raising the minimum wage

· Increasing funding for affordable housing

· Creating the GuideLink Center

· Passing the Conservation Bond Initiative

· Passing the Human Rights Ordinance

· Creating the Free Tax Help Project

· Instituting the Buy Here Initiative

· Adding rural warning sirens

· Creating the Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board

· Creating the Local Foods Policy Council

· Adopting the Community ID

· Leading the transition to regional mental health care

From the very beginning, Rod has put the people and their community at the forefront.

· He provided steady leadership during the 2008 floods and over a decade later did the same during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

· He saved the Sutliff Bridge, preserved the Historic Poor Farm, and initiated the renaming of Johnson County after Lulu Merle Johnson.

· Rod started the 1105 Project with the gift of the old Public Health Building.

But it isn't just the people of Johnson County he fights for; it is also the land they live on. In his time, he advocated and passed the Sensitive Area Ordinance, Stormwater Ordinance, Wind and Solar Ordinance, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan.

I’m proud of the work I have done. Moving forward, I plan to continue to focus on mental health, affordable housing, climate change, and more. I think we can accomplish more great things. That is why I would ask for your vote during the fall election period.

*Roundabouts

You have undoubtedly noticed the move toward roundabouts (sometimes known as “traffic circles”) in the Johnson County area. Johnson County has played a small part in roundabouts on Sycamore, Dubuque Street and North Liberty Road, and is 100% responsible for the one at Highway 382 and Ely Road. (I am probably forgetting others.) I expect to see even more of them in the future.

The era of modern roundabouts began in the United Kingdom in 1956 with the construction of the first "yield-at-entry" roundabouts. In 1966, a nationwide yield-at-entry rule launched the modern roundabout revolution. Australia and most other British-influenced countries soon built modern roundabouts. Locally, the trend that started in Coralville in the ‘90s, and now shows up at all sorts of traffic intersections in the area.

Some people detest roundabouts. It caused the defeat of City Councilors in Mount Vernon, where the jury remains out on whether or not they are a good thing. On the other hand, traffic control experts love roundabouts. Here is why:

First, safety. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, roundabouts have been shown to significantly decrease the number of crashes, particularly those with serious injuries. Every study shows the same thing- roundabouts result in less accidents.

Second, also safety. The collisions that do occur tend to be minor. Roundabouts make violent and deadly collisions unlikely. So not only do you have less accidents, but they occur at lower speeds. Additionally, the deadliest accidents are head on. Those are eliminated in roundabouts. T-bone accidents are also very dangerous; these, too, are made less likely.

Third, the environment. By reducing idling, ten circular intersections in Virginia were found to save 200,000 gallons of gas each year. You can sit for a long time at a stop sign or stoplight. In theory, if a roundabout is being navigated properly, you will not stop at all.

Fourth, efficiency. You actually get through roundabouts more quickly, as you never actually stop moving. In addition, there is no need to wait when no other vehicles are near the intersection. Studies show that commute times are reduced when roundabouts replace other traffic control measures.

I understand that change can be hard. But our charge as Supervisors is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Johnson County. I think roundabouts accomplish this. I also believe in making decisions based upon data. And in this case, the data is overwhelming.

So, if our engineers come to us urging an additional traffic circle, expect me to be in favor.

*DID YOU KNOW? The US has had 1,220,000 deaths from COVID-19. That is almost 4 out of every 1000 Americans.

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

October 8, 2024

I was sad to hear of the passing of Joe Coulter of Iowa City. Joe was a professor and Chair of the UI Anatomy Department, and also in Public Health, but I primarily knew him through his wife Virginia, who worked for Congressman Loebsack, and his daughter Danielle, who was a local journalist. All wonderful folks. Joe served as a member of the Iowa City Human Rights Commission for many years. Joe was a member of the Potawatomi Nation, and established multiple programs to increase access to higher education among Native Americans. RIP, Joe.

From Friday, October 4: All fire chiefs in Johnson County unanimously voted to enact a burn ban effective today at 5:00 pm. This was supported by EMA and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. With no rain expected in the next nine days, along with above normal temperatures and normal Iowa winds, they all felt this was a prudent and safe direction. Area fire departments have been experiencing increasing field fires and grass fires over the past few weeks due to these conditions as well as an early harvest.

Mark your calendars for the Iowa City Book Festival, October 14-20. We are proud to offer a week of excellent, one-of-a-kind, free, literary programming as part of the 2024 Festival.

I hope you will join me in supporting Teamsters Local 238 in their strike against Cargill in Cedar Rapids. These Teamsters are our friends and neighbors. Cargill, meanwhile, in terms of profits, is the largest privately held company in the United States!

You heard that correctly – in terms of profits, Cargill is the largest privately held company in the US! So guess what? It is time to share some of those profits with the people who do the work!

You hear people complain about the price of groceries – it is not the government who controls that. It is greedy companies like Cargill who are price gouging the American people! It is time they shared some of these profits with the workers!

Harvest is upon us, and farmers are in the fields. Please be aware as you are driving or biking – farm implements are very large and slow moving. Please take your time and be careful – there are avoidable accidents every year. Take a little extra time and enjoy the scenery – Iowa is beautiful this time of year!

Early voting will be offered at the Johnson County Administration Building, located at 913 S Dubuque St., Iowa City, and drive-thru voting in the Health and Human Services Building parking ramp, located at 855 S Dubuque St., Iowa City.

Early voting also will be offered at select satellite voting locations. All Johnson County voters are eligible to vote at any early voting site.

I was at a community event a while ago, and I was approached by a woman I have known for quite a while. She came up to me and said, “You have served us very well for a long time. If you decide to vote a certain way on a given issue, I have complete faith that you are doing what’s best for our county.”

I almost cried. That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. And as I thought about it, I realized that what she was describing was trust. Over the years, I have earned her trust.

That is my goal. I hope that each of you reaches a point where you trust me. It really is not a matter of whether or not we agree on everything – we will not. But do you trust me to do what I feel is best? That is what I hope to achieve.

A few months ago, a small local group approached Johnson County about doing a resolution in support of the Palestinian people, while condemning the actions of the Israeli government. We changed the language a bit to condemn violence on both sides, and we voted to do so unanimously.

But later, I heard from a group member who was dissatisfied with our efforts. He felt we should have pledged a boycott of all companies that do business with Israel. When he told me this, I simply responded that doing so would require a lot of time and money, and it felt as though we had spent enough time on the matter. He was quite displeased with me, and said that when he “ran for City Council” human rights would be at the forefront of his platform.

Where to start? First, we are not the City Council. Second, as I stated, we do not disagree with him. We made a public statement to that effect. Third, as I told him, we simply do not have unlimited time and money to spend on the topic.

I actually thought we did pretty well in this instance. It is not unusual for local folks to turn to local elected officials for help. I think it is great when our constituents do this. They just need to understand what limitations we have when it comes to state and federal policy.

The Boards upon which I have served have been bold, and willing to step in when the opportunity presented itself. Some examples include increasing the minimum wage, passing the Conservation Bond, passing a Human Rights Ordinance, passing a Sensitive Areas Ordinance, passing a Stormwater Ordinance, passing the Community ID, and changing the County eponym to Lulu Merle Johnson, just to name a few. But sometimes, we are asked to take on national issues in ways we simply cannot.

Immigration, reproductive rights, inflation, health care, gun laws, war in the Middle East… all are INCREDIBLY important issues! They are also issues where Johnson County has very little ability to move the needle. That does not mean we do not care. We just need to be realistic as to what we can actually do. Sometimes, the best you can do is to make a statement.

I’ve been around local politics a long time. I have seen numerous instances where Boards/Councils have simply refused to discuss certain federal/state issues, noting that it is not part of their purview. I have seen numerous instances where Boards/Councils did discuss certain federal/state issues, and ended up overpromising and under-delivering. I have always tried to take a different route.

If enough constituents really want to discuss a given federal/state topic, I say give them some opportunity to do so. It doesn’t hurt anything. And if there is an action you can actually take that is within your power and within your budget? By all means, consider it. But you also need to be honest with constituents as to what your legislative, time, and budgetary limitations actually are.

It will not kill you to discuss a national issue. But time is money. It is your job as an elected official to strike the appropriate balance and to explain your decision to the public.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa City applied in 2007, and in 2008, was named a UNESCO City of Literature, part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Iowa City became a part of what is known as the Creative Cities Network. I was on the Board of the original UNESCO City of Literature from about 2007-2012.