SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

January 21, 2025

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/23/25

In this edition:

*Iowa City Council Primary

*More on the Press Citizen

*Love of Money = Root of Evil!

*DVIP & RVAP Souper Bowl

*Big Brothers Big Sisters

*Did You Know?

*Iowa City Council Primary

Following the resignation of Iowa City Councilor Andrew Dunn, the District C seat opened up on the Council. The Council voted for an election (I think that was the correct choice) and those seeking the office have submitted their petitions.

Three people have filed, so under Iowa City rules, there will be a Primary Election Tuesday, February 4. The two top vote getters move on to a General Election on Tuesday, March 4. For the February election, only voters in Iowa City’s District C may vote. In the March election, all Iowa City voters may vote. (District C includes Precincts 3,4,5,11,19,20,21,22, and 25. This is the north part of Iowa City, containing pretty much everything from Manville Heights to City High.)

The three candidates are Oliver Weilein, Shari DeGraw, and Ross Nusser.

Weilein works at Systems Unlimited, plays in a couple punk bands, and really centers affordable housing as part of his platform. I do not know Weilein, though I will try to reach out. I imagine we share a lot of similar thoughts when it comes to affordable housing.

I have some serious concerns, however. Weilein is a self-described anarchist – it is even reflected in his choice of logos. I simply do not think Iowa City needs an anarchist on council right now. (Which begs the question – why does an anarchist want to be part of government?)

In addition, Weilein has a long history of glorifying firearms, including assault rifles; a history of glorifying domestic terrorism; and a history of celebrating violence against law enforcement. He celebrated January 6^th. He also made racist and misogynistic statements toward Kamala Harris which would absolutely not be tolerated if they were coming from the right. This should not be ignored by voters, and the elected officials who have endorsed Weilein should explain how they justify endorsing someone who holds these opinions. I simply think we can do better.

I met DeGraw when my family moved to District C about three years ago. She is very involved in our neighborhood, and strikes me as a very hard worker. Shari is a strong believer in historical preservation.

I am supporting Nusser. I have known Ross quite a while, and he is a really good human being. He has spent 13 years as a Board Member of Successful Living, which provides services to folks experiencing chronic mental illnesses. He has spent several years as a Board Member of Community and Family Resources, which provides substance abuse services. (You may have known it as MECCA or Prelude.) He is a Board Member of the Housing Fellowship, which provides affordable housing throughout Johnson County. He also volunteers at Friendly Farm in Iowa City. Ross is one of the founders of Urban Acres. Basically, a very good person.

If you live in District C, please vote February 4 or before! If you live anywhere in Iowa City, please vote March 4 or before!

*More on the Press Citizen

One of the best things about Salvos is that I get to hear back from thoughtful readers. Last week I had a reader who expressed her concerns over my suggestion that the Press Citizen “should just die.”

In retrospect, that is pretty harsh language. And without context, it could almost be taken to mean it should die violently. These are good points. So I am adding some context below.

I have come to terms with the idea that over the last few years, the PC *actually* harms our community. You do not learn anything from it. If you assume that having read it, you know what is important in your community, you are wrong. They are basically stealing from subscribers, who get no value. They underemploy young people, leaving them to access public assistance just to get by. Meanwhile, they siphon away community resources with zero reinvestment. The fact that they continue to exist, like the last parasite on a dying host, prevents other startups from trying their hand at providing news here. I really feel that they have tangibly hurt my community, with no remorse. And none of this takes into account the lost opportunities; a generation that does not know what a local paper could or should be.

So yes, I do believe the PC should “die”. But I understand the concern with the word. So perhaps we’ll say, “the PC should just go away.” I only want that so this community can move on to something better. I hope that clarifies things.

*Love of Money = Root of Evil!

I often listen to a radio show/podcast from the New York Times called The Daily. It is 30 minutes every day on some issue that has been in the news. In a recent episode, The Daily talked about the way Big Tech CEOs have lavished Donald Trump with money in an attempt to avoid regulation.

In the show, they talked about a venture capitalist who was sort of the lead person in terms of pushing Silicon Valley toward supporting Trump. The fellow’s name is Mark Andresen, and I found him and his personal philosophies to be quite appalling, despite his attempts to give them a “Regular Joe” sheen.

At one point, Andresen actually asked, “At what point did we decide it was a bad thing to be rich?” Unfortunately, the show’s host did not respond. So let me try:

Confucius talks about the needs of the poor being more important than the needs of the rich back in 500 BCE. Native American thought on the topic can be traced back over 5,000 years; in pretty much every case, poverty is a communal, rather than an individual, issue.

Since he has already demonstrated himself to be a selfish asshole, let’s assume Andresen only cares about a Judeo-Christian history. Fine. Jesus is *VERY* clear about issues of rich and poor. “The last shall be first and the first shall be last”; “Do unto others”; and “A rich man has a better chance of putting a camel through the eye of a needle than getting into Heaven.” Each of these argues for comforting the poor.

If that doesn’t go back far enough for Andresen, in the Old Testament, the concept of caring for the poor is prevalent throughout, with numerous verses instructing people to not exploit the poor, to provide for their needs, and to uphold justice for them; key examples include: Leviticus 19:9-10 (gleaning the fields), Deuteronomy 15:7-11 (helping those in need), Exodus 22:25 (not charging interest to the poor), and Proverbs 31:8-9 (speaking up for the destitute; all highlighting God's concern for the poor and the responsibility of the people to care for them).

So, Mr. Andresen, the answer is – we decided it a *LONG* time ago! Unfortunately, we have been forgetting this lesson. The rich have more money and power in the world (and in the US) than ever in our planet’s history.

On the bright side, I think a lot of people realize this. Now it is up to elected leaders at every level to actually lead on the issue!

*DVIP & RVAP Souper Bowl

DVIP & RVAP is excited to announce the return of their annual Souper Bowl event! Since it began 28 years ago, the Souper Bowl has grown into the DVIP & RVAP’s biggest fundraising event, helping to ensure the organization can continue its mission of advocating and providing support services for survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, stalking, and harassment.

This event was created by current Executive Director, Kristie Fortmann-Doser, to challenge the myth that more violence occurs against women around the NFL Super Bowl. Violence against women, men, and children happens every day in our community, and around the world. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be affected by intimate partner abuse in their lifetime.

The Souper Bowl will take place Thursday, February 20th, from 5-7:30 PM at the Highlander Hotel (2525 Highlander Pl, Iowa City).

In honor of the 28th year, the event will feature 28 different soups from participating restaurants, 28 retail, and artist bowl providers, and with support from the community, the organization aims to raise $28,000 to continue providing confidential and free crisis intervention services to over 2,500 individuals per year.

Tickets will go on sale on January 6th, 2025. Ticket options are as follows:

$75: VIP – early access to bowl selection and commemorative gift
$35: General admission
$25: Student, volunteer, or sliding scale (no bowl)
Children 12 and under eat free (no bowl)
$35: Give the gift of soup. Purchase a ticket for staff or client participation.
Through the generous support of the event sponsors, 100% of ticket purchases will go directly to supporting victim-

*Big Brothers Big Sisters

The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake. It is our 21^st year of doing so!

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://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/1907519/edit/

*DID YOU KNOW? The world’s oldest known land animal (a tortoise named Jonathon) turned 192 on December 4! (Source: Sierra Magazine.)

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

January 13, 2025

The wildfires sweeping California are tragic. Please acknowledge the incalculable losses people are suffering. And please acknowledge the role climate change is playing in these types of extreme weather events.

Monday, January 20 marks the federal holiday celebrating the birthday of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior. I am so pleased that our country has chosen to honor this great man, and I hope you enjoy the holiday in his name. As usual, the Board of Supervisors will do a proclamation in his honor.

We would like to think America has come a long way since the 60s. After the 2016 and 2024 elections, I’m not certain I feel that way any longer. Race was a HUGE issue in the 2016 election, and the team the racists supported won. In 2024 and since, overt racists have felt emboldened to do and say almost anything.

Look at America today. Black Lives Matter was a response to the epidemic of black men being killed by police. The US Supreme Court killed much of the Voting Rights Act, and they are likely to kill Affirmative Action. Black women die in childbirth at ridiculous rates. Black men are more likely to go to prison than college. The list goes on and on. Our society still has a deep racial divide.

We also need to recognize that King was a radical. America grudgingly accepted racial reforms because they were less dangerous to the status quo than the other issues King championed – namely economic justice. King took seriously the Biblical teachings that the love of money is a sin, and that rich men will not be welcomed into Heaven. (King was a Democratic Socialist!) He proposed seismic changes to the political and social structures that exist in America. In addition, King was adamantly anti-war. He was NOT beloved by all in his day; he was jailed 29 times! To the status quo, he was the most dangerous man in the world.

Take some time this week to read some of the great books that are out there on Dr. King. More importantly, take some time to read the things he wrote himself. A year or so ago I read the biography of MLK by Jonathon Eig entitled King: A Life. I highly recommend it!

And if you are so inclined, there are several worthwhile local celebrations. The University of Iowa and the City of Iowa City both have a list of events.

I cannot let MLK Day pass without looking at our situation locally. It should come as no surprise that the local African American community is not monolithic. There are many different backgrounds, personalities, religions, opinions, and more. It makes it really important for political types to not fall into the trap of asking, “What does the black community want?” There are many answers to that question, and those answers differ from person to person.

We have SO much work to do. We cannot forget that. But we also need to take the time to celebrate our successes. Happy MLK Day!

I have mentioned that I am not big on New Year’s Resolutions. There is one thing I have been attempting to do more of, however, and I invite you to join me.

I am attempting to show others more grace. Forgiving mistakes. Assuming the best rather than the worst. Trying to be kind.

In Christianity, grace is not earned. It is given. You get it even though you do not deserve it. That can be a tough concept to put to work in today’s world. We tend to blame, complain, and point out faults. I do it. We all do it. Frankly, that is part of why we do not deserve the grace we get from God.

I know my readers include many non-Christians. I honor all belief systems. I also think the idea of giving people grace can help all of us, regardless of our individual beliefs. It need not be viewed through the prism of religion. So please join me in offering a bit more grace to those you encounter every day.

We recently received some statistics from the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office. These stats are sometimes sobering, but always interesting. Here are just a few:

In calendar year ‘23, the ME Office investigated 924 cases. 442 of those were “accepted,” meaning there would be more than a cursory investigation. In calendar year ’24, the ME Office investigated 930 cases, and 511 were accepted. These are down from a COVID peak of 1150 cases.

There are some disturbing trends. Suicides rose 39%, from 23 to 32. Drug overdose deaths stayed about the same, at 43, but that number is far too high. Homicides in Johnson County went up from 5 to 6.

While the stats can be alarming, it is great to know that we have such accomplished, committed people doing the work of the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office.

We all know affordable housing is a crisis in Johnson County. I am often asked about the “cause” of the crisis. The vast majority of the US has an affordable housing crisis, so obviously most of the “causes” are not unique to our community. But there is one thing that contributes a bit that is somewhat unique to Johnson County that I would like to see addressed.

The University has about 23,000 undergraduate students, and another 10,000 or so graduate students. Of those 23,000 undergrads, only about 25% live in the dorms. This is not really unusual, and is quite similar to the UI’s peer institutions. But what if the UI required two years in the dorms, and built enough housing units to cover it? What if another 4,000 students lived on campus?

The impact would be pretty huge. Opening 4,000 bedrooms would make a meaningful dent in the availability of housing in Johnson County, and probably help to reduce some increases in the ever-rising rents. There would be additional benefits accruing to the students themselves – undergraduate students who live on campus graduate at higher rates, get better grades, have less law enforcement contacts, have better mental health outcomes, and generally fare better by almost every metric of well-being.

The decision by the UI (that started in the early 50s) to outsource student housing has had tremendous impacts on Johnson County. It made a few people extremely wealthy, and saddled hundreds of thousands more people (over decades) with huge student debts and lower qualities of life. Was that a good trade off? I’d say no.

We are not likely to reverse this now. But the UI could decide to house a few more of its own students, rather than externalizing this responsibility. It would be better for students, and better for Johnson County.

Would this solve our affordable housing crisis? Nope. But it would be a very positive step.

My good friend and political savant John Deeth came up with this list two years ago. I believe it is still accurate; I just updated the total years.

Below is the list of elected officials representing all or part of Johnson County who have been in office the longest. Note – this does NOT include Township Trustees. So, by seniority:

1.) 42 years - US Senator Chuck Grassley. In office much longer (67 years) but only represented Johnson County as a US Senator for 42 of those years.

2.) 31 years - Louise From. University Heights council 1993-2005, mayor 2005 to present (except for a one-year gap in 2016).

3.) 28 years - State Representative Dave Jacoby, dated from winning Coralville City Council in 1997. Joined the Iowa House in 2002.

For what it is worth, I like four of them a lot! J Thanks for the interesting bit of info, Deeth!

*DID YOU KNOW? The only Americans to have their birthdays observed as a National Holiday are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, MLK, and Cesar Chavez.

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!

January 7, 2025

The Board had a very interesting thing happen recently regarding our “papers of record.” According to Iowa Law, a county our size must publish in three or more papers within the county. Frankly, this is a very antiquated law. People do not subscribe to the paper to read the minutes of county (or city) meetings. We should be allowed to simply print an ad in every edition that says, “For Johnson County publications please visit www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.” That is how people find information in today’s world. Being allowed to do so would save cities and counties thousands of dollars each year in publishing costs. If a resident wanted a hard copy of something, we would just send it.

Don’t get me wrong – few people can match my frustration with the lack of media coverage for local government. That said, I do not think those media entities should be artificially supported by local governments. If the state wants to prop up local papers, do so with state money!

So the unique situation that faced us is yet again a result of antiquated language in the Iowa Code. The law states that we must publish these official publications in a paper “printed within the county.” Interestingly, neither the Gazette nor the Press Citizen are printed in Johnson County! (It does not matter that most people do not read a print copy. Again, antiquated law.) So the Board faced a conundrum.

The County Attorney’s Office and County Auditor’s Office decided the fairest way in which to handle the situation was to request information from both the Press Citizen and the Gazette. So both papers got the following:

The Johnson County Auditor’s Office received letters of interest from the Gazette, the Iowa City Press-Citizen, The News, and the Solon Economist to be considered as an official county publication for 2025. Each newspaper was reviewed in accordance with Iowa Code §618 and §349. The Solon Economist and The News meet all requirements. The Gazette and The Iowa City Press Citizen are published outside of the Johnson County, therefore they do not meet the exact criteria to be designated as an official county newspaper.

Iowa Code requires Johnson County to have three total official newspapers due to its population size. Aside from the newspapers being published within the County, the intent of Iowa Code is for County Supervisors to pick the newspaper with the largest number of bona fide yearly subscribers living within the county. In accordance with Iowa Code §349 and with counsel from the County Attorney’s Office, we determined a contest needs to occur between the two remaining applicants.

The Auditor’s Office sent a letter to the Gazette and the Iowa City Press Citizen, stating there is a contest. To be considered, the following information must be submitted to the County Auditor by Thursday January 2, 2025 at 8:30 am, in a sealed envelope: a statement, verified by the applicant, showing the names of the applicant’s bona fide yearly subscribers living within the county and the place at which each such subscriber receives such newspaper, and the manner of its delivery. Iowa Code §349.6 says “The County Auditor shall, on the direction of the Board while it is in session, open the sealed envelopes which have been deposited as provided under § 349.5.” The newspaper showing the largest number of bona fide yearly subscribers living within the County shall be selected as the third Official County Newspaper.

Auditor Julie Persons attend the Board’s Organizational Meeting on January 2. She opened each envelope. The results were that the Gazette has 4,280 Johnson County subscribers; the Press Citizen has 2,513. After a bit more discussion, the Board voted to award the “paper of record” status to the Gazette.

Congratulations to the Gazette, Solon Economist, and Kalona News, which will all serve as official papers for Johnson County in 2025!

By the way – the Kalona News is doing a VERY nice job of covering the Johnson County Board of Supervisors! I have been really impressed with their attentiveness and accuracy! Thank you, Paul Bowker, and thank you Kalona News!

The Gazette has also done good work. I am very pleased with the commitment they have made to Johnson County. I wish they could cover more things here, but they are trying. And what they do, they do well. It is appreciated.

I am really looking forward to seeing what happens now that the Solon Economist is owned by the Daily Iowan. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, I wish the Press Citizen would just die. They are an embarrassment. It literally makes me sick to my stomach to think about the damage they have done to this community. A UNESCO City of Literature and we are saddled with this garbage. The Press Citizen (Gannett Corporation) should be ashamed.

The Iowa Legislature gavels in soon, and I wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to the folks who represent Johnson County.

In the Senate, Democrats Zach Wahls of Coralville and Janice Weiner of Iowa City represent most of Johnson County – about 66,000 people each. Republican Dawn Driscoll represents about 25,000 Johnson County residents on the far south and far west sides of the county. Hard to believe Zach is the senior member of this delegation, elected in 2018! Senator Weiner will be the Senate Minority Leader this year.

Both Senator Wahls and Senator Weiner are very good about communicating with constituents. Unfortunately, Senator Driscoll seems completely unwilling to speak to any Democrats in her District or elsewhere. (I mean literally unwilling! It is actually pretty remarkable!)

On the House Side, Democrats Dave Jacoby of Coralville, Amy Nielsen of North Liberty, Elinor Levin of Iowa City, and Adam Zabner of Iowa City cover most of the urban parts of Johnson County. Republican Heather Hora represents the southern tier of townships, and GOP newcomer Judd Lawler represents the far western side of the county.

Jacoby leads the seniority there with 22 years. Nielsen has been in office 6 years, Levin, Zabner, and Hora just a single term, and Lawler will be a rookie. So we have an interesting mix of experience and new ideas.

I have actually known Representative Hora for a long time, and we get along quite well. I wish she would be more willing to reach out to the Democrats in her District. I have been in a couple of the same meetings as Mr. Lawler, but we have never been formally introduced. I will be trying to make some connections there.

The Board of Supervisors relationship with the Iowa Legislature has really changed. There were times 14-15 years ago when I might speak to Senators Dvorsky and Bolkcom 3 times per week each. Heck, we might speak 3 times in the same day! But since the Legislature has drifted so far to the Republicans and the Republicans so far to the right, we do not have much to discuss. I appreciate the work our Democratic members do; I’m just not sure hearing from me helps them much. I try to simply let them work.

Despite the difficulties the Board has faced, I encourage you to reach out to your State Representatives. In my experience, they get a lot of online petitions, form letters, and the like, but not nearly as many personal emails. I urge you to let your feelings be known.

New Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons pulled off quite a coup! She has hired former Clinton County Auditor Eric Van Lancker as a Deputy in the Auditor’s Office!

If Van Lancker’s name sounds familiar, it is probably because he has run for statewide election a couple of times recently. He ran for Iowa Secretary of State in 2021, and was Democrat Deirdre De Jear’s Lieutenant Governor candidate in 2023.

What excites me, however, is. Eric’s experience and expertise at being a County Auditor. He served 4 terms in Clinton County, and was pretty much universally recognized for his knowledge and creativity. By almost every account, Eric was one of the best County Auditors in Iowa. Unfortunately, he was beaten in the red wave election of 2024.

I have had several interactions with Eric at Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) events and political events over the years. Eric was always friendly with former Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert. Eric definitely seems like a good guy.

I am particularly impressed by a message I got from an old high school buddy. My friend has been a Sheriff’s Deputy in Clinton County for a long time. My buddy wrote me and said, “You are getting a great one. This is a huge loss for Clinton County.” My friend is not very political, and I take his message very seriously.

*DID YOU KNOW? What was the last county to relocate its courthouse from one city to another? The surprising answer - Linn. The Linn County seat was Marion from 1839 until 1919. However, the bond issue for the present Linn County Courthouse was not approved until 1923, and the county's records remained in Marion until completion of the courthouse in 1925. Source - Leroy G. Pratt, The Counties and Courthouses of Iowa (1977).

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!

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