SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
January 7, 2025
Sullivan’s Salvos 1/9/25
In this edition:
*Interesting Newspaper Situation
*Iowa Legislature Begins Soon
*Welcome Eric Van Lancker!
*Did You Know?
*Interesting Newspaper Situation
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.
Interesting, huh?
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.
*Iowa Legislature Begins Soon
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.
*Welcome Eric Van Lancker!
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.
Welcome to Johnson County, Eric Van Lancker!
*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-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 2:01 PM
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