SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 30, 2025
Sullivan’s Salvos 12/4/25
In this edition:
*RIP James Miller
*Grateful!
*Emergency Food and Shelter
*Farm Crisis Tragedy
*Supervisor History
*Did You Know?
*RIP James Miller
I am so sad to hear of the passing of James Miller. James spent about 20 years in the Facilities Department at Johnson County, and was a beloved part of the County team.
James had a very interesting story. He grew up in a very conservative Mennonite family, without many modern conveniences. He was a very talented woodworker, having learned those skills as a young man. He brought that to Johnson County, where his talents came in very handy, especially at the historic Courthouse. James also hand-built all the frames that surround the many historic maps, etc. on display at the county.
After leaving his church community, James developed into a real Renaissance man. In addition to woodworking, he was a birding expert (especially Purple Martins), a gourmet, and sang in the Quire. James was laid back, with a wry sense of humor, and really was beloved by his colleagues at Johnson County.
RIP, James. You will be missed!
*Grateful!
I am just coming off a week full of family, friends, food, and Hawkeye sports. It just doesn’t get any better than this! I am a very, very lucky man. Thank you all for contributing to my good fortune!
*Emergency Food and Shelter
On November 25, the Board voted 3-2 on some funding for emergency food and shelter. This was funding that I had specifically requested we put in this year’s budget. The total amount was $230,000.
Johnson County Social Services Director Lynette Jacoby came to the Board Meeting on 11-19 with a set of recommendations for spending the money. To be clear, no one knows this stuff better than Lynette. Period. With that in mind, I was happy to support her recommendations.
But Supervisor Fixmer-Oraiz did not like the recommendations because they did not fund Eschucha Mi Vos. I had no problem with the recommendations, because the money was headed to Community Crisis Services, the Coralville and North Liberty Food Pantries, the Immigrant Welcome Network, and Shelter House. These are organizations with expertise in providing food and shelter – which was the whole point of the grants.
We had some discussions about this on the 19th, and I argued at that time for us to put our money where our expert recommended, and to give our funding to organizations with proven expertise. If you want to see the discussion, check out the Board meeting recording from Wednesday, November 19th. The discussion runs from about 9:15 to 9:48 am. It may be worth your time to watch it.
Fast forward to the 25th – when the actual vote was taken. Rather than voting on the proposal we got from our Social Services Director, Supervisor Fixmer-Oraiz moved that we vote on a different funding plan that they had devised. This cut some money from Community Crisis Services, the Coralville and North Liberty Food Pantries, the Immigrant Welcome Network, and Shelter House. It gave Eschucha Mi Vos most of what they had requested.
I feel this was a bad process and a bad decision, so I voted “no.” The motion passed 3-2. But let me be clear – the additional money for emergency food and shelter was my idea in the first place. I am very much in support of the funding; I just think we should let the folks who are experts in the field do their thing.
So Community Crisis Services, the Coralville and North Liberty Food Pantries, the Immigrant Welcome Network, and Shelter House all got less because of this. There are people who will not eat and people who will not be housed because of this. That is a bad outcome. I stand by my vote.
Needless to say, the Iowa City Catholic Worker House immediately took to Facebook to attack me after the vote. Supporters of the organization have done the same. Meanwhile, supporters of Community Crisis Services, the Coralville and North Liberty Food Pantries, the Immigrant Welcome Network, and Shelter House all remain unaware of the reductions.
*Farm Crisis Tragedy
December 9, 2025 marks the 40 year anniversary of a dark day in Johnson County history. Dale Burr, who farmed just east of Lone Tree, shot and killed his neighbor, his wife, the President of Hills Bank, and finally, himself.
Burr walked into the Hills Bank and Trust Company shortly before noon and shot its president, John Hughes, with a 12-guage shotgun. Burr then killed a neighbor, Richard Goody, before going home and killing his wife, Emily Burr. Burr also took a shot at Mr. Goody's wife and 6-year-old son as they fled. Burr was stopped by a deputy along a gravel road about a mile from his home, and killed himself in his truck while the deputy was waiting for other officers to help.
The shootings were related to financial difficulties that Burr had with the bank and Mr. Goody. To add to the tragedy, Johnson County Sheriff Gary Hughes, who was John Hughes’ brother, responded to the call.
Burr, then 63 years old, and his son John owned about 800 acres, much of it inherited. John Hughes, then 43, was a prominent figure in Hills and Iowa City. It is almost impossible to describe the number of local people who were touched by this tragedy. In addition, the shooting came to symbolize the Farm Crisis of the 1980s nationwide.
In the upper Midwest, more than 900 farmers died by suicide during the 1980s crisis. Research from the National Farm Medicine Center found that the suicide rate among male farmers peaked in 1982 at 58 per 100,000, compared to a rate of about 31 per 100,000 for the general population of white males over 20 at the time.
*Supervisor History
I recently looked back at the many people with whom I have served over my 21 years in office. I hope you find some of this interesting.
*I have served with 14 different County Supervisors.
*13 were Democrats, one (John Etheridge) was a Republican.
*That includes 8 men, 5 women, and one nonbinary individual. I was on a Board with only one woman (Sally Stutsman) for 4 years, and I was also the only man on the Board for two years.
*I served with one nonwhite Supervisor – Royceann Porter. I served with one mixed-race individual - V Fixmer Oraiz.
*The oldest person I served with is now in their late 80s, while the youngest is about 40. The oldest at the time of serving was about 75; the youngest was 34.
*6 of the Supervisors grew up in or near Johnson County; 3 grew up in other parts of Iowa; 5 grew up in other states.
*8 of those Supervisors lived in unincorporated Johnson County; the other 6 lived in Iowa City (one rural person did live two years in Lone Tree.)
*2 (Mike Lehman and Sally Stutsman) were farmers, though a couple others dabbled.
*One is not a college graduate (Pat Harney); one (Lisa Green Douglass) has a Ph.D.
*Interestingly, only one worked at the University of Iowa immediately before becoming a Supervisor.
*I only served 2 years with 4 of those people; I served the most years (12) with Pat Harney.
*I served with one person who resigned before their term was up (Terrence Neuzil). I served with three Supervisors who lost primary races as incumbents (Mike Lehman, Mike Carberry, Royceann Porter). I served with one person who resigned because of being elected to higher office (Sally Stutsman). I served with two folks who died in office (Larry Meyers and Kurt Friese).
*Of all the people I have served with, Supervisor Etheridge served the shortest amount of time at about a year and a half. It is not a record, though – in the very early ‘80s, Mike Cilek was appointed to fill the seat of his mother Lorada after she died in office. Lorada had already decided not to run again, and her successor had already been elected, just not sworn in. So Mike served about seven weeks in the position.
One thing that I have discovered during my tenure is that Johnson County really doesn’t have any records of election results prior to WWII. I find this incredibly disappointing! You can walk into the Iowa City Clerk’s Office and get information on everyone who has ever served the city. Johnson County has nothing. I find it shameful. I am glad we have it going forward, but much of our history is missing.
*DID YOU KNOW? All people – rural or otherwise – who are struggling can call 988 24 hours per day. Just like you would call 911, you can call 988. Whether you are facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, caring counselors are there for you.
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 @ 7:22 PM
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