SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

August 23, 2026

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/27/26

In this edition:

*RIP Rusty Martin

*Supervisor Time Studies

*Lulu Merle Johnson Dedication

*Who is Lulu Merle Johnson?

*Consequential - Lulu Merle Johnson

*Salvos Salutes – 2016

*Did You Know?

*RIP Rusty Martin

You may have seen the articles in the Register and Press Citizen. My friend Rusty Martin, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, flew to Switzerland to end his life. I have many great memories of Rusty. RIP, friend.

*Supervisor Time Studies

The Board discussed the issue of Supervisor pay/work that I brought up in last week’s Salvos. Unfortunately, there was a lot of defensiveness. One Supervisor even said I was “attacking” them by bringing it up, though I lumped all 5 Supervisors together.

I think it is very simple: show your work. Let the public know (specifically) how you are spending your time. Most public employees already do this. It is not that big an ask. I hope the public will continue to push on this after I am gone.

*Lulu Merle Johnson Dedication

Please join us for the dedication ceremony of the new Lulu Merle Johnson statue being unveiled at the Johnson County Administration Building, 913 S. Dubuque Street in Iowa City.

The doors open at 10 am, with a ceremony at 10:30. The area around the statue will henceforth be known as “Lulu Merle Johnson Plaza.”

Hope you can join us!

*Who is Lulu Merle Johnson?

Lulu Merle Johnson’s Iowa credentials are impeccable. She grew up outside the small town of Gravity in the southwestern part of the state, played 6-on-6 basketball in high school, and earned three degrees in history from the University of Iowa. Her family members include Hawkeye athletic legends Duke Slater and Richard “Bud” Culberson.

Lulu Merle Johnson earned her Ph.D. in history in 1941 from the University of Iowa. She was the first Black woman in the state to earn a doctorate, and was among the first Black women to earn one in the whole US. She was born on a Taylor County farm in 1907, but her parents had been born into slavery. She went on to become a world-renowned scholar and professor. Her work upset the dominant narrative of the time, which claimed that most slaves had been happy and well-treated by their owners. Johnson was also a civil rights pioneer and activist against segregationist policies. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 88.

Johnson spent many years as a teacher and administrator at Cheyney State University in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Cheyney State is actually the very first of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), founded in 1837. Some Iowans no doubt first heard of Cheney State when the UI hired women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer from there in 1983.

*Consequential - Lulu Merle Johnson

Before beginning this story, I need to make sure the word “eponym” is in your vocabulary. Eponym is the person for whom something is named. The opposite of “namesake,” which is the person named for someone. Got it?

So how did Johnson County, Iowa become just the second county in the country to change its eponym? I can answer that! (The other, by the way, is King County, Washington. Originally named for Alabama Senator Rufus King, it was changed in 1986 to honor MLK instead.)

In September of 2017 I finished an interesting book on the Election of 1840 – William Henry Harrison versus Martin Van Buren. Harrison and running mate John Tyler (“Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!”) defeated the incumbent Martin Van Buren and his Vice President, Richard Mentor Johnson (RMJ). This election is generally viewed as the first modern Presidential campaign, and gave us several common words and phrases: OK, hell-bent, keep the ball rolling, The Buckeye State, booze, and many more!

But it was the information about our former eponym that fascinated me. Johnson was born and raised in Kentucky, and became a hero of the War of 1812. Johnson repeatedly led troops into battle despite being shot 5 times himself!

Johnson is known as the “Man who killed Tecumseh.” Tecumseh was a Native American leader who organized many tribes together to fight the Americans and preserve a Native homeland. He was killed at the Battle of Thames in 1813, and this was the beginning of the end of meaningful Native claims on land in the US. It is said that Johnson personally killed Tecumseh, though historical records vary. Whatever the truth is, Johnson led the US Army in battles that killed thousands of Native people. As a matter of fact, Johnson claimed to have killed more Native Americans than any other human!

This history as a General made Johnson, known as “Old Dick”, very popular. That popularity began to wane, however, when it was discovered that Johnson had a long-term relationship with a slave named Julia Chinn. Chinn and Johnson had two daughters, and he considered her his wife, though they were not allowed to be married.

Johnson had a confusing relationship with his daughters/slaves. He insisted that his daughters were his property, but also paid for their education and left them inheritances. After Chinn died, Johnson took up with another slave. When she left him for another man, he had her sold away.

In addition to all that, Johnson was known for being incredibly unlikeable. People from all walks of life found him to be a rude, vulgar, foul man. This, coupled with Johnson’s flouting of the laws against racial mixing, made him a huge liability for the Democrats, and he was dropped from the ticket.

All pretty sordid, right? I agree. That is why I asked the question in the 9-12-17 edition of Salvos – Should we change Johnson County’s eponym?

This idea was widely panned. Literally thousands of people commented on the story KCRG ran about the idea. I got dozens of hateful emails. We got 1500 signatures on a petition opposing the idea. I remember then-Supervisor Janelle Rettig saying, “I like the idea, but you really stepped into it!”

There were also a lot of playful suggestions: Magic Johnson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, etc. There were also serious calls to rename it after LBJ or Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician featured in the movie “Hidden Figures.”

I ran into a friend at the grocery store a few days later. Tim Walch of Iowa City served 23 years as the Director of the Herbert Hoover Library and Museum. Tim and I stood in the dairy section for half an hour while he told me even more about RMJ. Tim thought an eponym change was worth trying, and offered to speak to the Board.

I knew King County, WA had done this, so I asked County Attorney Janet Lyness to see if she could find anything regarding this matter in Iowa law. After a long search, she could not.

At about the same time, my friend David McCartney, then the UI Archivist, mentioned Lulu Merle Johnson. I must admit, I had never heard of her. He sent me some info, and I was intrigued.

So the Board held a meeting on the topic. Tim Walsh spoke. And the Board decided to create a committee and hold a contest to see what suggestions the community might come up with. I urged David to submit Lulu Merle.

The committee contained two Supervisors (Royceann Porter and Lisa Green Douglass), and they went into this process with a few guidelines:

1. There was no guarantee we would change anything.

2. The person had to be a “Johnson”; changing the actual name of the county was a nonstarter.

3. The person should have a connection to Johnson County, Iowa. (RMJ never even set foot in Iowa, let alone here.)

4. The person should be deceased.

There were some good suggestions, but the committee landed unanimously on Lulu Merle Johnson. Before we took the official vote, we hired local historian Rebecca Conard to do some research, including making contact with Johnson’s family. As it turned out, Johnson has family in Des Moines. And they were thrilled!

Finally, in September of 2020, the Board voted unanimously to become Lulu Merle Johnson County, Iowa! I am very proud of my role in this history!

*Salvos Salutes – 2016

What I wrote about some of the honorees from Salvos Salutes in 2016:

Joe Bolkcom: It is said you can judge a society by the way they treat their most vulnerable citizens. The decision to turn Iowa Medicaid over to private Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) will go down in history as one of the worst political decisions in Iowa history. While his battle is decidedly uphill, Senator Bolkcom has been a leading voice for the 1/6 Iowans who receives some type of Medicaid service.

Jim Throgmorton: There are many reasons to want to serve as Mayor. It can be a springboard to higher office. It can fulfill a need for attention. It can promote personal business interests. It can serve as the capstone to a career in public service.
Or, you could be Jim Throgmorton. The Mayor of Iowa City genuinely cares about the lives of the individual people who live in this city. Jim does not show up places looking for kudos; he shows up because he CARES. I am so proud that Jim is the Mayor of my town!

Geoff Fruin: I don’t know if I have ever seen anything quite like it. It seemed that EVERYONE wanted to see Geoff Fruin promoted from Assistant City Manager to City Manager! Liberals, conservatives, old, young, Chamber, Labor… it seems everyone wanted to hire Geoff. And I can see why! Geoff is a great guy and a team player who seems to really get things done. I think his future and the future of Iowa City are both bright!

Linda Fisher: Given the current state of the world/country/state, it can be easy to get discouraged. You need a source of positive energy. That is what I get from my Coralville friend Linda Fisher. A woman of a great many interests and talents, Linda’s true gift is her unrelenting positive energy. I always feel better after speaking to Linda!

Bill Waldie: Did you read what I just wrote? The same description also fits Bill Waldie. From the Johnson County Conservation Board to the Solon Library Board to the Comprehensive Plan Committee, Bill is a full-time volunteer. Every time we appoint him to another group, someone comes up to me and says, “Where did you find that guy? He’s great!” Truth is, we didn’t find Bill – he just showed up and began offering good advice!

Mike and Chris Weinard: I have been volunteering in local political campaigns since the late 1980s. In that whole time, I do not believe I have EVER seen anyone work as hard over a 4-year period as Mike and Chris Weinard! Show me someone who has knocked on more doors – you can’t do it! More importantly, they bring passion, intelligence, and senses of humor to the tasks at hand. I am glad they are on my side, and I’m proud to call them a Union Brother and Sister!

Kice Brown: Lone Tree has been lucky to have Carl “Kice” Brown as a resident these many years. In addition to his service on the City Council, Kice has done great work with senior dining, housing, and the local cable franchise. On top of that, Kice represents Lone Tree on all sorts of county Boards and Commissions, and has done so for some time. And Kice does it all with his signature smile!

Marcella Hurtado: You know the old saying that Grace Kelly did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in heels? That is exactly how I feel about Marcella Hurtado. Through her work with the Center for Worker Justice (CWJ), Marcella has won many battles for the immigrants and low-wage workers of our County. Marcella has been as effective as any activist in Johnson County. Yet she does it all in her second language, and with her children in tow! Enhorabuena, Marcella! Sigues impresionándome! Mantener el buen trabajo!

Andy Johnson: This one hurts my heart, as Andy is leaving Johnson County to join family in Omaha. If you have ever worked with Johnson County in any capacity, you know that Andy is the one that makes it all happen. I cannot even begin to describe all of his good qualities. Our Boards have not been the easiest groups for whom one could work. We are very flawed as individuals, and even more flawed as a group. But for the most part, things get done, and they get done because of Andy. His wisdom, kindness, thoughtfulness, patience, honesty, humility, and decency are beyond comparison. I wish I was half as good a person as Andy. I could exhaust my thesaurus looking for words to explain how I feel about Andy, but I think I’ll settle on one: Grace. I never deserved a person like Andy as a friend or coworker, but I got to enjoy him as both. Grace. Thank you, Andy. Thank you for everything. Grace.

As you can see, 2016 was a year full of people worthy of our admiration!

*DID YOU KNOW? Hills added a water treatment plant and public water utility in 2015. (I do not know what their nitrate count has been.) Growth has been huge since! Hills was around 700 people in 2015, and sits at about 950 now. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

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---Rod

August 15, 2026

I know January 1 is the official New Year, but in Iowa City, the New Year always feels like mid-August. Having lived here over 40 years, my circadian rhythms are set to a new academic year being the real new year.

Whether you live life by the semester or not, I hope you have a great academic year!

The Lone Tree Fall Festival is August 21 & 22 in Lone Tree. This event is a great opportunity to share some good times with the fine folks of Johnson County’s panhandle!

I heard an interesting statistic recently, and I want to know if anyone can confirm or deny it:

The statistic we often see is that Iowa has 25 million hogs and 3.1 million people. Iowa has about 33,000 deaths each year, and about 33,000 people are born or move in. So the population of people stays pretty consistent.

But the hogs? I heard that over half the hogs turn over each year. Meaning the impact of the hog population is not 25 million, but 40 million!

I guess this makes sense. Thinking back to my childhood, I know piglets were born in the spring, and 7-9 months later they were ready to go to market. I imagine with genetics, antibiotics, etc. they have sped that process up.

So perhaps we should be talking about the impact of 40 million hogs, not 25 million!

I have long been concerned by the workload (or lack thereof) for Johnson County Supervisors. I sent the following Executive Summary to Chairperson Green, requesting a discussion of the topic. Hopefully, it will be discussed on Wednesday, August 19.

Background: Supervisor compensation in 2005 was approximately $39,000 annually. Supervisor compensation in 2026 is approximately $102,000 annually. That is an increase of 162% over 21 years. I believe it can be argued that the Supervisor workload has actually decreased during this time. Below are some arguments in support of this belief:

1. In 2005, there were 3 staff in the Board Office – a Secretary, an Executive Assistant (job title later changed to Executive Director), and a Budget person (that position was later transferred to the Finance Department). In 2026, there are 11.25 staff in the Board Office.

2. Staffing increases in other Departments have also reduced Supervisor workload, though somewhat more indirectly.

3. Electronic communications have largely replaced phone and in person communications. The number of phone calls and visitors is probably 5% of what it was in 2005. (IT may be able to provide incoming phone call data; visitors will be more difficult to measure.) Phone calls and visits required more time from Supervisors.

4. The number of outside boards and committees upon which Supervisors serve has been markedly decreased. While a few new committees have been created, more than a dozen either no longer exist, or professional staff have replaced Supervisor participation. As an example, in both 2006 and 2007, I served on 22 boards or committees each year. Post-COVID, that number has been closer to 10 each year.

How much time are Supervisors spending doing County business? It will obviously vary week-to-week. And we know that there are seasons (the budget process, specifically) that add a few hours to each weekly total. That said, below is what I believe to be a very accurate estimate.

Each of the estimates above is generous. I would argue that most Supervisors do not hit each of these totals very often. On many weeks, the total numbers of hours spent in these areas might be half that total.

The piece that is not mentioned above is “spending time in the community.” Every Supervisor defines “their community” differently, and every Supervisor considers different activities to be “work.”

An example: I was recently the only Supervisor in attendance for the groundbreaking of the new Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County Towncrest Center. I was there 90 minutes. One could argue that was work. One could argue that was personal. Though not in my case, one could argue it is campaigning. Which is it?

Supervisors can argue over how that time is categorized. But should the public pay a Supervisor to attend? Should the public pay 5 Supervisors to attend?

There are many other examples of grey areas. Is going to a bar with friends and talking local politics work? Is going to a coffee shop with friends and talking local politics work? Is going to the County Fair with your children work? Is attending a candlelight vigil work? Is volunteering to sit in a dunk tank for a nonprofit fundraiser work? Is driving around examining the crops work? Is eating at Senior Dining work? The correct answers to these questions vary widely from person to person.

Supervisors are salaried. Hours worked may vary. But the countywide expectation for salaried employees is that the salary is based upon approximately 40 hours of work per week. I would argue that Supervisor pay is calculated similarly, but that only half as much work (or less) is being done.

The job is now more akin to that of a City Councilor in a larger city. Iowa City City Councilors are paid $12,000 annually. Cedar Rapids City Councilors make $25,000. Des Moines City Councilors make $35,000. This level of compensation seems more congruent with the responsibilities of a Johnson County Supervisor.

Compensation for Supervisors goes beyond just salary. The positions have full benefits, including excellent healthcare and IPERS. While I personally believe those are important things to have, it is worth noting that they are an additional piece of the compensation package.

Plus, Supervisors do not have sick or vacation leave. They simply go when they want to go. They come into the office whenever they choose. It is hard to put a price on this type of flexibility.

Ultimately, the only accountability for Supervisors is the public. But I do believe Supervisors could give the public more information upon which to make decisions.

Board Office Executive Director Erin Shane had the Board and Board Office staff do a time study a little over a year ago. She later decided this was not getting her good information and abandoned the project. Personally, I feel there could be real value in trying once again.

Johnson County recently underwent a strategic planning process. During that process, there were calls to explore a County Manager form of government. Regardless of how one feels about this topic, it points out the need for Supervisors to justify the $510,000 plus full benefits and IPERS that taxpayers are asked to pay each year.

For anyone wishing to do more research, I have discussed this over the years at the annual meeting of the Compensation Commission. Minutes are available online.

Tom Jacobs: After several decades as a respected labor leader, Tom decided to retire. He should have gotten a Salvos Salute at that time. Watching him serve as a husband, father, grandfather, and friend shows he deserves a Salute for those roles, too. What a kind, generous, thoughtful, caring man! I am proud to call Tom a friend!

Lisa Metzler: This Solon woman dutifully works every day to ensure that foster and adoptive children and foster and adoptive families have what they need. Then she goes home from work and serves as a foster and adoptive parent herself! Do not kid yourself - Lisa is a true hero!

Andre Perry: The Englert Theatre has become one of the most important cultural and civic resources in all of Johnson County. The building itself is beautiful, but the building did not do that. Andre Perry did. If this young man comes to you with an idea, do yourself a favor and tell him yes!

Dave Wehde: We are aware of the award winning writers and champion wrestlers in our midst. But did you know that Johnson County Conservation is home to probably the top Naturalist in the business? Dave Wehde has been serving the people of Johnson County a long time, and yes, he really is that good! Dave’s role will only grow (pun intended!) as we battle the many invasive species that threaten our landscape.

Chris Henze: Should we really recognize not one but TWO Johnson County employees who deal with weeds? Actually, yes we should! Johnson County won the award for having the top Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management program in the whole country! This was the result of years of fighting, years of volunteering, and years of advocacy on the part of many people. But Chris is the guy who has pulled it all together and made it all work.

Jesse Case: Johnson County became the first county in Iowa to adopt a Community ID program. Then Johnson County became the first county in Iowa to raise the minimum wage. If you want to find a single person most responsible for these accomplishments, look no farther than Iowa City Federation of Labor President Jesse Case. Neither of those things happens without Jesse’s leadership – period.

Jean Jordison: Throughout our community, people donate time, talent, and treasure. Some people make a show of it; others do so quietly. One of the quiet heroes is Jean Jordison. She has given so much to a couple local low-income immigrant families that it boggles the mind. But that is just the start – her giving is felt throughout the community. If everyone contributed the way Jean does… well, I cannot even imagine. Her contributions are truly extraordinary!

Jessica Peckover: It is REALLY difficult to get the majority of all the public officials in the area to agree on anything. Jessica Peckover has done even better – she has convinced everyone to wholeheartedly support Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and bring it to Johnson County. CIT will help law enforcement officers to better serve people who are struggling with mental health and/or substance abuse issues. While this approach makes sense, it would not be happening without Jessica’s knowledge, passion, persistence, and just plain hard work.

Mike Ryan: Did you follow the minimum wage discussions in Tiffin? The debate there was more robust than in any other city in Johnson County. Throughout that debate, one person emerged as a vocal champion for low wage workers – Councilor Mike Ryan. The fire Mike demonstrated while fighting for a higher minimum wage was really exceptional. The people of Tiffin are lucky to have such a passionate public servant!

Teachers: They all get a Salute. Every one of them. Not only have they done their typical great work – arguably our most important work – they have done so while under attack from the Branstad Administration. Teachers, you deserve so much better. Hang in there, and keep up the great work!

*DID YOU KNOW? The College Community School District includes most of northern Johnson County including Swisher and Shueyville. Most people think “College Community” refers to nearby Kirkwood Community College. In actuality, College Community is named after Western College, a college that existed from 1857 to 1919 in the village of Western, just north of Shueyville.