SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 26, 2026
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/30/26
In this edition:
*Happy Anniversary!
*August Leases
*Russell Stover
*Ikigai
*Ikigai, Part Two
*Consequential – Ag & Local Foods Policy Council
*Salvos Salutes – 2012
*Did You Know?
*Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary on August 1 to my wonderful wife, Dr. Melissa Fath. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know I got a great deal here! Melissa is the best wife and mother a person could ever hope for!
Happy Anniversary, Honey! It has been a great ride! I hope we celebrate many more!
*August Leases
The August leases have begun, and people are pouring into our community. There are now lots of drivers, bikers, and pedestrians who are not completely certain where they are headed.
Please allow a little more time and a little more space. Careful on the one-way streets. The newbies will figure things out in due time!
*Russell Stover
I just learned a very interesting fact. Russell Stover, the founder and man for whom the candy company is named, was born and raised in Johnson County! The Stover family farm was just south of what is now the IC Airport.
The Stover family was among the first to settle Johnson County in the very early 1840s. Many members of the family continued westward, but a few stayed. Russell attended school in IC (not sure if it was public or parochial) and attended the UI for one year (in 1911), where he met and married his wife (a Williamsburg native).
Stover made a fortune young, but was not able to handle it. He actually invented the Eskimo Pie, but ended up selling the rights when the success outstripped his ability to manage it.
Determined not to do the same thing again, Stover founded and grew Russell Stover candies into one of the biggest candy makers in the US. He died in the early 1950s, and the company has been sold several times since his death.
It sounds as though the Stovers never really stayed very connected to Iowa after they left, aside from purchasing a few houses for relatives in Iowa City.
*Ikigai
As I decide what comes next for me, I have been paying attention to a Japanese concept called “Ikigai,” or “Reason for being.” It is a really neat graphic representation of how a person fills a work niche in the world.
(I have often thought Salvos should feature photos, graphs, etc. But as I often complain, I do this all by myself. Someone would have to teach me or help me, and I simply have not had the time. So rather than screw it up, you only get text. Sorry.)
Ikigai is a series of Venn diagrams, focusing on four areas:
1. What you love,
2. What the world needs,
3. What you can be paid for, and
4. What you are good at.
I urge you to simply Google “Ikigai” and take a look. It is quite interesting, and it is helping me to ask the right questions as I determine what comes next.
*Ikigai, Part Two
While I am finding the Ikigai concept helpful, I cannot help but think about the third pilar – what you can be paid for. Think of all the artists, musicians, actors, etc. who have a great deal of talent, but not enough to earn a living. Think of all the caring people who could be in helping professions, but cannot earn a living.
Then think about many of the low paying jobs we have in our country today. Do people love them? Does the world need them? Are people good at it?
I believe we are headed for a dramatic reworking of the economy, both in the USA and around the globe. It is up to us to ensure that this reworking leaves no one behind.
*Consequential – Ag &Local Foods Policy Council
The three-way conflict between agriculture, development, and environmental concerns dominated discussions of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors from the mid-70s until about 2020. That is about 45 years, if you are counting!
This is the single issue upon which I spent the most time in my 22 years as a County Supervisor. And I am proud of the fact that we arrived in what I believe is a pretty good place.
Why the conflict? Farmers and environmentalists have been in conflict since the 70s for a few reasons. First, farming began to change. Farms used more chemicals, less people, and more intensive methods. Farms grew larger, and so did animal herds. At about the same time, the environmental movement was kicking in. The public began demanding environmental protection.
What else happened then? Boomers went to college. They arrived in Johnson County, liked it, and decided to stay. The population boomed. There were not enough houses. Developers began creating lots in unincorporated Johnson County.
Those houses and people created conflicts with both farmers and environmental goals. So things heated up.
One of the biggest challenges has always been the definition of a farm. Does having ten chickens make a place a farm? Do they need a certain income from the farm? Each and every scenario left big loopholes for developers.
Meanwhile, a counter trend was happening. People were getting very interested in local food. This opened opportunities for people to create a small farm and earn a living.
But some of the rules intended to protect agriculture were having the opposite effect. The Board at the time made the land required to be a “farm” (and therefore build a house) 40 acres. A person who wanted to grow vegetables on 5 acres did not qualify. It simply did not work.
After working with some wonderful local folks (true visionaries!) like Bob Braverman, Michelle Kenyon, Kate Edwards, Teresa Carbrey, Ellen Kapp, Kurt Friese, and others, I convinced my peers to start a Local Foods Policy Council. The idea was that this group would provide policy advice and guidance to the Board, while also doing public education and outreach.
The Board has morphed and changed over the years, but overall, it has been a huge success. I think many of the improvements in our local food system were helped along by the Local Foods Policy Council.
I have to give a special shout out to the late Bob Braverman here. Bob is one of the original small organic farmers in Johnson County, and he did a great deal to educate me. Sometimes that was through a beautiful tour of Friendly Farms. Sometimes that was through a profanity-laced phone call. Bob made his case both ways! I give Bob most of the credit for forming my idea of what our local food system could be, and for pushing me to get the ball rolling. I am really proud of the things I have accomplished in this arena. I hope Bob is proud, too.
And remember – just because things are in a pretty good place now does not mean they will stay that way! The status quo requires constant vigilance!
*Salvos Salutes – 2012
What I wrote about some of the honorees from Salvos’s Salutes in 2012:
Toni & Jake DeRyke: It seems as though this couple supports every good cause this county has to offer. They are never in the spotlight, but they are always there. These are precisely the type of caring people that make our county great! And Toni cleans my clock at the Iowa City Scrabble Club!
Ed Flaherty: We have been at war for over eleven years now – the longest war in US history. It is easy to forget this – unless you know Ed Flaherty and his fellow Veterans for Peace. Ed refuses to forget, and refuses to let us forget, even if that becomes uncomfortable. Ed’s message is simple: peace is the best route. If only our leaders would listen!
Jim McCarragher: During the campaign for a new Justice Center, local attorney Jim McCarragher volunteered more time and talent than any other county resident. He had nothing to gain from this advocacy; he simply knew it to be a big community need. Though the measure failed to achieve the required 60%, it did get over 56% of the vote – in no small part due to Jim’s efforts.
Sandy Hanson: The people of Solon have a spark plug in Sandy Hanson, who is probably best known for the Hanson’s Grove antique sales on Highway 1. These sales take a lot of time, but that time pales in comparison to the time Sandy has put in with Seniors, the homebound, and starting the Solon Food Pantry.
Sam Becker: Like many people, I was sad to learn of Sam’s recent passing. Sam and his wife Ruth were instrumental in creating the whole system of supports that exist for people with disabilities. The Arc, Goodwill, Systems Unlimited, special ed in the ICCSD – we take these things for granted. The Beckers STARTED them! In addition to being a popular professor, an internationally known scholar, chairing the Board in Control of Athletics, serving as a community volunteer, an active Democrat, and a selfless philanthropist, Sam was a wonderful husband, father, and friend.
Sally Stutsman: My colleague on the Board of Supervisors is headed to the Iowa Legislature, and I could not be more proud. As I have noted before, Sally deserves most of the credit for improving the County government we now have. Before Sally was elected, we had cronyism, sexism, secrecy, no plan for investing, a lack of transparency, and a lack of written policies. Over many objections, Sally led Johnson County to a government of laws rather than a government of personalities. Sally has never gotten the thanks she ought to for her work in those trying times. Sally will do government right for the people of HD77.
Sue Dvorsky: The old saying is you need to go at least an hour away from home to be appreciated as an expert. Well, we have an expert among us in Sue Dvorsky, whose leadership of the Iowa Democratic Party brought us a big Obama win, two out of four Congressional seats, maintenance of power in the Iowa Senate, a near takeover of the Iowa House, and a party that is right on the issues, financially strong, and a model for the rest of the US. Congrats, Sue, on a job well done!
As you can see, 2012 was a year full of people worthy of our admiration!
*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County has 21 townships.
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 @ 12:09 PM
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