SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 19, 2026
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/23/26
In this edition:
*Amateur Historians?
*November 1, 1991 Remembrance
*Goodbye, Community ID!
*Consequential: Planning and Zoning
*Salvos Salutes – 2011
*Did You Know?
*Amateur Historians?
I still have yet to find out if I am, in fact, the longest-serving Supervisor in Johnson County history. I believe I am, but I have been unable to verify that.
I need someone to look at the period from 1866-1932 in order to confirm or dispute that claim. If you know someone who enjoys this type of research, please send them my way. Thanks!
*November 1, 1991 Remembrance
The local Johnson County Moms Demand Action group is beginning to plan a Nov. 1st event honoring those impacted by the UI mass shooting in 1991, holding space for those recently impacted by the Ped Mall shooting, and inspiring all who are deeply interested in gun violence prevention efforts to action. We'd like to gather personal stories via Google Form at https://forms.gle/43kWUabqt3EC7x1Z8. If you were personally impacted by either event, we would appreciate you sending in a response. Feel free to share the form link with others, who were impacted by these events.
*Goodbye, Community ID!
(Thanks to the Iowa Legislature, Johnson County’s Community ID program ended on July 1. I am proud of what we did to get Community ID off the ground. Below is what I wrote when we adopted the program in 2015. This is from Salvos on 4-14-15.)
Johnson County is preparing to roll out a Community ID program. I am excited about this, and I want to take a little time to explain why I believe this is a good thing for our community.
First, a bit of history – the impetus for this came from the Center for Worker Justice (CWJ), a remarkable local organization dedicated to securing fair treatment for immigrant workers.
Like every other organization that has ever existed in Johnson County, the CWJ thought they should start with Iowa City and Coralville. Soon they realized that working with Johnson County might be a better avenue for getting this done.
A committee was formed, consisting of CWJ members, local labor leaders, and three Johnson County officials: Recorder Kim Painter, Auditor Travis Weipert, and County Attorney Janet Lyness. These folks have moved the process forward to where we are today.
We also have an ace in the hole when it comes to going through this process. UI Law Professor Stella Burch Elias specializes in Immigration Law. More importantly, she was centrally involved in the successful effort to create a Community ID in New Haven, Connecticut. Having her involved ensures that Johnson County follows applicable federal laws, and prevents us from reinventing the wheel.
The ID itself will be a laminated card with a holographic image applied, the same size as a driver’s license. The cost to get an ID will be $5 or $10.
Because there are already 700 people who have signed forms requesting IDs, we will need to determine a process for getting the first wave their IDs. This will likely be a weekend effort, utilize existing County staff. After the initial group of 700, we expect the ongoing numbers to be more like 5-10 IDs per month. Given that, we expect people to simply be able to call the Board of Supervisors Office to schedule an appointment to get their IDs. We may work with local libraries to arrange some weekend hours.
Why do we need a Community ID? I have a very personal story. After years of doing nothing, a few years ago, the Board of Supervisors finally began taking action against the criminals that own Regency Mobile Home Park. State law severely limits the ability of the Board to intervene, but there were dozens of credible reports of fraud coming from Regency.
Johnson County detectives swooped in, gathered all the info they could, and began following up on leads. Then they ran into a stone wall. Most of the people they needed to speak with refused to talk to them. These folks saw law enforcement coming, and they went the other way – even when they were innocent victims!
I spoke at length with the lead detective on the case, and he said that this avoidance of law enforcement was common. When I asked why, he said it all came back to a lack of ID.
This illustrates the number one reason for instituting a Community ID – public safety. We need victims and witnesses to come forward in order to solve crimes and see to it that justice is served. The Community ID will help with this.
There are many additional benefits: immigrants can open bank accounts and cash checks; cardholders can access municipal services such as the library, rec centers, etc.; it can serve as a second ID for employment purposes; it can serve as an ID for local schools; the list goes on and on.
The Community ID will be available to anyone who can provide the proper documentation. The bar will not be as high as an Iowa Driver ID, but there will be protections to ensure that the person is who they claim to be.
Johnson County is home to thousands of immigrants. China, India, Korea, Mexico, Sudan, Senegal, Honduras… the people of Johnson County are increasingly diverse. We need to do a better job welcoming these folks to our community. They are our future!
*Consequential: Planning and Zoning
It does not get a lot of publicity, but one of the areas in which elected officials can impact health, safety, and the environment is through Planning and Zoning ordinances. I am very proud of the ordinances we adopted during my time as a Supervisor.
The first was a Sensitive Areas Ordinance. This is designed to protect steep slopes, woodlands, wetlands, prairies, historic sites, and other unique features. It does not stop development, but ensures that development avoid and protect these areas. It might sound like a no-brainer, but it took a lot of work to get this done in 2006.
Johnson County adopted a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan in about 2010. This led to a lot of positive changes in the way Johnson County does business, including solar power, programmable thermostats, electric vehicles, greater recycling, less car miles traveled, and much more.
Another ordinance of which I am proud is our Stormwater Management Ordinance. Cities have storm sewers; counties do not. So we need another way to ensure that storm water does not damage neighboring properties, pollutants do not rush into our streams, etc. I am very proud of this ordinance, which came along around 2012.
Johnson County added Wind and Solar Ordinances around 2022. These are aimed at larger scale producers, and encourage this type of energy generation while protecting neighbors.
Finally, we adopted policies to balance small scale agriculture with urban sprawl. This is the longest, deepest, most drawn out struggle I ever dealt with in 22 years on the Board. How do we allow small farmers to do their thing without creating loopholes that allow unrestricted rural development? It took a long time and a lot of work, but we have struck a pretty darn good balance. I hope future Boards will not upset this hard-won victory! I am pretty certain they do not fully grasp the decades of struggle to get where we are. I hope they rely on the memories of folks who went through it.
I am proud of all the positive Planning and Zoning advancements we made during my tenure!
*Salvos Salutes – 2011
What I wrote about some of the honorees from Salvos’s Salutes in 2011:
Dorothy Whiston: The newly installed Pastor at First Baptist Church, Dorothy has led the Soul Friends Ministry for several years. That organization does a great job of ministering to families affected by the criminal justice system. Lately, Dorothy has done fantastic work addressing the systemic racism that exists here in Johnson County. This is an important but difficult topic, and Dorothy has tackled it courageously.
Roger Lusala: The Mayor’s Youth Empowerment Program (MYEP) is booming! Some have pointedly asked – “Can MYEP really do all this and do it well?” If the Executive Director of the agency is any indication, then the answer is yes, they can! What’s more, the guy is a father to 5 daughters under 12! Go, Roger!
Gerald & Joan Morgan: From serving as Santa and Mrs. Claus, to organizing antique tractor rides, to running the Old Settlers events, to volunteering on the Conservation Board, to being President of the Farm Bureau, to serving as the “Mayor” of River Junction – Gerald and Joan Morgan donate more of their time and talents than almost anyone I know. They epitomize the volunteerism that runs so deep here in Johnson County.
Bill Greazel: The job of assessing property demands accuracy. Nobody does that better than Johnson County Assessor Bill Greazel, who is the best in Iowa, period! We should all learn to appreciate the excellent job done by Bill and his employees.
Zach Wahls: I do not know Zach Wahls, nor do I know his mothers. I just know that no one has made me prouder to say I am from Johnson County! Thanks, Zach, for putting us on the map in such a positive light! We are proud of you!
Occupy Iowa City: The political, financial, legal, and other systems are rigged to favor the wealthiest 1% of Americans. To varying degrees, we all knew this. Yet the Occupy Movement has called attention to the needs of the 99% like no previous effort. What’s more, the local Occupiers have been polite, respectful, thoughtful, and smart. I have spent several hours talking to Occupy folks, and they fill me with hope for our future.
As you can see, 2011 was a year full of people worthy of our admiration!
*DID YOU KNOW? 94% of Johnson County residents 21 and older have a high school diploma. (Source: US Census Bureau.)
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 @ 8:41 AM
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