Bits and Pieces

Supervisor Vacancy 

Kevin O'Malley

New Pioneer

     With rumors swirling that the Supervisors might allow an appointment to fill the vacancy created by Sally Stutsman's move to the Statehouse they voted to hold an election on March 5, 2013.

   Two Democrats have so far expressed interest for this seat: Mike Carberry and Terry Dahms. The candidate to be on the ballot on the Democratic ticket will be chosen at the party's convention on March 13. Information can be found at www.jcdems.org.

   There are two years remaining in Stutsman's term; it would have been an overtly political move to allow three people (Auditor Travis Weipert, Recorder Kim Painter and Treasurer Tom Kriz) to select the person for this vacancy. When Janelle Rettig was appointed a few years ago it was because there were only a few months remaining in the vacancy created by the death of Supervisor Larry Myers. She then had to run a full bore campaign anyway because Lori Cardella of Solon managed to get enough signatures to force an election, a move many people believed was based on Lori's personal prejudices against Janelle's 'lifestyle'.

   I hope the delegates elect Mike Carberry; Carberry has a better position on the issue of TIFs and will probably be a bit more independent in his thinking. Dahms served admirably as chair of the JC Dems, but is pretty buddy-buddy with state Senator Bob Dvorsky, a big TIF proponent and a legislator not inclined to push for more tightening of TIF.

jrettig@co.johnson.ia.us
pharney@co.johnson.ia.us
rsullivan@co.johnson.ia.us
tneuzil@co.johnson.ia.us

   I will miss Kevin O'Malley as Iowa City's Director of Finance. Kevin was always fun to talk to about City business and taught me a little something about TIFs in the process. He was everything a good public employee should be including being accessible to citizens. I wish him good times in his retirement.

   Having failed in its plans to build a new store at the corner of College & Gilbert Streets the board should welcome the renewed opportunity to talk to the city about acquiring land directly east of the Unitarian Church for a somewhat larger store; such a move would keep New Pi financially viable, remove any need for TIF assistance, and maintain a location in the downtown. This would also allow the City to raze the old store and build an attractive parking lot for City employees. It would be ideal if any building on this site were in harmony with the other structures on this block: Iowa Avenue and Van Buren, Washington and Linn Streets.
   The board should also undertake a survey of members to gauge support for the possibility of cooperatively working with the City toward a City built and maintained structure for the Farmer's Market in the planned Riverfront Crossings District south of town; this would be a perfect spot for the construction of a larger New Pi, one that would serve the greater community in a mixed-use setting with plenty of parking and open space.

--Carol deProsse