JOHNSON COUNTY– Three candidates are on the ballot for a special election on Tuesday, June 8, to fill a vacant seat on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.
Republican Phil Hemingway, Democrat Jon Green, and no-party candidate Brian Campbell are running for the position vacated by the resignation in April of Supervisor Janelle Rettig.
The Solon Economist sent all three candidates a dozen questions ranging from biographical to philosophical and policy-related, and their responses are printed as received, and in the order they received.
Jon Green is a senior information technology systems administrator for Cambridge Investment Research of Fairfield, and a native of Wyoming. He has lived in Nichols and Lone Tree, and currently resides in Lone Tree with his girlfriend Eleanore, and their cat and dog.
Why are you running for the Johnson County Board of Supervisors?
I’m running because I see an historic opportunity to reorient local government in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, especially toward the equitable and efficient delivery of government services.
What do you see as the core function of the board of supervisors?
The Supervisors set the budgets for the county elected offices– Sheriff, Attorney, Treasurer, Auditor and Recorder; as well as the budget and supervise several other departments that provide services to help county residents– Conservation, Mental Health and Social Services, Finance, Emergency Management, and Public Health and others. The core function of the supervisors is to provide services in a humane manner that helps people accomplish government business while supporting their personal well-being. The supervisors can set a vision of supporting county residents in these tasks.
Besides the pandemic, what do you see as challenges confronting Johnson County, and by extension the board of supervisors? And what would you as one supervisor on the board propose to address these challenges?
Racial justice became impossible to ignore as America and Johnson County last year confronted the necessity to improve how we treat all citizens in a humane and equal manner. Johnson County is one of the few growing counties in the state and we need to manage our growth in a way that protects that balance of urban and rural that makes it a rewarding place to live.
Do you feel there is an urban vs. rural divide in the county? And do you feel rural residents in general, and the agricultural community in particular, is being represented by the board of supervisors? If yes, why? If no, why not?
There are certainly different parts of the county, urban and rural, that contribute different strengths to the county as a whole. But these differences do not divide us, but are rather complementary rewarding us as a whole county in different ways. Rural interests are represented on the supervisors and on several county commissions and boards.
In recent years the Comprehensive Plan and the Unified Development Ordinances have been a point of controversy, particularly among the ag community. Would you have voted in favor of the Comp Plan and UDO? If yes why, if no why not?
The Future Land Use Map did a good job of preserving farm land from residential development by pushing more residential development closer to cities. It also established new opportunities for agricultural enterprise zoning and for farms smaller than 40 acres under certain circumstances. The original UDO proposal sought too much regulation that was not granted to the county, but the revised proposal was a marked improvement.
How would you describe the relationship between the supervisors and the ag community? And, what would your approach be if elected?
The supervisors have responsibilities that are larger than only the agricultural community. Safety and health concerns are part of the supervisors’ statutory obligations and the agricultural community has to abide by those as does every other segment of the county. Further, ag is not a monolith: the interests of industrial-scale, landowner-absent operations are different from heritage and century farms, which in turn are different from small organic entrants. My background is in rural areas and small towns. Many of my neighbors farm or are employed in ag-adjacent industries such as Stutsman of Hills. I understand their needs and what they expect from county government. It would be appropriate to establish an informal group of county agricultural residents to have periodic listening posts to bring concerns to the supervisors.
Recently an Iowa City City Council member called for abolishing the Iowa City Police Department, and nationwide there are voices calling for abolishing or defunding law enforcement. What is your stance regarding law enforcement (Johnson County Sheriff’s Office)?
Nationally and locally there are clearly policing practices that are hurtful and even deadly to residents. Usually these are people of color. Some of our policing practices are built on a long history of systemic racism and intentional intimidation of people of color and those should end and be replaced with best practices that actually accomplish the goal of public safety.
Our county sheriff’s department is better than many others in respecting best practices of law enforcement. All that said, our county sheriff department is not above a thorough review of how it engages with citizens to see if its practices can be improved. Johnson County should begin to establish a Citizens Review Board, to increase accountability between law enforcement and the citizens it protects. While this is insufficient, it is what is possible within current state law. The supervisors should also closely consider the sheriff’s budget to determine if some headcount can be shifted to other entities better equipped to address the long list of things we presently, incorrectly, demand of law enforcement. We owe it to ourselves and to all county residents to be honest and examine our present practices to see how they can be improved. That is patriotic and beneficial to all.
The recently opened GuideLink Center has been hailed by Gov. Reynolds as a model for others to follow and is an example of a public-private partnership. Do you agree? Disagree? And, what is your position on public-private partnerships? Are there other ventures where you would try to formulate similar partnerships?
The GuideLink Center could not have been accomplished in a timely manner, or to meet the best goals of public service, without a public-private partnership (PPP). The establishment of GuideLink only underscores that the need for its services is greater than it can provide. The fact that a PPP had to be used to provide this healthcare service also points to the need for a federal health care system that provides low-cost services to all without dependence on the private sector. America is wealthy enough to guarantee health care as a right to all citizens.
Public-private partnerships are a stop-gap means of providing healthcare services. But they are useful in providing services that the private sector or government is not able to perform alone. Childcare, broadband, community meals, education, and other vital services that are not meeting needs are the types of PPP I would entertain.
Is it appropriate for the board of supervisors to mandate a minimum wage in the county? Or to declare a moratorium on certain agricultural operations? If yes, why? If no, why not?
The Iowa Legislature has rendered both of these questions moot. The bigger question is to ask what the lack of mandates such as minimum wage or stricter control of agricultural operations is accomplishing.
Lack of a livable wage– no one can survive on $7.25/hour– makes Iowa a low wage state that perpetuates poverty and the devastation that brings, especially to our rural areas and small towns– in poor health, lack of educational opportunities, etc. If Iowa wants to attract better jobs that keep people here, it must pay better wages.
Some modern agricultural practices are creating dirty water and polluted air that are public health hazards. These practices are not good to attract new people to the state and are hurting those of us who are here. Farmers I know do not want to contribute to these problems, but find it difficult to avoid them. The county, the state, and the federal government need to create greater financial incentives to ensure the use of best practices that reduce and eliminate harmful practices.
Do you see yourself as an activist pursuing an ideological agenda? Or do you promise to represent all of your constituents? How accessible will you be to the residents of Johnson County, and how willing are you to actively listen to those with differing opinions?
Every candidate and elected official is ideological, but it is only when that ideology is in tension with the status quo that the smear of activist is trotted out. Each supervisor is responsible to best represent every resident of Johnson County as they see fit, which is the purpose of campaigning: to make the argument. I have a long list of priorities I wish to advance should I be elected. Those can be viewed at greenforjc.com.
I am the Democratic candidate for supervisor and won the nomination because I’ve shown through word and deed: my values are Democratic values. As an outspoken progressive in Lone Tree, I’ve long listened to those in the community, even those with vigorously divergent opinions. I’m pretty damned accessible: my cellular number is listed on nearly every piece of campaign literature.
A campaign is essentially a job interview. So, simply put, why should the voters of Johnson County cast their ballot for you?
The old world is dead and the future has yet to be written. I’ve spent a great deal of time considering, detailing and arguing for my ideas about how we can meet the future, and ensure it is better for all of us. Even if you don’t agree with everything I propose, I hope it’s plain I’m serious about governing, not just campaigning.

Important Dates

Monday, June 7: Last day for in-person early voting at the Johnson County Auditor’s Office.
Tuesday, June 8: Election Day. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote at your regular polling place.
Also: Mailed ballots must be returned to the auditor’s office before the polls close at 8 p.m.
The poll closing time of 8 p.m. also reflects recent changes to Iowa law.