IOWA CITY

In a new chapter of boiling emotions surrounding a proposed new county jail and sheriff’s office, Johnson County Supervisor Mandi Remington criticized the way a sheriff’s deputy handled a curse-filled disruption by a member of the public during the Board of Supervisors’ July 2 meeting.

Following the board’s approval of a purchase of property near the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm, projected to be the site for a new jail, Deputy Randy Lamm, a Johnson County Sheriff Colonel, intervened by turning off a microphone when a member of the audience went up to a podium and shouted at members of the board, four times dropping f-bombs on them.

Board Chair Jon Green immediately interrupted the speaker and said they were “out of order,” but when the speaker went on during a time when public comment was not permitted, Lamm intervened.

Remington took issue with that during the board’s July 15 work session, saying that only the board chair has authority.

“Walking up to somebody who is angry and upset and standing next to them with a weapon on your hip and reaching over them is not de-escalating,” Remington said.

Remington’s comments quickly drew disagreements from Supervisors Rod Sullivan and Lisa Green-Douglass, and Sullivan read a statement the next day, July 16, during a formal session.

“Major (now, a Colonel) Lamm never raised his voice, Major Lamm never had any physical contact with the individual,” Sullivan said in his statement. “He did absolutely nothing wrong.”

“That deputy walked up there,” Green-Douglass said. “He’s been trained in de-escalation. What did the deputy do wrong?”

Green called for a board recess as the speaker kept yelling in opposition about the board’s unanimous vote to approve the property purchase which may or may not be used for a jail.

“I’m not justifying the person who did it,” Remington said.

“I’m talking about how we as a board and other departments within this board are handled here when it happens.”

The Board has had other occasions this year, often during public comment, when members of the public have actually approached the dais where the board sits.

“At any time, anyone, regardless of whether if a (board) member or someone in the audience, feels unsafe, they should say something to the chair,” Green said.

Sullivan responded directly with a statement during the board’s July 16 meeting, which Remington did not attend.

“Why, as supervisors, do we continue to allow people to falsely impugn the character of our employees?” Sullivan said. “Why would supervisors engage in such behavior themselves?”

“I will argue with anybody that the vast majority of those (Johnson County) employees are incredibly good at their jobs, are incredibly hard working and care deeply about the people of Johnson County,” he said. “And most definitely includes Major (Colonel) Lamm. Randy Lamm is a good employee and as good a person as you will find in Johnson County. He deserves our praise for his consistently good work.”

His words were not so complimentary of the Board of Supervisors itself.

“I’ve worked at Johnson County for just over 21 and a half years,” Sullivan said. “I’ve worked with literally thousands of employees during that time. And I can tell you that the position that is most likely to have people fail to show up is county supervisor. The position most likely to have people phone it in, both literally and figuratively, is county supervisor. The position typically least prepared, least trained, least experienced is county supervisor. The position generally least good at their jobs, I would say, county supervisor.”

“Until this board cleans up the glass house in which we live,” he said, “I think we should probably cast less stones.”

Open House

The Johnson County Historic Poor Farm will host an open house from 3 to 7:30 p.m. August 8.

The event will serve as the soft launch of the HPF Kitchen, a shared-use commercial kitchen for food and farm businesses. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

The open house will also include a vegetable farm pest workshop, natural areas tours, kids activities and food trucks.

The event is free and open to the public.

Board Action

The Board approved a plat for the Lisbon-Mount Vernon Area Benefited Emergency Medical Services District, and set a special levy ballot question for Sept. 1.

Next Meeting

The next formal session is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 23.