Amy Johnson appointed to fill Linn County supervisor vacancy

CEDAR RAPIDS - Amy Johnson, formerly chief development officer for Horizons: A Family Services Alliance, will temporarily fill an empty spot on the five-member Linn County Board of Supervisors, a special appointment committee decided Friday.

The choice comes one week after the resignation of former Supervisor Linda Langston took effect. Langston left the District 2 seat before her term is up to become director of strategic relations for the National Association of Counties in Washington, D.C.

A special committee convened to figure out how to fill the interim seat quickly decided not to call a special election. Instead, the committee - County Auditor Joel Miller, County Recorder Joan McCalmant and County Treasurer Sharon Gonzalez - interviewed 11 applicants living in District 2, which includes much of Cedar Rapids.

McCalmant and Gonzalez voted to appoint Johnson to the opening. Miller abstained from the vote.

McCalmant said she felt Johnson was the most impressive during the interview process and appeared to be the best choice.

'She was articulate, energetic and excited for the position,” McCalmant said. 'It seemed like a good match.”

Johnson, who has lived in Linn County almost 30 years, said Friday she was surprised the committee had made a decision so soon.

'I can't wait to get in the mix and get going, even though my head is spinning a little bit right now,” she said.

Johnson said she hopes to be sworn and an acting supervisor by early May. While her term lasts only until the next supervisor is elected in November, she has no plans to simply warm an empty seat.

'I don't like the term placeholder. I want to be a meaningful caretaker,” she said. 'I don't want to just show up, I do want to make a meaningful contribution.”

Like Langston, Johnson will be the only woman on the board. Johnson said she was honored to carry on that role.

'What I've learned in this very quick process is that a woman has served on the Linn County board for over 40 years,” she said. 'That's a big part of the reason I stepped up. I wanted to make sure that women continue to have representation on this board.”

She joins it as the county takes on preliminary discussions whether to increase the local minimum wage. At the same time, the supervisors have taken some heat for their own salaries - more than $100,000 a year. Among other duties, the supervisors oversee the budget and set public policy for Linn County government.

All three members of the special committee picked the same top three applicants, which also included former Cedar Rapids school board member Ron Olson and former Linn County Attorney Eugene Kopecky.

Miller said he did not disagree with appointing Johnson to the role Friday. But he argued the committee should wait until after the weekend to allow for any public comment before making a final decision.

'I'm not going to vote for or against Amy, I just don't think we're doing the right thing,” he said. 'What's the harm in waiting until Monday?”

Gonzalez said the three members of the committee were tasked with making a choice, and she didn't feel waiting until Monday would change her decision.

'We're here to make that decision, that's how I feel,” she said.

Members of the committee had said they planned to make an appointment by Tuesday. But Iowa law gave them until May 25.

Linn County Assistant Attorney Gary Jarvis said he quickly could draft a resolution formally appointing Johnson. After it's signed, Johnson could be sworn in to board.

Democrats Stacey Walker, 28, and Dick Hogan, 75, are vying for the seat's next four-year term. One will receive the Democratic Party nomination in the June 7 primary.