Monday, September 05, 2011

Iowa City Labor Picnic

Iowa City Labor Picnic

Fewer political speeches this year than usual at the Iowa City Federation of Labor Picnic, which was also short one vary familiar face.

"We were all a little nervous about how it would all come together without Jean Martin," said City Fed president Pat Hughes. Martin, one of the leading lights of Iowa City labor, passed away early this summer.



Martin’s friends and family are working on a Memorial that will be at the new Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in Iowa City. A gathering of park benches or a shelter house would be called the Jean Martin and Iowa City Federation of Labor Area. The memorial will cost about $10,000. Contributions can be made out to Prairie Voices Productions, PO Box 3411, Iowa City, IA 52244.

While the speeches were mostly skipped, the politicians were plentiful. Dave Loebsack spent the day focused on his new turf in Scott County. But the fearless leaders of the Democrats on the state and local levels - IDP chair Sue Dvorsky and Terry Dahms of the JC Dems- were on hand. legislature was well represented with Bob Dvorsky, Mary Mascher and Dave Jacoby present. Rod Sullivan, Terrence Neuzil, Janelle Rettig and Tom Slockett were on hand from the courthouse.

A couple of the electeds on hand are in re-election races: school board president Patti Fields and Mitch Gross of the Coralville City Council. The City Fed picnic comes at a really good time for school board candidates, eight days before the Sept. 13 election. In addition to Fields, Jim Tate and Sally Hoelscher were present. Only two of the 10 Iowa City Council candidates attended: at large contender Raj Patel and Jim Throgmorton, the lone District C candidate.

The two candidate speeches came from legislative challengers: District 73 contender David Johnson and a second player to be named later.

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