Community News

Waukon High School and Allamakee County Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) are working in collaboration with Allamakee County’s emergency services of fire, law enforcement, EMS, etc. to host a mock vehicle accident Wednesday, April 18. The event is scheduled to be held at approximately 2 p.m. near the Waukon High School parking lot and is being held prior to the local high school Prom celebrations as a reminder to students and parents to make good choices and be safe in their celebrations.
 

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Tuesday morning, April 10 for public hearings on the proposed budget for the 2018-2019 school year, amending the 2017-2018 budget, consideration of the 2018-2019 school calendar and a public hearing on the sale of the Waterville Elementary School property.

There were no written or oral comments on the proposed budget for the 2018-2019 budget, nor on amending the 2017-2018 budget. No written or oral comments were received on the 2018-2019 school calendar either.

There were no written comments received regarding the sale of the Waterville Elementary School property, but Waterville Mayor Dave Monserud was present to address the board regarding the sale of the property. He asked that the board members consider the difference between a buyer who has community interests in mind as opposed to a buyer who may only see the property as personal gain.

Members of the Waukon Park, Recreation and Wellness Board are making preparations for a busy summer, and as they begin the hiring process for summer employees, they are also making a list of things that need to be readied for a busy summer season. Recalling all the work that inmates from Luster Heights accomplished in the past and knowing that these employees won’t be back any time soon, if ever, due to State budget cuts and the closing of that facility in Allamakee County, the board hopes to get additional assistance for the current volunteer base.

The Boy Scout Troop 64 Spring Omelet Breakfast will be held Sunday, April 8 at the St. Patrick Catholic Church hall in Waukon. Scouts, such as those pictured above, will be serving made-to-order omelets, hash browns, homemade cinnamon rolls, coffee, juice and milk from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. this Sunday. Plates of cinnamon rolls are also available for a donation, with donations going to a charity chosen by the Scouts. Tickets may be purchased at the door, or in advance from any Boy Scout or second year Webelo Scout. The Omelet Breakfast is the Troop’s main fundraiser to support the purchase of new equipment, sending Scouts to summer camp and other troop activities. Troop 64 appreciates the community’s support of this event for over 25 years. For more information on the Omelet Breakfast, call 563-794-0403. Submitted photo.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in a pair of sessions this past week, including a Wednesday, March 28 special session and its regular Monday, April 2 session. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

- MARCH 28 SPECIAL -
The Waukon City Council met in special session Wednesday evening, March 28 to discuss sewer rate increases, clarification of City duties and a city council member’s resignation. Mayor Pat Stone called the meeting to order with a capacity crowd in attendance in the City Council Chambers of Waukon City Hall.
City Clerk Al Lyon provided an overview of three different scenarios on sewer rate increases in regard to helping finance a new wastewater treatment plant in Waukon and how each would affect a sampling of residential, commercial and industrial customers. Lyon used a projector to display information from his laptop computer to a screen in the corner of the council room.

At a Wednesday evening, March 28 special session of the Waukon City Council, the council accepted the resignation of council member Dwight Jones. The resignation notice emailed by Jones to fellow members of the Waukon City Council, Waukon Mayor Pat Stone, Waukon City Attorney Jim Garrett, Waukon City Manager Dean Hilgerson and Waukon City Clerk Al Lyon Monday morning, March 26 simply stated, “Please accept this as my official resignation from the city council effective immediately. Good luck. Dwight.” There was no further explanation offered at the March 28 special session, which Jones did not attend.

The Standard reached out to Jones to offer the opportunity to further explain his resignation decision. His reply follows:

“Eighteen years ago I received some parking tickets from the Waukon PD that I felt were unjustified. I took out my frustration by running for mayor, and no one was more surprised than me when I won that first election.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 2 to address a full agenda of items, including the contract with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) for Comprehensive Planning Services, consideration of Road Rock Resurfacing bids and consideration of the Sexual Assault Response Team Proclamation of April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) discussed two recent articles in “Our Iowa Magazine” relating to Allamakee County Reinke also advised that the upcoming month of May is Tourism Month.

Students in pre-kindergarten through second grade at West Elementary School in Waukon celebrated Be Kind to Bees day Thursday, March 22 as part of the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative’s (FFI) Harvest of the Month program. According to FFI Americorps Service Member Elizabeth Happ, each month students learn about a local food that is in season. The featured food for the month of March was honey, and students traveled to five different learning centers inside the West Elementary gymnasium to learn a variety of things related to bees and the harvesting of honey, with many of those activities pictured in the surrounding photos:

Pictured above: Joel Fassbinder of the Highlandville Honey Farm explains how honey is harvested from the hive.

Pictured at center: Brielle Kruger helps Ross Geerdes of Allamakee County Conservation explain bee anatomy.

Pictured below: Waukon High School students Lilly Kossman and Mia Strub help administer the honey taste test.

Waukon High School welcomed the newest members into its local chapter of the National Honor Society at an annual induction ceremony held Thursday, March 22 at Waukon High School. Pictured above are this year’s new inductees, left to right - Front row: Zaida Bockman, Cayla Nolting, Nicole Campbell, Michael Headington, Nathan Helgerson, Andrew Mellick, Caleb Opfer, Emma Roe, Michaela Dehli, Berklee Hanson, Molly Brodahl. Second row: Carlee Benzing, Peyton Bieber, Lauryn Behrend, Grace Howe, Aleah Howes, Megan O’Neill, Landon Berns, Madisen Ahlstrom, Allison Goltz, Emily Kolsrud. Back row: Jasmyn Enyart, Aubree Cota, Lauren Griffith, Cassidy Byrnes, Brooke Wasson, Mary Vander Velden, Micah Treptau, Sean Liddiard, Robert Drew, Brigid Berns. Not pictured: Thomas Byrnes. Photo courtesy of Waukon High School.
 

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon will be hosting a film about country schools and the “days gone by” in educating youth in Iowa and the Midwest Tuesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. The film “Country School: One room, one nation” is being presented by the Allamakee County Historical Preservation Commission. Light refreshments will be provided after the showing. Submitted image.