Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors held two regular session meetings within a week’s time following the closure of the Allamakee County Courthouse Monday, January 19 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance with board meetings taking place Tuesday, January 20 and Monday, January 26. The Standard’s coverage of both meetings is below.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20
The Tuesday, January 20 meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisor Dennis Keatley present. Supervisor Dan Byrnes was unable to attend the meeting via Zoom web-conferencing as planned due to a temporary internet outage impacting the Waukon area that morning.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon invites area adults to embark on a literary adventure with the 2026 Adult Reading Challenge, entitled “Plant a Seed, Read”. Underway as of January 1, and running through December 31, this year-long challenge encourages adults to explore new genres, themes, and authors while earning chances to win prizes.

Participants are encouraged to challenge themselves to read one book from each of the 12 categories selected for this year’s Challenge, which include the following:
• Agriculture-themed; 
• Book from your Childhood;
• Cross-Cultural;
• Family-themed;
• Foodie/Cookbook;
• Garden-themed;
• Health-themed;
• History;
• Humorous;
• Midwestern Author or Theme;
• Recommended;
• Set in Summer.

Participants receive a prize drawing entry for every category completed during the Challenge. Participants can finish all 12 categories and earn a bonus entry.

M3 Insurance recently announced eight new shareholders, including Jen Pino-Gallagher of the Madison, WI area, a 1991 graduate of Waukon High School. M3’s 67 shareholder partners are current employees who are actively involved in the business, and they must sell their shares prior to retirement. This ownership structure ensures engagement while aligning with M3’s commitment to remain privately held.

Jen Pino-Gallagher is the director of M3’s food and agribusiness practice, partnering with clients to identify the most effective and efficient ways to grow their business and remain competitive while reducing risk within their operations. She helps companies not only survive, but thrive, through advice and support around insurance and risk management solutions. She joined M3 in 2017.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, January 19 to address a short agenda of matters including the discussion and consideration of changes to the City Facade Improvement Grant Program, discussion on a sidewalk replacement program, among other routine matters. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members present including Steve Wiedner, Nicholas Engrav, Cassie Handke, Tim Smedsrud and John Lydon.

There was no comment during the first Public Comment portion of the meeting. The council moved into Department Reports with Police Chief Paul Wagner providing an overview of 2025 totals relating to department activities and responses, crime statistics, among other data for the calendar year. In response to a question from Wiedner, Wagner noted that the number of reported telephone scams has continued to increase with in-person scams and fraud increasing as well.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon invites area adults to embark on a literary adventure with the 2026 Adult Reading Challenge, “Plant a Seed, Read”. Underway as of January 1, and running through December 31, this year-long challenge encourages adults to explore new genres, themes, and authors while earning chances to win prizes.

Participants are encouraged to challenge themselves to read one book from each of the 12 categories for this year’s Challenge, which include the following:
• Agriculture-themed; 
• Book from your Childhood;
• Cross-Cultural;
• Family-themed;
• Foodie/Cookbook;
• Garden-themed;
• Health-themed;
• History;
• Humorous;
• Midwestern Author or Theme;
• Recommended;
• Set in Summer.

Participants receive a prize drawing entry for every category completed. Finish all 12 categories and earn a bonus entry.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, January 12 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of appointments to the Pioneer Cemetery Association and Compensation Commission, the consideration of the National Mentoring Month Proclamation, and a funding request from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Dan Byrnes present. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

Saturday, January 17 at 10 a.m., the Allamakee County Veterans Museum will present a video program on the 35th Anniversary of “Operation Desert Storm” - the Allied response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Museum Tours will also be offered from 9 a.m. to 12 noon that Saturday at the museum location, 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon.

The public is invited to attend. There is no admission charge.

In August of 1990, Iraqi armed forces under the leadership of Saddam Hussein invaded the country of its neighbor Kuwait and seized its oil fields. Iraq also threatened to invade Saudi Arabia to seize its oil fields.

The U.S.A. initiated Operation Desert Shield to respond to the crises and pursued a diplomatic solution through the United Nations. Diplomacy failed and military action was taken against Iraq’s forces beginning January 17, 1991.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Friday, January 2 for its annual organizational meeting in addition to its Monday, January 5 regular session meeting. The Standard’s coverage of those two meetings is below.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors organizational meeting Friday, January 2 was called to order by County Auditor Denise Beyer. The appointments of Tom Clark as Board of Supervisors Chairperson and Dan Byrnes as Chairperson Pro-Tem were approved. Supervisor Dennis Keatley was present in addition to Clark and Byrnes for this first Supervisors meeting of the new calendar year.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, January 5 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion of the City Facade Grant Program, consideration of change orders relating to the 4th Avenue NW Addition and discussion of the agreement relating to the Allamakee Child Care Solutions Fund. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arvid Hatlan with council members present including Steve Wiedner, Nicholas Engrav, Cassie Handke, Tim Smedsrud and John Lydon. There was no comment during the first Public Comment portion of the meeting.

A new drop site has been started locally for a natural health food distributor bringing bulk and specialty health foods to communities all across the nation. Initiated in December, an Azure Standard drop site has been established in Waukon for more convenient access to healthy organic foods and natural products at family-friendly and bulk prices in a unique approach.

Azure Standard is a family-owned company that specializes in organic, non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), and natural foods and products. They offer a wide variety of items including bulk grains, flours, beans, snacks, baking supplies, spices, household goods, and wellness products. Instead of shipping directly to individual homes, Azure uses a community drop-site system, allowing customers to order online and pick up their items once a month at a local location - an effort that helps keep costs affordable.