Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 20 to address a full agenda of matters including the review of the Fiscal-Year 2022 (FY22) Allamakee County Financial Audit, consideration of signing agreements relating to updated voting equipment, and review of the Post-Election Audit Report for the March 7 Special Election in Postville regarding a Hotel/Motel Tax.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley in attendance. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 13 to address a full agenda of matters including the Canvass of the March 7 Postville Special Election, the 2023 Statewide Tornado Drill, and Quarterly Reports from County Environmental Health and the County Auditor. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will be hosting a special presentation this Thursday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the new museum in the former Vet’s Club at 105 Allamakee Street in Waukon. The program was rescheduled from February 23 due to a winter storm. If this March 16 program is canceled due to weather, it will be held Saturday, April 1 at 10 a.m.

Area native Craig Timmerman will be giving a public presentation titled “Harley Davidson Goes to War” where he will detail his efforts to locate and restore an authentic World War II Harley Davidson U.S. Army motorcycle, model WLA (pictured with him in the submitted photo).

Timmerman is an experienced WWII collector who will explain the training, experiences and contributions of this modern “cavalry” to the war effort. He will also introduce a documentary from the U.S. Army Quartermaster School where motorcycle troops trained. His restored Harley Davidson WLA with maintenance tools and manuals will be on display.

Responding to the needs of their customers and surrounding community, what started as a family effort of raising Australian shepherds a decade ago by the Joe and Sarah Jackson family has now grown beyond just their family into a multi-faceted business newly-named in January, Forest Mills Board and Groom, LLC, all with a focus toward making pets feel like a part of the family.

Joe and Sarah Jackson of the Forest Mills area of rural Waukon, along with their two high school-aged children, Tucker and Taylor, began raising Australian shepherds 10 years ago, building a kennel for their own dogs. When COVID hit in early 2020 and then began to subside, the Jacksons had some of their puppy customers ask if they would “babysit” those dogs while the families were finally able to go on vacation as the virus slowed. Based on that need, the family expanded its offerings and opened Jackson Family Boarding at their home location.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 6 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion of the Goodwill Box at the Allamakee County Courthouse, discussion of the Allamakee County Pioneer Cemetery Commission membership, and consideration of a Resolution relating to Opioid Litigation Settlements.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

During Public Comment, Marcia Rush with the Allamakee County Historical Society presented information and photos to the Supervisors relating to cemeteries at Thompson Corner, Makee, Village Creek and Yellow River. Rush discussed the maintenance of these and other pioneer cemeteries within the county.

Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health (NEIBH) is asking for input on service and program development for individuals addressing issues around mental health and substance use disorders. Information gathered through the survey will assist in planning for future programs in northeast Iowa and addressing treatment barriers.

The survey is anonymous and voluntary and will be available in English and Spanish. The public’s participation is appreciated. The survey will be available through March 20.

The survey can be found at the following link: http://bit.ly/NEIBHSurvey, or the QR code accompanying this article can also be used to access the survey.

Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health (NEIBH) is also offering listening sessions for in-person public input at the following locations, dates and times:

Planner Shannon Gapp of MSA Professional Services (pictured in the top left corner of the above photo) met with the Waukon Park and Recreation Board, members of the Waukon City Council and City Administration Monday, February 27 to provide an update relating to MSA’s comprehensive planning services for the City of Waukon. MSA Professional Services is continuing to accept online surveys from the public relating to Waukon City Park, recreation programming, trail system and facilities needs in Waukon. Those surveys can be accessed at https://arcg.is/0bnq0C or through the QR code below. Gapp provided an overview of the comprehensive planning process, with the Park and Rec Board and representatives of the City of Waukon providing feedback relating to their recommendations for City Park and facilities improvements and additions. Standard photo by Assistant Editor Joe Moses.
 

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) is updating the Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) for the region consisting of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek Counties in northeast Iowa. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that this region’s PTP be updated every five years. The current plan was adopted by the Upper Explorerland Transportation Policy Board in Spring of 2018.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 27 to address a full agenda of matters including the review of the County’s insurance policy and renewal, discussion of the Maximum Levy hearing date for the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) County Budget, and consideration of the Resolution to add a Secondary Road Project to the Construction Program. The meeting was called to order by Board Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

During Public Comment, Carolyn Clark, a member of the Allamakee County Historical Society Board of Directors, noted that work has begun relating to the genealogy research area in the basement of the County Veterans Museum, the former Vet’s Club location.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will be hosting a special presentation Thursday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the new museum in the former Vet’s Club on Allamakee Street in Waukon. The program was rescheduled from February 23 due to a winter storm.

Area native Craig Timmerman will be giving a public presentation titled “Harley Davidson Goes to War” where he will detail his efforts to locate and restore an authentic World War II Harley Davidson U.S. Army motorcycle, model WLA (pictured in the submitted photo above).

Timmerman is an experienced WWII collector who will explain the training, experiences and contributions of this modern “cavalry” to the war effort. He will also introduce a documentary from the U.S. Army Quartermaster School where motorcycle troops trained. His restored Harley Davidson WLA with maintenance tools and manuals will be on display.