Community News

The Friends of Pool 9 (FOP9) Directors have scheduled a Pool 9 Mississippi River clean-up for Saturday, April 23. Because of COVID-19 virus concerns there will be no mass meetings of individuals at the Lansing VFW building or elsewhere, as in years past, and there will not be a lunch following.

Lansing volunteers should gather at the waterfront area below the VFW building next to the river to sign the 2022 Friends of Pool 9 Release of Liability form before participating in the event. FOP9 representatives Alex Galema, Bob Henkel, Bruce ReVoir and Mike Conway will be available to hand out garbage bags, gloves and water, and assign collection areas. Directors will also be available at most launch sites in Pool 9 including Big Slough Landing (Lisa Welsh/Jerry Boardman), Black Hawk Park (Ric Zarwell), Ferryville (Larry Quamme/John Mitchell) and Lynxville Landing (Mark Schneden).

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 28 to address a full agenda of items including the National Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation, the consideration of LED lighting quotes for the County Courthouse and discussion of Veterans Memorial Hospital ownership. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for this agenda item.

The meeting moved into the review of plat requests. Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Stephanie Runkle provided an overview of the Doris Berns Estate plat and the Roger Matthew, Stephen E. and Michele M. and Chase S. Pladsen plat, with both requests being approved.

Allamakee County Treasurer Jennifer O’Neill would like to remind property owners the second installment of property taxes is due by Thursday, March 31. Payment of property taxes may be done in person at the Allamakee County Treasurer’s Office in the Allamakee County Courthouse at 110 Allamakee Street in Waukon, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Taxpayers are reminded to bring their tax stubs with their payment to ensure proper credit. To avoid penalty on the second installment, payment must be received in the Treasurer’s Office by Thursday, March 31. Penalty will apply Friday, April 1.

E-check and credit card payments are also accepted online at www.iowatreasurers.org. Taxpayers will need their receipt number to pay by E-check. This can be found on their tax statement.

by Julie Berg-Raymond

The Waukon Lions Club recently made a donation to the Wolfpack Theater Company toward its presentation of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” which will be performed Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 6, 7 and 8 at the former Waterville School Auditorium in the Waterville Community Center.

Lions Club members presented the Theater Company with a check Wednesday, March 16 at Lid’s in Waukon and bought the actors dinner. Later, several Theater Company actors performed a mini-show for the Lions Club members in attendance.

The kids of the Wolfpack Theater Company came together when they were rehearsing for Waukon High School’s production of “West Side Story,” presented in April of last year. “After ‘West Side Story,’ about 12 kids from the show got together and said, ‘let’s do something that’s good for the town,’” Wolfpack Theater Company founder and artistic director Adam Hooten recalls. And a young person’s theater company was born.

During the Monday, March 21 meeting of the Waukon City Council, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) officials shared their intent to file a petition to invoke a vote for a City to County conversion of ownership of the hospital, and that expressed intention received the council’s support. VMH will now begin a petition for voter support on the conversion April 4. Approximately 400 signatures are needed to file the petition with the Allamakee County Commissioner of Elections in order to bring the matter to a required public vote later this year.

Like most rural hospitals, VMH faces growing financial challenges. Changes made by the hospital’s current leadership team have helped the hospital become solvent over the past two years. COVID relief dollars also helped offset expenses and fund minor renovations. Converting to a County-owned hospital will build on this progress and help ensure long-term sustainability with the support of recurring annual appropriations.

The Allamakee County Engineer’s Office has announced the closure of a bridge on Makee Drive northeast of Waukon, located approximately three-fourths of a mile east of Makee Drive’s intersection with Four Corners Road, as pictured in the map image above. The bridge was closed as of noon Monday, March 21 for a replacement project that is expected to take approximately two months, depending upon weather conditions. There will be no signed detour route for the closed segment of Makee Drive and motorists are reminded to plan accordingly. Map image courtesy of the Allamakee County Engineer’s Office.
 

A familiar face - and even more familiar hands - recently returned to a familiar location in downtown Waukon, but with a new venture of their own.

Massage therapist Shannen Mezera has opened Serene Massage & Bodywork within the Gemini Salon and Spa at 7 East Main Street in Waukon. Familiar to many who have benefited from her services in recent years, Mezera first offered massage therapy locally at Gemini several years ago before taking her skills to Veterans Memorial Hospital Massage Therapy Services in 2016 and now opening her own venture, Serene Massage & Bodywork, as the new year 2022 got underway.

Starting her own new venture has provided many benefits for Mezera, including more time with family and greater flexibility, and she’s excited to be part of a downtown business climate that has been growing in recent months. Her greatest inspiration in venturing out on her own, however, comes from the people she serves.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, March 21 to address a variety of matters including discussion on a referendum for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) to move to countywide ownership status, an update relating to the Storm Water Quality Improvements Project and discussion of Waukon as a RAGBRAI pass-through community in late July of this year.

There was no Public Comment and the meeting moved into Department Reports with Park, Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub providing an update. Strub noted that summer staff will be hired at the monthly meeting taking place Thursday morning with Park staff starting April 4. Strub advised that there is a shortage of baseball and softball coaches and that, like last year, adult volunteers will be needed.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will offer a program to the public about the U.S. Navy in World War II. The program will take place in the Program Room of the new museum in the former Vet’s Club building on Allamakee Street in Waukon.

Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m. the program will present stories of Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats and Submarine Chasers. Information will also be presented on Allamakee County sailors who served on these smaller fighting vessels.

There is no admission or membership charge. The facility is handicapped accessible. Due to COVID-19 concerns, masks are encouraged but not required. Light refreshments will be available.

The museum remodeling was finished in late summer.  Preparation and installation of exhibits is underway and should be completed by Memorial Day this year. Tours will not be offered until the exhibits have been completed. However, educational programs will continue to be offered periodically.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, March 14 at the Allamakee County Historical Society’s Veterans Museum in Waukon, as part of a schedule of meeting locations taking place away from the County Courthouse throughout the year. The board addressed a full agenda of items including an update relating to the Waukon Redemption Center, consideration of the Resolution to obligate American Rescue Plan funding to specific projects and discussion of the County’s March tornado drill and Alert Iowa.

Prior to the meeting being called to order, George Beardmore of the Allamakee County Historical Society provided a brief introduction and update relating to the Allamakee County Veterans Museum.