Community News

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, January 10 to address a full agenda of items during its first meeting of the 2022 calendar year.

Mayor Pat Stone called the meeting to order with approval of the consent agenda which included several beginning of the year reorganizational matters and appointments. Council appointments included Health Officer Dr. Nicole Barbee, City Clerk Sarah Snitker, Water and Sewer Superintendent Jim Cooper, Street Superintendent Keith Burrett, Zoning Administrator Gary Boden and City Attorney Jeff Swartz. Mayor appointments included Police Chief Paul Wagner, Mayor Pro-Tem Kevin Johnson and Fire Committee members John Lydon and Kevin Johnson.

Council meetings were again set for the first and third Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. The Standard was designated as the official City newspaper. There was no Public Comment and the meeting moved into Department Reports.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will celebrate the New Year by offering a  program to the public in the Program Room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building on the 100 block of Allamakee Street in Waukon.

This Thursday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. a video interview with World War II Army Air Corps veteran Oliver Emerson recorded in 2006 will be presented, followed by a video documentary about the WWII bombers that Emerson served on during the war. The program will be introduced by Emerson’s son, Joe Emerson, who is also a retired Army veteran and pilot.

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.

January is National Mentoring Month. Helping Services for Youth & Families is celebrating mentoring friendships and inviting others to engage in their community with the theme “Mentoring is simple! Be a friend to a youth.”

Mentoring has a positive impact on youth and the volunteer mentor. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships bring about powerful and positive changes in youth. Mentored youth have a greater chance of avoiding negative influences, such as substance abuse, bullying or dropping out of school.

One in three youth grows up without a positive adult role model to look up to.

Robey Memorial Library and Foundation is marking its fifth anniversary in partnership with Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) reaching out to families delivering babies at the hospital. To promote Robey Memorial Library’s early literacy program, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (1,000BBK), the Library Foundation purchases items for a literacy care package gifted to each newborn at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Packages include a board book; a tri-fold brochure highlighting the 1,000BBK program plus the many other programs and activities available to families at Robey Memorial Library; and coupons for a library tote bag and the Library Foundation’s monthly Book Sale.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will celebrate the New Year by offering a  program to the public in the Program Room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building on the 100 block of Allamakee Street in Waukon.

Thursday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. a video interview with World War II Army Air Corps veteran Oliver Emerson recorded in 2006 will be presented, followed by a video documentary about the WWII bombers that Emerson served on during the war. The program will be introduced by Emerson’s son, Joe Emerson, who is also a retired Army veteran and pilot.

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.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors began 2022 with its annual reorganizational meeting in regular session Monday, January 3. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer called the meeting to order with Larry Schellhammer being appointed Board of Supervisors Chairperson and Dan Byrnes being appointed Chairperson Pro-Tem for 2022 with Supervisor Mark Reiser also present at the meeting.

During Public Comment, Doug Mullen of rural Lansing discussed Hotel/Motel tax revenue from short-term rentals and questioned whether or not short-term rentals should be taxed the same as long-term rentals per the State of Iowa. Schellhammer clarified that the State of Iowa collects the Hotel/Motel Tax applied countywide to short-term rentals, advising that further clarification on the matter would be provided to Mullen.

Tuesday, December 28 at 1:09 p.m. the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a two-vehicle collision with occupant entrapment on Elon Drive east of Waukon, near its intersection with Strawberry Road. A report from the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office indicates that a vehicle driven by Lukas L Pitzer, age 35, of Wauzeka, WI was traveling westbound on the snow-covered roadway and crossed the centerline, striking an eastbound vehicle driven by Amy Joan McCormick, age 39, of Waterville.

Waukon Boy Scout Troop 64 will be picking up Christmas trees this Sunday, January 9, beginning at 12 noon. Those who want their Christmas trees picked up in Waukon should have them set out curbside by 12 noon this Sunday.

Allamakee 4-H Toppers 4-H club recently held a bake sale with all proceeds being donated to the new all-species show barn at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds. A total of $569 was raised by the event. Club members have expressed their excitement about the new facility and look forward to showing in the larger show ring. Pictured above at the check presentation, left to right, are 4-H Topper club member Cassidy Gibbs, Allamakee County Fair Board Treasurer Bobbi Baxter and 4-H Topper club member Kiersten Gibbs. Submitted photo.

Three sisters, all teachers, gardeners and forward-thinkers, are leaving their shared legacy in the form of an endowment fund with the Allamakee County Community Foundation to provide community support for services and opportunities that enrich quality of life in rural communities near their homes.

The sisters, Valeria Herold, Anastasia Kriener and Rosemary Kriener, grew up on a family farm in rural Fort Atkinson. The Herold and Kriener Family Legacy Fund supports community service organizations, educational scholarships, faith-based centers and land stewardship.

“The fund has already impacted the small communities where we live in that we can designate yearly gifts, including to the South Winn First Responders and three local fire departments,” says Rosemary’s daughter, Anne Blocker of Waukon. “With so many teachers in the family, educational scholarships and libraries will also be among our benefactors.”