River Valley

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, May 4 via web or teleconferencing to stay within distancing guidelines. The discussion centered around the consent agenda, transferring of funds and the scheduling of a public hearing for a budget amendment.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from April 20, 2020 and payment of claims. A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent agenda.

Resolution 940 approving the transfer of funds from the restricted gifts special fund to the general fund for splash pad expenses was presented. A motion was made and seconded to approve the transfer of funds.

A public hearing for an amendment to the fiscal year 2020 budget was scheduled to be held May 26 at 7 p.m. A motion was made and seconded to schedule the hearing.
 

Kerndt Brothers Bank in Lansing recently announced its financial commitment in the amount of $5,000 to support the New Albin Improvement League’s Splash Pad Project at the New Albin City Park. Pictured, left to right, are New Albin Improvement League Project Coordinators Betsy Whitlatch and Jessica Meyer and Kerndt Brothers Bank Branch Manager Connie Brown at the donation presentation.

Project coordinators hope to begin installation of a new wheelchair accessible splash pad along with many needed park improvements this summer. Their goal is to provide families in and around New Albin with a place for fun, healthy and interactive activities, giving families contemplating a move to New Albin the idea that their community is invested in families and their future.

Main Street Lansing awarded its annual Leadership Award to Ellen Modersohn for her numerous efforts during 2019. The Leadership Award is a way to recognize a volunteer who makes significant contributions to Main Street Lansing’s downtown revitalization mission. Modersohn has been instrumental in creating Main Street Lansing’s regular newsletter, as well as informational and fundraising pieces. She provides assistance with the lansingiowa.com website, and if she is unable to do something with the website, she always points the organization to someone who can. She has been one of the key people behind the increased visibility of Main Street Lansing in 2019, and Main Street Lansing is extremely grateful to have someone as resourceful as Modersohn involved in the program and the community.

Friday, May 1 at 6 p.m. there will be a parade honoring the boys and girls track teams from Kee High and Middle Schools. An empty bus will be decorated and driven from the Red Barn down Main Street and up Center Street to Kee High School and back to the bus garage. All social distancing rules apply. Contact Kenny Johnson for more details.

Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) provides services and supports for older individuals and caregivers to help them remain in their homes and independent as they age.  During the COVID-19 crisis, the emphasis has been placed on remaining at home and reducing the possibility of being exposed to this disease through limiting social interactions or going to public places.

The boathouse discovered by Bill FitzGerald of Lansing after it had floated into his riverside property last fall - first reported about in the April 8 edition of The Standard after a months-long search process of trying to find its owner - finally had its rightful owner found recently. However, the structure also fell victim to the wrath of Mother Nature in the meantime, as strong winds that blew through the area Sunday, April 12 grabbed hold of the tied-up boathouse structure and left it as pictured in the accompanying photos. The family that owned the boathouse, however, was able to salvage much of the structure for different purposes, doing so within the past week.
FitzGerald had been trying to find the owner of the boathouse ever since it had drifted into his dock property on the banks of the Mississippi River along the north end of Front Street, Lansing during high water levels on the river late last fall.

Saturday, March 17, 1945, traffic drove across the Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing and the nearly three-mile dike between Iowa and Wisconsin much like it had done for the previous dozen years for jobs, school, shopping, entertainment, dating and all the other pastimes of busy lives. The next day that vital link over the Mississippi River would close for a decade.

Helping to break up ice on the river, the Coast Guard cutter Fern had passed Lansing on its way up the river the previous Thursday. The highest water in 25 years was predicted for that weekend, and by Sunday, March 18, the high water had arrived, pushing the broken, foot-thick chunks of ice under - and into - the dike bridges. The Big Slough and Winneshiek Slough bridges along the dike gave way that day, cutting off that traffic route between Wisconsin and Iowa.

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, April 20. The discussion centered around the consent agenda, transfer of funds, Marina report and Parks report.

Resolution #938 is a resolution approving the transfer of funds from the restricted gifts special revenue fund to the general fund. A motion was made and seconded to approve the transfer of funds to help finance the Splash Pad project.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, the council discussed concerns regarding the City Marina. When the marina opens up May 1 the public bathrooms will remain closed due to the virus. New guidelines from the State of Iowa are now in place in this area to keep a six-foot distance from anyone who is not in a person’s own household.

The guidelines are dependent upon what the State decides is necessary following the current April 30 deadline expiration.

After making plans for its 2020 River Clean-Up, the Board of Directors of Friends of Pool 9 (FOP9) has voted to cancel the clean-up for the present time, based on the coronavirus danger to all participants. It may take place at a later date this spring, if the opportunity is available.

While public boat ramps and fishing accesses are still open across Iowa, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds boaters to abide by the physical distancing protocols recommended by the state to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Boat ramps have been crowded this past week with the warm weather. The DNR advises only one boat use a ramp at a time to help prevent contact with other boaters.

A day on the water could provide the calm people need right now. Boaters need to be sure to follow these recommendations to keep themselves and their family safe:

• Keep at least six feet of distance from other boaters and avoid popular areas where people congregate.
• Stick with immediate family, but keep groups to fewer than 10 people.
• Bring along hand sanitizer.
• Clean surfaces that others may have touched (e.g boat dock handrails) with wet wipes.