River Valley

Prairie Industries' Lansing location donated to the Allamakee Giving Tree sponsored by the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) Allamakee County Family Service Office. Staff members of Prairie Industries collected and donated $1,590 and several boxes of new toys and canned food items (all pictured above) to give to families in need in Allamakee County. The items were donated to the Northeast Iowa Community Action Family Service Office in Waukon so that office could provide gifts and food to families in Allamakee County in time for the holidays. Submitted photo.
 

Due to additional donations to the Allamakee County Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center on the south edge of Lansing since its opening in August of this year, the Allamakee County Conservation Foundation will be updating the donor wall located within the facility and pictured at right, along with its adjacent listing (pictured below) of the different donor levels and what they represent. Donations to the Center are tax deductible, and donations of $1,000 or more will be noted on the donor wall. Donations will be accepted until January 31, 2018 for the first updating of the donor wall. Anyone wanting to make a tax deductible donation for 2017 should make the donation before the end of December.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors met Monday, November 20 with board member Bobbi Goetzinger and board president Heather Schulte the only members present initially, in addition to Superintendent Dr.  Dale Crozier, New Albin Elementary School Principal Chad Steckel, Kee High School Principal Mary Hogan and board secretary Marian Verdon. Absent, initially, were board members Bruce Palmborg, Kelli Mudderman and Melanie Mauss.

Because one board member would be arriving later, the board members present chose to hear the presentations by Allamakee County Emergency Management Director Corey Snitker, teacher Debra Masek on the fourth, fifth and sixth grade social studies curriculum and the Kee High School FFA chapter before officially starting the business portion of the meeting.

by Macie Hill

The Lansing City Council met in a brief regular session Monday, November 20. Discussion centered around interviewing for a new city police officer, discussing the choosing of a financial institution for a vehicle loan for the police department, and local Iowa House of Representatives candidate Andy Kelleher asking the council about issues that need to be addressed in Lansing.

The council discussed the choice of New Albin Savings Bank as the financial institution regarding a loan for a new vehicle for the police department. This decision will be finalized during the next regular council session.

The City will be interviewing three potential officers to fill the position for the new city police officer by the end of December.

“Main Street Madness”, Lansing Main Street’s holiday punch card shopping promotion, runs through December 20. Look for a participating merchant poster and pick up a free punch card to be validated with either punches or stamps in five-dollar increments for purchases made between November 15 and December 20. Once a card is full ($100 in purchases), turn it in and start another.

Completed cards will then be entered into a drawing for one of four Downtown Dollar prizes of $150, $100, $75 and $25. Completed cards can be dropped off at any participating Main Street business or the Main Street Lansing office by noon December 20.
 

Lansing City Clerk Katie Becker has been awarded the designation of "Iowa Certified Municipal Finance Officer" from the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association (IMFOA) for achieving its high educational, experience and service requirements. Becker joins a number of Municipal Officers in the state of Iowa who currently hold the designation through the program first launched by IMFOA in 2005.

The program aids Municipal Clerks, Deputy Clerks and Finance Officers in improving job performance and recognizes the professionalization of the Municipal Professionals Office. Completion of the Iowa State University Institute on Basic Government and Professional Curriculum or a baccalaureate degree in public administration or related field, responsible experience in local government, and participation in conferences, meetings and educational seminars are required to earn this prestigious Iowa Certified Municipal Clerk designation.

The Kee High School Post Prom Committee will host Bingo Sunday, December 3 in the Kee High School cafeteria in Lansing. Games will start at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.

Participants can bring a food item to be donated to the Allamakee County Food Shelf and play an extra Bingo card free. All players will be eligible for door prizes.  Proceeds will be used to fund Post Prom prizes and entertainment in the spring.
 

Many people want to give back to the community but may not have a lot of time to volunteer. In only about an hour, volunteer blood donors can help save lives and feel instant gratification.

The community is invited to give back and help save lives by donating blood Wednesday, November 22 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kee High School, located at 569 Center Street, Lansing.

Blood is a perishable product that can only come from generous volunteers. By donating blood, individuals can make a difference in the lives of patients in their community and throughout the nation.

To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire found at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass is encouraged to help speed up the donation process.

by Anne Falken,
Correspondent

It’s going to happen. After two plus years of work by the New Albin City Council, NAIL (New Albin Improvement League) and other concerned citizens, enough progress has been made on the proposed wastewater treatment plant to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The light shows a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment idea, Algaewheel, that mimics nature’s own biological processes by utilizing the symbiotic relationship between algae and bacteria.

OneWater Group, based in Indianapolis, IN, is demonstrating global foresight in its product, Algaewheel, which promotes decentralized water treatment and water reuse, and addresses water pollution and water security. In today's world of declining fresh water supply from booming populations and over-consumption, ensuing droughts, and perhaps terrorism, a decentralized water treatment plant gives more dependability and protection for a city’s water supply.

by Macie Hill

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, November 6. Discussion centered around no parking signs being put in near Fourth Street and Platt Street, approval of the renewal of the Marina Contract, payment for the South Road Bridge project, a grant for sign replacements and hiring a new police officer.

City officials are considering putting no parking signs in front of some of the spaces near Fourth Street and Platt Street due to parked cars in those locations being in the way of semi tractor-trailers trying to turn the corner. The council decided to notify the residents near the locations where the signs would need to be placed, get their feedback on the decision, and make a decision at a future meeting.