Viewpoints

To the Editor:
 After attending the informational meeting at the Farm Bureau Meeting room last Saturday, October 4, I am convinced that a new jail is the best way to move forward for Allamakee County. I had not realized that our current jail facility is so much out of compliance and on the verge of being closed if we don’t get a plan for a remodeled or replaced jail soon.
The “jail problem” committee obviously has put a lot of time and effort into this matter. Hats off to all of them. They got the work all done in time to be included on the November ballot, and I am thoroughly convinced that we should pass this measure so we don’t have to hold a special election which may cost as much as $10,000.
 A new jail is a huge investment, but a badly needed one that will serve as a safe usable/working building for the residents of Allamakee County for the next 75 to 100 years.
Please get out and vote.

To the Editor:
I attended the first one of the Community Meals at First Presbyterian Church, and what a positive experience it was. My first thought upon hearing of it was that it was only for people who were unable to afford a meal, but no, it is an event where anyone can freely drop in.
I agree, along with the organizers of this event, that this is what our community needs.
What most excites me about these meal gatherings is how they will benefit our local churches by bringing church goers together to work for a common cause. We really need more unity among our churches.
We have such an array of great churches in our area; it seems the time has come for us to appreciate them.
We can sit in out churches and we can criticize the congregation down the street for not having what we believe is the right doctrine, or we can come to the Community Meal, meet someone from another church and discover a new friendship.

by Robyn Carey-Dundee
Allamakee County Victim & Witness Coordinator

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

A Kingdom Life Byte to Meditate On

by Pastor Steve Oden

It is only a matter of time before the current Allamakee County jail will be closed. As presented in the first two parts of this series, there is no repair or remodeling that can be done to bring the facility into compliance with code requirements.

To the Editor:
As a tax paying citizen I would encourage all eligible voters to take advantage of their right and have their voice heard in this upcoming election. Legislation has been in place for a long time to allow for absentee voting for those who were unable to vote on election day. As we can see voting absentee has become the way!
I voted on day four of open voting at the Auditor’s Office and believe I was number 545! In addition to the increased workload on the office staff there is a financial cost as well. Postage alone is $2.59/ballot. This does not include the cost for the envelopes,  wages paid for staff to stuff the packets, apply the postage, label and mail. Nor does this include increased wages for the absentee board who will come in on election day to open, scan and report the results.

Dear Sir,
The last telephone conversation we had took place several weeks ago. Something you stated on that particular occasion has been bothering me since. I had asked you basically “When would all of the illegally constructed, resource damaging, ugly plastic wood boardwalks and other obtrusive junk be removed from the ancient landscape of our national monument?”
Your response was such politically correct “government-speak” I was appalled by the message. You stated something to the effect, “...we will have to wait several years for a budget increase to appropriate money to do a trails management draft plan.” Also stating in so many words, “We would have to solicit agency review, tribal input along with public comments.”
Seriously?  After at least four million dollars (that we can track), a decade of criminal waste, fraud and abuse, damage to the cultural and natural resources of the park the agency was placed in charge of, that is the official response?

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

by Rev. Tom Buresh