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The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 1, with several citizens approaching the Board during the Public Comment portion of the meeting with a list of questions/concerns in regard to the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center currently under construction just south of Lansing at the area more locally known as the Columbus property. Board member Dennis Koenig was not in attendance at the meeting.
Mark Reiser, Mary Keatley and Gene Averhoff were present, with Reiser presenting the Board with a printed list of nearly two dozen questions in regard to the Center, most of them dealing with financial matters, with additional questions regarding zoning and project oversight. Reiser emphasized what was presented in the written request signed by “Concerned and Proud Citizens of Allamakee County” that the group does “not represent a contingency of people who are against the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center”. The group asked to be placed on the agenda for the Board's next regular meeting, Monday, February 8, to have the presented items addressed at that time by the Board and Allamakee County Conservation Director Jim Janett, who has headed the project.
Allamakee County Coordinator of Disability Services Kim Waters updated the Board on the most recent County Social Services (CSS) meeting held Wednesday, January 27. She said some of the biggest discussion during the meeting centered around the requirement of CSS Board members to provide Social Security numbers. Waters said a five-year budget plan was approved, and she also talked about a tele-site system being considered for emergency room visits dealing with mental health matters that would allow earlier psychiatrist or social worker intervention.
Manure Management Plans were approved and placed on file for DJ Keehner Farms, Steve Weymiller and Cross Roads Dairy, and approval was also given to a plat incorporating land within the Helen Basler Trust. Agenda items appointing additional members to the 2016 Compensation Commission and an interfund loan from the General Fund to the Public Safety Center Fund were stricken due to no additional information being available.
Allamakee County Emergency Management Director Chris Dahlstrom and Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick were present to discuss a card access system for the Allamakee County Courthouse in replacement of the current lock and key system. The Board would like additional price quotes on the proposed system before taking the system under consideration.
Mellick also advised that a representative from Secure Tech, a security systems company, was scheduled to visit the courthouse Wednesday of this week - weather pending - to perform a walk-through of the courthouse and further address an initial quote for single-button alarms at each desk within offices housed within the courthouse. Following an initial quote, it was suggested that additional alarms may be required, and the Board suggested Mellick return to the next regular meeting Monday with the additional information gathered during Wednesday's schedule visit.
In a final agenda item, Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour presented the Board with detour requests to facilitate parade routes scheduled for this year in Waukon. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) required Board approval of the detour, which will flow traffic around downtown Waukon via Eleventh Avenue SW, Ninth Street SW and NW, Highway 76 North and Iron Mine Drive for the March 13 St. Patrick Day Parade, the May 30 Memorial Day Parade and the November 21 Holiday Parade in Waukon, with other possible parade dates pending but not confirmed at this point.