Lansing Middle School will have D.A.R.E Program; Northeast Iowa RC&D will discuss trail sign project at public meeting March 16

by Julie Berg-Raymond

The Lansing Police Department is initiating a D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program at the Lansing Middle School, beginning in Fall 2022.

“It’s not just for drugs, it also covers vaping and teen suicide,” City of Lansing Chief of Police Conrad Rosendahl said during an informational presentation before the Lansing City Council at its regular meeting Monday, March 7. “If we can save one life then we’ve done something, in my opinion.”

He said another benefit of the program is that it involves “positive interaction with law enforcement.” The only cost to the police department would be for the 80 hours of training for certification, he said.

“D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives,” according to dare.org. “In its more than 30-year history, D.A.R.E. education programs have been designed to provide students with the knowledge and tools they need to resist drugs, alcohol and other high-risk behaviors.”

EMS QUESTION FOR COUNCIL
Addressing the council during its March 7 meeting in his capacity as director of Lansing Volunteer Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Rosendahl said he was recently surprised to learn that, while rural townships in the Lansing EMS service area make annual donations to the Lansing volunteer EMS, the City of Lansing does not.

Rosendahl noted the last utility bill for EMS was over $10,000; if the City could forgive payment on that, he said, EMS would be halfway toward purchasing a second EKG monitor as a back-up unit. Rosendahl said Lansing EMS has one EKG (EKG and ECG are interchangeable acronyms, reflecting differences in English and German spellings of electrocardiogram) monitor - an item that costs about $50,000 new - which was purchased with a grant that is no longer available. He said a refurbished unit could be purchased for half that cost.

He added that while Lansing EMS is capable of covering its calls with only one EKG monitor, “a large percentage of our calls are cardiac-related”; and that a back-up unit would be a beneficial addition to the department. (According to The National Library of Medicine, “the ability of paramedics to not only perform field electrocardiograms (ECGs), but to accurately diagnose various unstable cardiac rhythms has shown significant reduction in time to specific treatments” (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).)

In addition to the costs of supplies, utilities and equipment updates, Rosendahl noted, the ambulance service absorbs the cost of calls from residents who do not have insurance (no resident is ever charged for ambulance service).

Rosendahl assured the council that Lansing’s EMS is widely supported by community members. “Most citizens have been extremely supportive and generous, and our EMS wouldn’t be where it’s at today, without their support.” But, he said, EMS pays about $25,000 to the City of Lansing per year and receives no support from the City. “It’s costing the volunteer service money to serve the people of this town, which I don’t think is fair,” he said.

“I would agree with that,” Lansing Mayor Melissa Hammell said. The council will add Rosendahl’s concerns to its agenda and take them up at a later meeting.

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
During the March 7 meeting, the city council approved a request from Freya Feline TNR, Inc. President Kristie Ringelstetter for a letter of recommendation toward a grant application to the Miccio Foundation, which will give TNR startups up to $1500. One of the grant application requirements is to submit a letter of recommendation from the community, which can either be local government, local veterinarian, or established humane society.

Ringelstetter also provided follow-up information on actions she has taken since first approaching the council in September 2021 about her intention to form Freya Feline TNR (trap-neuter-release) to address the number of unclaimed and breeding felines within city limits. “We were not asking for funds or assistance at that time but informing the council of our intent to organize our efforts,” she told the council during the March 7 meeting. “There were some concerns voiced that evening and it was suggested that I contact the Iowa DNR to also let them know of our intent and see if they had any concerns. I emailed our Allamakee County representative and received a call-back with a voicemail of support for reduction efforts, and he said that any nuisance animals caught accidentally could be released where they were trapped; or we could transport them to any of our public hunting grounds.”

Since September 2021, Ringelstetter said, Freya Feline has raised over $1800 in private donations, and has received $750 from a national TNR supporter. “We have conducted five trap sessions and altered 40 felines in the last five months from Center, Dodge, Diagonal, Wall, and North 3rd Streets,” she said.

“Of those 40 felines, about half were female. Altering 20 females means, on average, 80 less kittens will be born this spring, with half of those surviving and then joining the cycle of unchecked breeding.”

Having a letter of recommendation from the city council would open additional sources of funding to supplement the private donations the organization has received, Ringelstetter said. “Each session costs Freya approximately $400 to $600, depending on the number of felines trapped in a session,” she said.

“Ideally, we’d like the letter to be a general letter of support - not just for the Miccio Foundation grant - so it can be used in ongoing grant writing efforts.”

Councilpersons Steve Murray and Lisa Welsh both expressed support for the organization and its efforts, as did Mayor Melissa Hammell. “I want to thank you,” councilperson Welsh said. “There have always been a lot of kittens and a lot of cats every spring, and I appreciate what you’re doing, and your passion for it.”

In response, Ringelstetter thanked Welsh and said, “I do know what’s not successful - and that’s doing nothing. If we can control the breeding, eventually we’ll reduce the numbers.”

“You guys are a great group,” Mayor Hammell said.

PARKS BOARD
Andrew Boddicker, representing the Lansing Parks and Recreation Board, announced a Trails meeting with Northeast Iowa RC&D to discuss the ongoing trail sign project Wednesday, March 16 at 9 a.m., at Lansing Office Works. The meeting is open to the public.

In additional Parks business, the Lansing Farmers Market and Music in the Park both received Allamakee County Mini-Grants for $450 and $500, respectively. This money will be used for start-up needs like tent, table, electric cords, and advertising. The Swimming Pool Guard House improvement work is ongoing. Councilperson Curtis Snitker visited the site, and it is deemed acceptable.

Summer recreation positions are being filled, particularly for the pool. Baseball and softball coaching positions are still vacant.

NEW BRIDGE LIGHTING UPDATE
At the March 7 meeting, Mayor Hammell told the council that Ken Taillon, a lighting consultant with Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc., will be meeting with the council to discuss the new bridge lighting options and to answer questions. The Department of Transportation requires the City to have a lighting consultant to communicate conduit requirement and other specifications for the new lights to be included with the bridge replacing the Black Hawk Bridge.

OTHER BUSINESS
An open public hearing was held at the March 7 meeting on proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for the Center Street Water and Sanitary Sewer Improvements. No citizen comments were offered, and the council approved the proposed plans.

The Street Department is looking into a grant with the Iowa Department of Transportation to replace some regulatory signs. Payment must be made up front and will be reimbursed.

The City of Lansing is applying for a $15,000 grant for an electric vehicle charging (EV) station; the grant application is due April 8.

Members of the council have spoken with Allamakee County Assessor Ann Burckart about how property is assessed in the City of Lansing, and she has agreed to speak to the council on that subject and to address questions. A date has not yet been set for that conversation.

In a brief discussion, the council affirmed that the building moratorium in Lansing will continue until the new municipal code is adopted.

The next regular meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Monday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Lansing City Hall.