Supervisors approve National Mentoring Month Proclamation, hear funding requests from NE Iowa RC&D and Helping Services for Youth and Families
National Mentoring Month Proclamation ... The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors signed a proclamation at its Monday, January 12 regular meeting designating January as National Mentoring Month in Allamakee County. Pictured above at the proclamation signing are: Left to right - Front row: Helping Services for Youth and Families Prevention Coordinator Leah Hemesath, Intern Abby Doffing of Luther College, Mentoring Coordinator Ellie Shelton and Intern Kylie Fenton of Luther College; Middle row: Supervisor Dennis Keatley and Helping Services Director of Domestic Abuse Services Brittany McIntyre; Back row: Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark, Supervisor Dan Byrnes and Helping Services Executive Director Carson Eggland. The Helping Services for Youth and Families Mentoring Program offers a caring adult role model for youth between the ages of six and 16. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, January 12 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of appointments to the Pioneer Cemetery Association and Compensation Commission, the consideration of the National Mentoring Month Proclamation, and a funding request from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development. The meeting was called to order by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tom Clark with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Dan Byrnes present. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.
The meeting moved into the Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) budget request with Executive Director Paul Berland providing an update relating to this organization serving a seven-county region including Allamakee, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek Counties. Berland noted that every dollar in funding to RC&D from county sponsors generates $16.50 in economic activity within the region, a statistic not including the impact of grants and other projects not directly funded or run through RC&D.
Relating to the organization’s operations, Berland noted that there are nine employees, eight full-time and one part-time, with seven of these salaries made possible through fees for services. Relating to the organization’s activities and recent highlights, Berland discussed grant writing for various types of projects in addition to tourism related activities including the development of the Allamakee County Iowa Birding Guide in cooperation with the Upper Iowa Audubon Society, Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED), among other area foundations.
Berland also made note of an Iowa Tourism grant to assist Lansing area businesses with a media update to include a paid marketing campaign designed to generate additional economic activity and development during the Black Hawk Bridge replacement project. Other activities covered in Berland’s overview included flood reduction, conservation and agriculture related projects. Relating to the FY27 funding request, Berland made note of the $12,000 amount similarly requested in recent years.
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