Community News

The Good Samaritan Society - Waukon has announced it has earned a five-star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The rating system results are released quarterly and rank healthcare providers in quality of patient care and patient satisfaction. “I applaud the outstanding efforts of our Waukon, Iowa caregivers and staff enabling the center to achieve this prestigious designation,” said Cathy Smikle, administrator. “We are continually seeking to improve our performance in the quality care and services we give our residents to maintain a safe and secure environment for their well-being.”

Quilts of Valor were presented to veterans at Veterans Day programs at St. Patrick Elementary School and at the National Honor Society Veterans Day program at Waukon High School and Waukon Middle School Friday, November 10, and again, Monday November 13 at Good Samaritan Society-Waukon. Local Patriot Quilters took part in the presentations, as did Waukon High School student Diana Davison as part of her 4-H Citizenship Project. Pictured above receiving quilts at the St. Patrick Elementary School presentation are, left to right, Roger Byrnes and Mary Cunningham. Pictured in center photo  receiving quilts at Good Samaritan Society are, left to right, Dick Gearhart, Bill Schneeberger and Francis Martin. Pictured in lower photo receiving quilts at the National Honor Society Veterans Day program at Waukon High School and Waukon Middle School are: Left to right - Front row: Randy Sweeney, Gary Barrett, Bill Kerndt, Gene Knox, Keith Bresnahan and Ann Dehli.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 20 to address agenda items including the establishment of a 2018 County Holiday Schedule, considering bids for used Secondary Roads Department tandem snow plow trucks and Department Head Updates.

Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order and the current agenda and the meeting minutes of November 13 were approved. During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development advised the Supervisors that the Allamakee County Housing Study survey is available on the www.allamakeecounty.com website in both a printable version to be returned and as an online survey. Reinke said that the Housing Study is going well and has been promoted in the newspaper and on the radio, with hard copies being distributed to area churches and banks.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 20 to address a variety of matters, including a Water and Sewer Department vacancy, the Green Valley Bridge agreement with Allamakee County and the Fehr-Graham professional service agreement for the new wastewater treatment facility project.

During Public Comment, Coordinator Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) discussed the Allamakee County Housing Study and the online survey that is available for county residents and those that work in Allamakee but reside elsewhere. Kuhse encouraged the Council and those in attendance to complete the easy, five-minute survey at www.allamakeecounty.com, or fill out a paper copy available at area banks, and to encourage the public to complete the survey also, which will assist Waukon and Allamakee County in qualifying for grants and determine housing needs.

This group of local area men, along with others, have been carrying on a local tradition started approximately 70 years ago with a daily gathering of about a half hour for coffee each weekday around 9 a.m. at the S&D Café on Main Street in Waukon. The tradition dates back to when Clare Duggan owned the cafe in the late 1940s, when Dr. Clark Rominger was joined by a similar group of men, some of whom were local downtown business owners that included dime store owner Joe Cronin, Dutch Jacobi of Jacobi's Clothing Store and Dan Regan of Regan's Pharmacy. Much like today, the group would meet to discuss the business, politics and gossip of the day. Dr. Rominger recruited Dr. Louis Bray to join the group when he moved to town in 1956, and Dr. Bray was reported as having attended faithfully each morning he could until he passed away in 2015.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 13 to address a full agenda of items, including the Proclamation of National Apprenticeship Week in Allamakee County, discussion of 2018 County holidays and consideration of hiring temporary part-time help for the Christmas season in the County Relief Office. There were no public comments presented.

Take-home contest begins November 20 for return by December 4 for judging

The Robey Memorial Library Foundation is hosting a gingerbread decorating contest and awarding three Amazon Fire tablets to the most creative decorators. This year the contest, hosted in previous years by Kitchen Krafts, will be a take-home decorating event open to all families in Waukon.

Beginning Monday, November 20, while supplies last, families can pick up a free gingerbread house from Robey Memorial Library, located at 401 First Avenue NW in Waukon. They can then decorate the house with the materials in the box, or put their own twist on it and add their own decorations. Participants are encouraged to be creative.

Once decorated, gingerbread houses must be returned to the library for display and public voting by December 4. The three gingerbread houses that receive the most votes will each win an Amazon Fire 7 tablet from the Robey Memorial Library Foundation.

A Waukon area native has returned to her hometown and is now working to try and turn a hobby of hers into a profitable business. Lucy (Barrett) Harwood recently opened up Muddy Water Restoration, Inc., a boat restoration business that specializes in using marine grade products to make custom covers, upholstery and flooring unique to the design needs of the customers she serves.

Born and raised in the Waukon area, the former Lucy Barrett graduated from Waukon High School in 2001 and then moved to New Mexico for 12 years. Shortly after her son was born in 2006, she moved back to her native Waukon. The year 2017 has been a busy one for her, as she not only started the process toward opening her own business in May of this year, traveled to Ohio for training in her newfound specialty this summer and opened the doors to Muddy Water Restoration, Inc. August 1, but she also got married to Trevor Harwood in September of this year.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, October 16 to address a variety of matters, including the Reel Core tax rebate program, the 5K and 8K Turkey Trot event and the Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2017. Mayor Duane DeWalle called the meeting to order.
During Public Comment, Coordinator Ardie Kuhse with Waukon Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) discussed the forum held October 30 for Waukon Mayor and City Council candidates, which she described as being well attended by the public. Kuhse thanked the candidates for their involvement and stated that she is an advocate for the Hotel/Motel Tax, which will benefit the City and citizens.

Work continues with the storm sewer replacement project on First Avenue NW in Waukon following notice of a slight collapse in a section of the existing storm sewer in that area earlier this year. Waukon City Manager Dean Hilgerson has indicated that some delays in the project were caused by a gas line laying across the project area, which will be raised one foot, and other cables also creating difficulties. Hilgerson said 31 of the five-foot by nine-foot concrete sections of storm sewer (pictured above) will be placed from First Avenue NW northwest through the parking lot toward Second Street NW, likely taking over two more weeks to complete the project. Pictures below show the previous storm sewer of laid-up rock that is being replaced with the concrete sections, with the below left photo looking toward the south side of First Avenue NW and the below right photo looking to the north toward the parking lot area.