Community News

Presentation Sisters and Associates honored six jubilarians July13 at Mount Loretto, Sisters of the Presentation in Dubuque. The theme of “Joy, Love and Gratitude” set the tone for the day with Mass followed by brunch.

Sister Mary Raeleen Sweeney, originally of Waukon and the daughter of the late Ralph and Ileen (Birdsell) Sweeney, observed 60 years of religious life during the celebration. Also celebrating were Sisters Mary Emilie Bormann, Donna Determan, Sheila Ann Dougherty, Jeanine Kuhn and Herman Platt.

The jubilarians entered the Dubuque Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1956 and 1957 and professed first vows in 1959 and final vows in 1964.

by Brianne Eilers

The end of June brought a net income of $237,294 for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon. However, VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that the hospital is still working on its audit and he expects the final year-to-date figure to be “break-even or slightly negative” on the net profit/loss aspect.

Looking at other year-to-date figures, acute patient days for the month of June were down 13%, while skilled days were up 1.6% and deliveries were nearly at the same number they were last year in the same timeframe. Surgeries were also down, 11.6%, but all outpatient areas were up. Total expenses were under budget by 0.6%. The number of days in Accounts Receivable is currently sitting at 99.6.

"Most important meal of the day" benefits sponsoring organizations

Various local non-profit groups will once again be sponsoring “Breakfast at the Fair” during the 163rd Allamakee County Fair this week at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds in Waukon. A full breakfast menu will be available Thursday, July 21, Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23. Breakfast will be served from 7-9:30 a.m. in the Appreciation Center Building, which is located behind the east end of the Fair Office Building or directly across from the swine show ring.

The general public is invited to attend breakfast on any of these days. Carry outs will be available. The cost of a meal is $6, with children under five years old eating for free. Rolls, fruit and beverages will be available for purchase ala carte if a full meal is not wanted.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session at City Hall Monday, July 18 to discuss a full agenda of items. There were no comments during the public comments portion of the meeting.
During the Departmental Reports, Water/Sewer Superintendent Bob Campbell reported that the detention basin is holding water and operating well with the recent heavy rainfall. Street Department Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed some mechanical problems with the street sweeper and that it is in Decorah having repairs made under warranty.

First Baptist Church of Waukon held its 40th annual AWANA Awards Program Wednesday, April 27. Clubbers were recognized for work completed throughout the past year, some of those pictured in the surrounding submitted photos.

Bibles were given to 15 first-time club members who completed 10 sections in their handbooks. Commander Larry Gelo welcomed the parents and guests. Truth and Training, Sparks and Cubbies members participated in the salute to the flags and the Bible. Clubbers recited favorite Bible verses they had memorized throughout the year, sang their theme songs and recited the books of the Bible. Clubbers received awards for completing a handbook and for participating.

Alaine Meier was recognized for 30 years of service to the AWANA program, most of those years as the AWANA Store Manager.

The Waukon Police Department is reporting the following results from its participation in the latest sTEP (Special Traffic Enforcement Program) wave, which took place around the Fourth of July holiday, July 1-5, throughout the state of Iowa:

Operating While Intoxicated - 1 arrest
Seat belts - 2 warnings
Speeding - 4 citations, 17 warnings
Driving without license - 1 citation
Registration violation - 2 citations, 9 warnings
Open container - 1 warning
Other traffic violations - 4 warnings
Equipment - 4 warnings
No proof of insurance - 3 warnings
Motorist assist - 4
Interdiction/Canine search - 1.

The next sTEP wave is scheduled for August 23-September 5 of this year.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Tuesday, July 5 due to the Fourth of July holiday falling on the Council's usual Monday meeting day. The Council discussed a full agenda of items including soil stockpiled on the Westwood Apartments property, the proposed ATV/Golf Cart Ordinance and the Country Side Estates sanitary sewer.

The public hearing for the 2016 PCC Street Repairs project was opened and closed without any objections or comments to start the meeting business. That project entails concrete replacement work at 11 different locations on City streets. The 2016 PCC Street Repairs project plans were confirmed and approved by the Council later in the meeting. Concrete Foundations, Inc. of New Hampton was awarded the contract for this project.

Mosaic in Northern Iowa will be introducing a service locally that it has successfully offered all across Mosaic for more than 20 years - host home services. An informational forum on the newly-titled "Mosaic at Home" host home program is scheduled to be held Tuesday, July 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank Community Room located at 201 West Main Street in Waukon. The forum is open to the general public to learn more about the "Mosaic at Home" program.

The "Mosaic at Home" service model works to build lasting relationships between people with intellectual disabilities and their service provider, who is an independent contractor/host home provider aligned with Mosaic. Living in a shared residence, the independent contractor provides services designed around the needs of the individual, fully integrating them into the life of the household and the greater community.

by Brianne Eilers

The month of May ended on a dismal note financially for Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon with a loss of $166,070 for the month, making for a loss of $163,312 year-to-date for the facility. Acute patient days were down 15.4% and surgeries were down 11.6% for the month of May, while skilled days were up 2.9% and deliveries were up 5.6%. Outpatient MRI was up 20.7% and outpatient lab was up 14.3%, with the other outpatient volume areas also seeing increases. Emergency room visits were also up 4.1%, and total expenses are within 0.1% of what was budgeted.

VMH Administrator Mike Myers noted that June has been a strong month, and that VMH has begun the process of an 11-month audit to see where VMH is at. Myers also said that after a rough start to the 2015-2016 fiscal year, VMH has managed to bounce back.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met for a special session Monday, June 27 to discuss several items including the proposed City Manager position, Street Department applications and a resolution for salaried and non-union wages and vacation. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Duane DeWalle, with Council members Dwight Jones and Steve Wiedner not present for the special session.

The first agenda item for discussion involved the Lyle Dee subdivision plat. Dee is requesting that his house be separated from the surrounding farmland. The motion was approved.