Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Friday, June 30 in special session to address several matters, including the end of fiscal-year claims, discussion and consideration of paying the Allamakee County Historical Society Fiscal-Year 2023 (FY23) expenses for fire escape, stairs and roof improvements on the Allamakee County Courthouse Museum instead of sidewalk replacement, and discussion of the Allamakee County Courthouse sidewalk project. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. Byrnes noted the review of claims for the end of the current fiscal-year.

U.S. Army Major John Walleser was promoted from Captain to Major during a ceremony held May 5 of this year at the Lock and Dam 9 embankment of the Mississippi River next to the spillway. Colonel Eric Swenson (St. Paul District Commander), Lieutenant Colonel Robert Wilkins (St. Paul District Deputy Commander), and John Walleser’s family and friends were in attendance at the promotion ceremony. John Walleser is an active-duty U.S. Army Engineer since 2012 and is currently assigned to the United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District where he works with the Levee Safety Program.

As a part of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Major Walleser inspects infrastructure critical to flood protection and assists in emergency response to natural disasters. Immediately following his promotion ceremony, Major Walleser hosted a reception with those in attendance at the American Legion in Harpers Ferry.

by Joe Moses

Prior to the printing of the Wednesday, June 28, 2023 edition of The Standard, updates were provided by Waukon City Clerk Sarah Snitker and Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer relating to Waukon’s mayoral and city council appointments and the November 7 City election.

Following the resignation of Mayor Pat Stone at the May 1, 2023 Waukon City Council meeting, the City began the process of seeking an individual to fill that mayoral vacancy. At the June 19 Waukon City Council meeting last week, Ward 3 City Council member Arvid Hatlan was appointed to fill that mayoral seat, with his appointment filling the remainder of that current office term, which expires at the end of this 2023 calendar year.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, June 26 to address a short agenda of matters including the liquor license renewal for the Allamakee County Conservation Foundation, three plat approvals and the consideration of a Roadway Maintenance Agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the City of Waukon. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present.

The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the theft and wrecking of several vehicles that is reported to have taken place in the rural Waterville area in the early morning hours of Monday, June 19. Through the ongoing investigation into the matter, the incidents are all believed to involve a person of interest who local law enforcement authorities have an image of (see accompanying photo at right) from surveillance camera footage taken from inside the recently opened Waterville Bar & Grill on Main Street in Waterville.

Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick says that the accompanying image of the suspected person of interest was from Sunday, June 18. Early the very next morning, at approximately 5 a.m., the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a crashed vehicle off of Buckskin Road, a gravel dead end road off of State Highway 76, south of Waterville.

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP), a statewide association of the tourism and hospitality industry, presented the inaugural iTIP Awards during the iTIP Annual Meeting Monday, June 12 in Cedar Falls. Andy Kelleher, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing, was the recipient of the small market iTIP Rising Star Award. This is an award recognizing someone new to the Iowa tourism industry within the past five years who has demonstrated leadership, commitment and passion for the Iowa travel industry.

Kelleher has stood on the forefront of tourism initiatives in Allamakee County. He secured a Soul of Iowa 2.0 selection for Lansing, which is a statewide tourism promotion initiative that will help advertise northeast Iowa to visitors across the country. He supported RAGBRAI XLIX, which was sponsored by his employer, Main Street Lansing. He created and installed scenic byway maps in downtown Lansing to encourage visitors to explore more of the Driftless Area.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, June 19 to address a full agenda of matters including the appointment to fill the vacant position of the Mayor of Waukon, discussion of Ordinance Chapter 137 Driveway Regulations and approval of a hire for the Utility Billing Clerk position at Waukon City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Pro-Tem Kevin Johnson with no Public Comment being made at that time.

Under Department Reports, Police Chief Paul Wagner noted that Officer Brent Parker attended a taser instruction school this week which will allow Parker to conduct the yearly taser training and recertification for the entire department moving forward. Wagner further noted that the speed trailer has been having some issues and that he is working with the company relating to this repair.

Thirty intermediate 4-H members from Allamakee, Chickasaw, Howard and Winneshiek Counties enjoyed two days as they made a “splash” into the Wisconsin Dells. The trip was co-coordinated by Allamakee County K-12 Program Coordinator Becky Rea, Howard County Youth Coordinator Josey Nolan, and Chickasaw County Youth Coordinator Pat Dirks. The youth traveled to the Kalahari Resort to enjoy an afternoon of water park fun. On day two they tested their bravery and teamworking skills on the Big Foot Ropes Course. They accepted the challenge and took on the 80 different elements including a moving bridge, monkey net bridge, giant steps, jungle tracks, a helicopter and more. The trip ended with an Original Duck Tour on World War II-era amphibious vehicles exploring the Wisconsin River, Dell Creek and Lake Delton.

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative (ACEC) is celebrating its member-owners by hosting its second annual Member Appreciation Picnic Thursday, June 29 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Big Four Fairgrounds in Postville. The picnic will feature a complimentary brat and hot dog meal, kids activities including a bounce house, an opportunity to learn more about Co-op programs like Operation Round-Up, and time to meet members of the Co-op staff. “We love this event. It’s a great opportunity to give back to our members and enjoy a summer activity,” said Hollee McCormick, ACEC General Manager/Executive Vice President. “Our Co-op staff is looking forward to meeting with members of our community.

The day was a warm 85 degrees, the collection dumpster was in place, the water gauge at Lansing read 9.2 feet and a small but determined group of volunteers boated into the Mississippi River backwaters in search of any un-natural debris. Recent high flood water (Lansing gauge topped out at 19.6 feet) in late April kept the river well above normal until early June and delayed the original Friends of Pool 9 River Clean-Up date planned for April 22.

While many enjoyed the first weekend in June in other ways, approximately 30 volunteers loaded boats and searched backwater sloughs and islands for debris. The most common item was the “ever-present” blue or white plastic flotation barrel, probably relocated from areas to the north. The exceptionally high water may have dispersed the usual trash in Pool 9 to other areas downstream as well.