Community News

The City of Waukon has begun working with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach on a program to help improve housing in the area. The Rural Housing Readiness Assessment program, or RHRA, has been implemented in over 40 rural communities across Iowa and has won numerous awards for assisting communities in the development of housing action plans.

The program begins with a self-assessment of the community that collects relevant plans, studies, resolutions and ordinances. As part of this assessment, input from the wider community is sought to help highlight housing needs from residents and people who travel to Waukon to work.

Feedback from the survey will assist the Housing Committee develop priorities in the City’s action plan. Survey results will be included in the final report from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, along with all of the presentation materials, a detailed action plan and relevant resources to support those efforts.

A weeklong recognition of Global Entrepreneurship Week in Allamakee County has been announced jointly by Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) and Lansing Office Works. Events scheduled daily from November 14-17 will be held at the Lansing Office Works location at 247 Main Street in Lansing. All events are free of charge and will include lunch or refreshments.

“We are pleased to announce our second annual effort to support the entrepreneurs and business owners in our county with another weeklong slate of free events and speakers,” shared Val Reinke, Director of ACED.

“Our inaugural 2021 Global Entrepreneurship Week events were well attended and we are grateful for our partnership with ACED to be able to provide these events again in 2022,” stated Maryann Baldwin, Founder of Lansing Office Works.

Letters including scheduling information being mailed to Waukon property owners soon

The City of Waukon is working with technicians from HydroCorp to perform the community-wide replacement program of all current water meters and reading devices. Residents and business/property owners should be receiving a letter in the mail with additional information about the meter replacement project, including scheduling a time for meter replacement within each property.

Commercial property owners throughout Waukon will receive the letters first, and residential property owners located south of Main Street in Waukon will receive letters soon after. Residential property owners north of Main Street will get their letters at a later date.

The goal of the meter replacement program is to update the community’s water meter infrastructure. This replacement program will help to ensure continuing accuracy and functional operation of the meter reading system.

R.W. Pladsen, Inc. in Waukon recently completed its Fill-A-Truck promotion held throughout the month of October to benefit the Allamakee County Relief Office in its efforts to help those less fortunate. Individuals could donate a non-perishable food item to help “fill a truck” and also have their name entered into a weekly Friday drawing during the month of October for prizes that included gift certificates, t-shirts and other items donated through the generosity of Allamakee County businesses much appreciated by R.W. Pladsen, Inc. and all those benefiting from the promotion. Pictured above at the presentation of the donated food items to the Allamakee County Relief Office are, left to right, R.W. Pladsen, Inc. staff members Steve Pladsen and Carli Mellick, Allamakee County Relief Office Director Rebecca Hawes and R.W. Pladsen, Inc. staff member David Mark.
 

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 7 to address a full agenda of matters including discussion of changing City Council meeting dates, discussion of the Community Catalyst Building Remediation Grant and the Town Theater, and parking lot and alley improvements at 1st Avenue NW.

The 7 Rivers Alliance and River Valley Media Group recognized their Rising Stars Under 40 at an annual reception Wednesday, October 19 at the La Crescent Event Center in La Crosse, WI. The 7 Rivers Alliance - a regional economic development group - sought nominations from throughout the region for young men and women who are making a difference. This year 28 recipients from three states were selected.

“The stories of these exceptional people are inspiring and show how fortunate we are to have them living and working in our communities,” said Chris Hardie, CEO of the 7 Rivers Alliance. “They are true leaders in their workplaces and communities.”

One of the winners was Ian Zahren of Lansing, who grew up in rural Iowa and relocated to the east coast, where he pursued a career in acting and stage. But he knew his heart was in the Midwest.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will celebrate Veterans Day by offering a program to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street n Waukon.

Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. a video interview with Vietnam War Veteran retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Cherie White of Waukon will be presented. Lt. Col. White was recently interviewed by Chuck Bloxham, and she will be present Thursday to answer questions after the video. Light refreshments will be available. There is no admission charge.

Also, Saturday, November 12 at 10 a.m. the video interview with Lt. Col. White will be presented again for those who are not available Thursday evening. The museum will also be open for tours from 9:00 a.m. until noon November 12.

Allamakee County residents are invited to attend the next event in the THRIVE series of interactive workshops being co-hosted by Mental Health Today - a Matt Howe Tribute (MHT) and the nonprofit, Worldmaker. “Becoming a Strengths Spotter” is a one-hour workshop focused on how to foster meaningful contributions by others by helping them identify their strengths, find ways to plug in and engage in shared decision making.

“Becoming a Strengths Spotter” is open to all Allamakee County residents and is being offered in two different one-hour sessions Monday, November 7 to give residents the opportunity to choose which one best fits their schedule for that day. A morning session will take place from 10-11 a.m. at the Waukon Wellness Center, and an afternoon “lunch and learn” session will be held from 12-1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Light refreshments will be provided at both sessions.

by Joe Moses

In recognition of the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the installation process of the solar array at the Allamakee County Public Safety Center, Vice President John Nielsen and General Manager Brent Freilinger, both of Perry Novak Electric of Decorah, visited the solar array site with Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick, Board of Supervisors Chairperson Larry Schellhammer and Supervisors Dan Byrnes and Mark Reiser Friday, October 14.

The solar array project was originally discussed at Supervisors meetings in March of 2021 with a power purchase agreement (PPA) - a contract between a government agency and an investor relating to an agreement to purchase energy over a long period of time to allow electricity cost savings - being approved at the April 19, 2021 Supervisors meeting.

Gustave F. Kerndt VFW Auxiliary Post #5981 in Lansing has announced the 2022 Red, White and Blue National Anthem Singing Contest winners at the Department (State) level of competition. A pair of sisters from the Lansing area were named among the best in the state of Iowa taking part in this year’s competition.

Monica Davis, a senior student at Kee High School in Lansing, was named the First-Place winner at the State level in the Grades 9-12 Division and received a certificate and $25 award. Laira Davis, a sixth grade student at Lansing Middle School, was named the Third-Place winner in her grades K-8 Division at the State level and received a certificate and $10 award.