Community News

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, February 13 to address a full agenda of matters including the consideration of changing the Maximum Levy Public Hearing date, the approval of a Resolution allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for election items and the consideration of personnel matters relating to the Allamakee County Auditor’s office and the Allamakee County Sheriff’s office.

Board chairperson Dan Byrnes called the meeting to order with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present for this meeting. There was no Public Comment during the time allotted for that agenda item.

The Waukon Music Department will be hosting its 13th Annual Pops Concert Friday, February 24 at the Waukon Middle School gymnasium. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the concert performances to begin at 7 p.m.

The Pops Concert is an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Allamakee Music Boosters. The Pops Concert features high energy musical numbers from the 1950s through today.  Groups performing will include the high school and middle school choirs, high school and middle school jazz bands, drumline, featured soloists, song and dance skits, and emcees.   The Pops Concert continues to feature new musical talents each year and has become a must-see event for the Waukon community.

Waukon City Manager Gary Boden recently provided an update to The Standard relating to improvements made at the Waukon City Hall north entrance, which is now open again to the public. Evident in the photo above, Boden noted replacements and improvements including metal hand-railing, steps leading to parking at the east side of the building, the sidewalk and canopy in front of the north entrance and new interior and exterior doors are now in place following work performed by Sweeney Builders, Inc., the primary contractor on this project. Boden noted that these improvements were made possible through a commitment of $70,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding with an additional $2,000 from the General Fund, all of which he added will not impact local taxpayers.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, February 6 to address a full agenda of matters including the Public Hearing on Proposed Property Tax Dollars for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, review of a Waukon Facade Improvement Program application and the approval of plans and specifications relating to the storm sewer project along 1st Avenue and 1st Street NW.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum in Waukon will be offering four encore video presentations to the public in the meeting room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building at 105 Allamakee Street, Waukon. The video presentations will take place on successive Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., according to the following schedule:

• February 11 - Lynn Morrow, U.S. Army infantry - WWII
• February 18 - Harriet Hanson, U.S. Navy nurse - WWII
• February 25 - Rupert Caballero, U.S. Marine Corps - Korea
• March 4 - Carl Johnson, U.S. Army - Vietnam.

here is no admission charge for the presentations, and the museum is wheelchair accessible. Museum winter hours include tours provided each Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, and the museum can be available by appointment for groups of all kinds.
 

Property owners within the City of Waukon who have not yet scheduled a time for their water meter replacement are strongly encouraged to do so as soon as possible. The water meter replacement project is a community wide project to replace all current water meters and reading devices in the City of Waukon, and the new meter and replacement work are at no cost to property owners. Failure to have a water meter replaced through this coordinated project could result in being shut off from water services by the City of Waukon until replacement occurs.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, January 30 to address a full agenda of matters. The meeting was called to order by Board Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Dennis Keatley and Mark Reiser in attendance.

During Public Comment, Waukon City Manager Gary Boden noted that his attendance at this meeting is as an individual taxpayer, noting concerns about fiscal stress at the County level. Boden discussed his support of law enforcement but questioned the expansion of the County Sheriff’s Department with six of nine deputies’ salaries paid through the urban section of property taxes instead of rural property taxes. Boden added that if this is the case, three of those six could effectively be assigned to Waukon based on population with Waukon’s Police Department supplying back-up to the County as needed.

The Wolfpack Theater Company recently donated $1,000 to the Waterville Community Center - the theater company’s new home. Wolfpack members raised half of the donation over the last several months, through charity shows and performances during RAGBRAI, a Murder Mystery Theater dinner, and other events. Wolfpack artistic director and co-founder Adam Hooten matched that $500 donation.

“Special thanks to the Waterville City Council, Jeff Mitchell and honorary Wolfpack member, Waterville Mayor Dave Monserud, for hooking us up with the community center and our new home,” Hooten said. “A lot of the money for the donation came from the Wolfpack’s trip to see the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre’s production of ‘Footloose’. While we were up there we did a street performance after the show to pay for the trip and donation.”

Four members of the Waukon Pioneer Fire Company were each honored for 25 years of active volunteer service Saturday, January 21 at the Waukon Fire Department’s Annual Wife’s Supper held at the Waukon Golf and Country Club. All four honored volunteers have held many different offices throughout the course of their time serving the department.

Pictured above receiving their watches from Waukon Fire Chief Dave Martin in honor of their 25 years of active service are, left to right, Safety Officer Troy Gress, First Lieutenant Kris Krueger, Chief Dave Martin presenting the awards, Secretary/Treasurer Kyle Halverson and Second Assistant Chief Bill Hennessy. Submitted photo.
 

During its monthly Pack Meeting held Tuesday, January 17, Waukon Cub Scout Pack 64 visited the Allamakee County Veterans Museum in Waukon. The knowledgeable docents at the museum shared their wealth of knowledge, and the Scouts (and their parents) learned a lot about local Veterans and the branches of the Armed Forces, as depicted in the surrounding photos. The Scouts encourage local residents to visit the Museum, noting that anyone who does will be glad that they did. Museum winter hours include open hours for tours Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon, and by appointment for family, school, youth, veterans, church and other community groups, such as the Cub Scouts. Submitted photos.