River Valley

James Kerndt, President and CEO of Kerndt Brothers Bank headquartered in Lansing, recently announced the following promotions into leadership roles at the bank’s Lansing location:

Rebecca Seitz, Manager of Operations working in the Lansing location of Kerndt Brothers Bank, has been promoted to Senior Vice President. After 20 years with Kerndt Brothers Bank, Seitz states, “Banking’s endless opportunities is what makes it such a rewarding career”. An avid supporter of her daughters’ high school sports, Seitz also enjoys spending time on the river.

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, August 3. Discussion at the meeting centered around the consent agenda, a Main Street Lansing update and the Streets report.

The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes from July 30 and payment of claims. A motion was made and seconded with minimal discussion to approve the consent agenda.

Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andy Kelleher provided the council with an update on recent efforts, noting that when the COVID-19 pandemic started he searched for grants and any other means of aid for local businesses while also pushing for residents and visitors to support local businesses as much as they possibly could. Main Street Lansing will be hosting a sidewalk sale involving local businesses in downtown Lansing August 21 and 22.

ITC Midwest will be conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory from approximately August 4-17, weather permitting. Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC Midwest.

The aerial inspections will cover the company’s lines in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The flights will be conducted in the Independence, Mason City and Lansing areas in Iowa, as well as the Adams, Fairmont, Harmony, Jackson, Luverne, Sherburn and Winnebago, MN areas. Counties in the aerial patrol areas include Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dickinson, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Howard, Kossuth, Mitchell, Osceola, Winnebago and Worth in Iowa as well as Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Nobles and Rock in Minnesota.

For those who have seen a new, pink flower growing on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, flowering rush (pictured at right) is a plant native to Eurasia but is invasive in North America. Blooms start in mid-June and continue into late summer. It can crowd out native vegetation, which provides better food and habitat for wildlife.

These aquatic invaders negatively impact fish and waterfowl habitats on the Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to know where this plant is growing. Refuge biologists and managers are working on a strategic response to this pretty pest.

Many types of invasive plants can be dug up and removed to control them, but not flowering rush. Not only is it prohibited to dig up vegetation on the Refuge without a permit, but this plant breaks apart easily and prefers to spread by these little floating, broken pieces.

Kerndt Brothers Bank has announced that Patrick Dinan has joined the bank as Market President. He is responsible for providing lending and deposit services to agricultural and commercial customers throughout Allamakee and Winneshiek counties in Iowa and Vernon County in Wisconsin. His responsibilities also include business development and creating new relationships for the bank.

Dinan joins Kerndt Brothers Bank from Citizen’s State Bank in New Vienna, where he focused on building relationships with existing customers while developing new business. He brings over 27 years of experience in various business positions, including 24 years in banking with progressive responsibilities related to leasing, lending and bank management.

by Alexis Johnson

The regular meeting of the Lansing City Council was held Monday, July 20 with discussion centering around the consent agenda, parks report and several hirings and appointments. The consent agenda consisted of council meeting minutes and parks board minutes from July 6, library board minutes from May 26 and marina board meeting minutes from July 6. The consent agenda was approved and seconded with minimal discussion.

Approval was given to Payment #2 and Change Order #2 for the Clear Creek Syphon FEMA project. The council also approved a reduction in the amount of $77.28 to the sewer bill at 191 South Fifth Street.

A motion was made and seconded to appoint Scott Smith to the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Board of Directors. The council also approved sending an abatement letter drafted by the City Attorney for the partial removal of a fence at 661 South Front Street.

For a two-week period in early July, Main Street Lansing offered Lansing area residents and visitors the opportunity to complete a COVID-19 Recovery Survey. In partnership with Main Street Iowa, Main Street Lansing offered the survey as an opportunity to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on Lansing as the community has entered and progressed through the reopening and recovery phases.

The survey received 229 responses, and Main Street Lansing appreciates the input from everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Main Street Lansing’s Board of Directors has offered the following analysis of the survey results:

With recent announcements of job cuts at the Alliant Energy Lansing Generating Station due to the facility currently operating at lower capacity and unofficial stories circulating about pending closure of the facility, Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier outlined some facts clarifying what the impact of such a closure would be on the school district. Alliant Energy officials have previously stated that they regularly review their generation resources in order to operate their facilities in the best interests of their customers, but no decision has been made regarding the future of the Lansing Generating Station at this point in time.
Dr. Crozier’s released statement follows:

Eastern Allamakee Community Schools will not be affected at all if Alliant Energy would close; and there are facts that people should know about this:

The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) has announced the donation of 25 acres of land from the Francis Garrett family to  Allamakee County in memory of his late wife, Celia Sander-Garrett.

The property is located on the west side of Lansing and has Clear Creek running the length of the property. Clear Creek is a trout stream which holds both Brown and Rainbow trout. The property contains a high quality wetland which provides a location to view various species  of waterfowl and migratory birds.

COVID Recovery Iowa has begun offering virtual support groups for parents, teens and pre-teens. Mandy Gesme, Child and Family Team Lead for COVID Recovery Iowa, said the organization has been getting many requests from parents for activities they can do with their children, and advice for how to help their teenagers through the pandemic.

“We thought it would be great to give them the chance to talk to each other with their ideas and strategies,” Gesme said. “It’s just one more resource we can provide.”

COVID Recovery Iowa is for all Iowans who have been affected in any way by COVID-19. In addition to support groups, activities and resources, COVID Recovery Iowa offers free, confidential virtual counseling to all Iowans. Activities include cooking classes, yoga and meditation and more to help Iowans through this stressful time.