Viewpoints

To the Editor:

As many of you know, I am a city councilman in Waukon, and am very passionate about our community. I spend hours preparing for meetings in an effort to make the best decision on the issues.

It is never easy taking an unpopular stance on any issue, but the one involving the City issuing a warrant for a second renewal of a $750,000 loan was especially difficult. I have neighbors, friends and relatives employed there, all of who are committed to providing us the best care. I want to see the hospital survive.

I have never uttered the words “The hospital must close.”

I’ve been asked why I’m the only one to not vote in favor of the warrant. As a CPA, I have dealt with financial issues daily for my entire career. I believe that committing large sums of money for the third time is not the right financial decision, with no plan in place to provide the best opportunity to survive.

To the Editor:

Rarely, in any given situation, is there only one side to a story. “Facts” are often skewed by emotion, history, or simple miscommunication. In light of recent publicity regarding Veterans Memorial Hospital, we would like to offer another point of view.

VMH is not just numbers, cost reports, or profit/loss margins. While these things are important to address, we are so much more than that. VMH has been, and will remain, part of the fabric of this community. It is staffed by dedicated individuals who have, in many instances, made this facility, and the patients we serve, our life’s work. Together we represent hundreds of years of combined experience caring for your loved ones. We have done so on a shoestring budget, so we are very aware of the dollars and cents of being a small rural hospital.

To the Editor:

I found it interesting and somewhat ironic that in his July 17 letter to the editor, Lowell Engle described proposals by several Democratic presidential candidates for single-payer health care (Medicare) and reducing student debt as “handouts.”  If he had paid attention, he would have learned that the costs of these programs are paid for.

What is not paid for is the huge tax break given to relatively few wealthy people and corporations in the 2018 Tax Bill, creating historic budget deficits and adding over a trillion dollars to our debt. I call that a handout.  What happened to the party of fiscal responsibility?

Mr. Engle’s attempt to portray the Democratic Party as not really democratic, but pushing towards “socialism and communism,” is simply a scare tactic to distract us from the fact that the Republican Party has been sabotaged and discredited by those who are driven by profit and power. 

To the Editor:

Recently, we were driving to visit family in Minnesota and drove through Chatfield, a town of about 2,800. They are going through a similar process as Waukon with their sidewalks and streets. What was very different was that instead of cutting the trees down in the boulevards they put a protective skirting around the bottom of each tree during construction.

It was quite refreshing to see a community that appreciates the aesthetic value of trees and is also aware of the economic and environmental value of trees. In 2010 Northeast Iowa RC&D identified every tree on Waukon City property and noted its species and condition. They estimated the positive economic impact from the trees was over $240,000 annually.

To the Editor:

I note that a good number of people around here are willing to travel to Branson, Nashville, Chicago or elsewhere to see plays, musicals or concerts. We lived over 40 years in Chicago and have been fortunate to have seen some wonderful stage performances.

Living here, we have been surprised to discover that there is an amazing amount of talent close by - an hour’s drive away in Lanesboro, MN. This town of 750 consists of a group of professional performers who constitute The Commonweal Theatre Company. Each year they put on five plays, each with about 40 performances. Unlike large venues, this small theatre allows a close view of the performers.

Two of their best shows are currently on stage - “Boeing Boeing,” one of the funniest shows we have ever seen, and “Peter and the Starcatcher,” a lively spoof of the pirate life, are currently playing there.  Boeing Boeing runs through August and Peter and the Starcatcher through October.

To the Editor:

The Iowa Attorney General’s office recently established a toll-free hotline for adult survivors to report child sexual abuse, especially by spiritual leaders and clergy.

To report past sexual abuse, Iowans can call 855-620-7000 to speak with a trained advocate. Alternatively, they can submit the online form at IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov/Report-Clergy-Sex-Abuse.

This is an important step to ensure justice, prevent future abuse and provide the support victims deserve. Anybody experiencing current or ongoing abuse should call local law enforcement immediately.

In addition, survivors of all types of crime can get free, confidential support and referrals from the Iowa Victim Service Call Center. Call 1-800-770-1650, text “IOWAHELP” to 20121 or go online to SurvivorsHelpline.org for information on services throughout the state.

Sincerely,
Janet Petersen
Iowa Senate
Democratic Leader

To the Editor:

I applaud the City of Lansing for getting the pool up and running this summer. I have two young grandchildren and this pool is the best for teaching them how to enjoy the water and to learn how their little bodies work in the water. The depth at the shallow end is perfect. It is such a pleasure to see the smile on their faces when they are able to play and learn in that two-foot depth. I totally agree with the statement it is a  “little gem of a pool”

Lisa Fruechte
New Albin

To the Editor:

I would like to let Waukon and the surrounding communities know that Robey Memorial Library has two copies of the Mueller Report available for checkout. Give us a call at (563) 568-4424 and we’ll put a copy on hold for you today!

Cate St. Clair
Director
Robey Memorial Library

To the Editor:

The Waukon City Council recently accepted a bid on sidewalk installation along Second Street SW and Eleventh Avenue SW. The Mayor vetoed this bid proposal and the council later overrode his veto.

This proposal includes a four- to five-foot sidewalk from the fire station to the south entrance to the City Park. The proposal they accepted will cause them to remove 25 trees planted by volunteers eight to 10 years ago. The City had instructed the volunteers where these trees should be located and they followed the City’s instruction.

To the Editor:

Bridges are landmarks; they are iconic structures that we associate with particular places. Some of them are just bridges, cement structures that carry traffic, but some of them are more significant: the London Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and our very own Black Hawk Bridge in Lansing.

This bridge is named by several tourist sites as the most beautiful bridge in Iowa, but unfortunately, most  bridges have a limited life span and the Black Hawk Bridge is reaching its final days. It will be replaced and is included on the Iowa DOT five-year plan, so construction should begin before the end of 2024.

The Iowa DOT takes comments on its webpage for its upcoming projects. They have had several public meetings over the past few years, seeking input from area residents. There is no doubt that the bridge is necessary, as statistics have shown, so what can replace an icon, a landmark?