Wednesday, January 28, 2015
3 DAY FORECAST WEDNESDAY
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39˚30˚ WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 28, 2015 |
Volume 16
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Number 4
|USPS 017-988
Clayton County Relay for Life kickoff event set for Feb. 3 at Elkader
Singles over 40 to meet
Singles over 40 will meet Sunday, February 1, @ 12:30 p.m. at Thoma Dairy Bar Cafe’ in Garnavillo. Cards to follow. Guests are welcome
Blood donation matters
Did you know how much blood is needed by certain patients? Here are some facts from the LifeServe Blood Center. Cancer patients can use up to eight units of blood a month. Bone Marrow Transplant patients can use up to two units a day. Cardiovascular Surgery patient can use between 2-25 units. Liver Transplant patients can use up to 100 units. Auto/ Trauma Accident patients can use up 5-100 units. Premature infants can use up to 1-4 units. Burn victims case use up to 20 units of platelets. The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held on Thursday, February 5, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The blood drive will be held at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. To help maintain Iowa’s blood supply, donate at the Waukon Community Blood Drive, on Thursday, February 5, at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Appointments are encouraged and walk-ins can only be accepted as the schedule permits. To schedule your appointment, please call the LifeServe Blood Center at 800-287-4903.
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19˚ Partly Cloudy
Call 563-539-4554
By PAT McTAGGART
Dollars for Scholars to raffle off used car As with any fundraising organization, the MFL MarMac Dollars for Scholars is always looking for fun ways to raise more money. The organization is a community project and members of the graduating class each year raise money to be distributed back to those who will be furthering their education. This year’s Class of 2015 at MFL MarMac has been fortunate to have many ambitious volunteers. The year kicked off with a partnership with the Monona Lions Club to hold a haunted house throughout October. The group also held a soup supper at the Monona Christmasfest and a taco supper in December. Last week was the annual soup and chili supper at the high school.
The community is asked to bring any unwanted scrap metal to Maggie’s Diner on Highway 18 as part of the organization’s ongoing scrap metal drive. A middle school dance will be held on February 13 and a pancake breakfast will be held Saturday morning, February 14. Mark your calendars for a Dairyland Donkey Basketball game to be held in the high school gym on Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Information will be published soon! The group’s most traditional and largest fundraiser, the Spring Extravaganza, is slated for April 18. One particularly interesting fundraiser right now is a used car raffle. A 2001 Mercury Sable was purchased at an auction this fall. The Dollars
for Scholars organization asked local mechanic, Andy Meyer of Meyers Auto Service, to go through the vehicle to make sure it was in good working condition. The car is now available for viewing in the south parking lot at MFL MarMac Schools. Tickets for the raffle are $20 each and will be sold to MFL MarMac students only until Friday, February 6. Any unsold tickets will be made available to the public. The winner will be drawn at the donkey basketball game on Sunday, March 1. The winner is responsible for tax, title, and license and a parent/guardian must be present at the time of transfer if the student is under 18. Tickets are available at the high school office.
Grief Support Group to begin meeting at VMH A local Grief Support Group will again start to meet monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital. The first meeting is planned for Wednesday, February 11, 2015, at 2 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room of the hospital, which is located on the hospital’s lower level. This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief. Please feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group will continue to meet the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
30˚ Sunny
Monona Council sets public hearing
AREA EVENTS
The Clayton County Relay for Life will be hosting their Kick Off on Feb.3 starting at 4 p.m. at the Central High School in Elkader where the Warrior’s will host a quad basketball against the MFL/MarMar Bulldogs. Things that will take place that night are bake sale, feathers for your hair, face painting, Hearts for Hope put on by the track team, competition by Central coaches, 50/50 raffle, competition between the schools Superintendents, and silent auction items. Also at this time is a great time to sign your team up for the Relay which is going to be held on Sat.June 20th from noon to midnight. It’s a night filled with fun for all ages. If game is canceled due to weather the Kick Off will be held on Friday, Feb. 6.
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34˚ Snow
Dorian Vocal Festival Honor Choir Five high school vocal musicians attended Dorian Vocal Festival Honor Choir held at Luther College on January 11
and 12. Victoria VanWey, Brady Henkes, Cheyenne Lachman, A.J. VanWey, and Ryan Moon rehearsed under the direction of Allen Hightower, Jenaya Robison, Andrew Last and guest conductor Tefsa Wondemagegnehu for two days with approximately 1100 other musicians from the midwest and performed in a Grand Concert held at the Center for Faith and Life Monday evening. The Dorian Vocal Festival Chamber Choir, Nordic Choir and five select soloists also performed at the concert. (Submitted photo)
Upper Iowa Conference Honor Band participants Pictured, from left to right: Ms. Christina Harbaugh, Ryan Moon, Bryce Decker, Corbin Gardner, Nathan McGlaughlin,
Peyton Meisner (missing Alex Kvistad). The 44th Upper Iowa Conference Honor Band was held on Monday, January 19, 2015 at Ed-Co. Those participating in the Concert Band and their instruments were: Alex Kvistad-Tenor Sax, Nathan McGlaughlin-Trumpet, Bryce Decker-Trombone, Peyton Meisner-Tuba, and Corbin Gardner on Percussion. This group performed The Star Spangled Banner, Where the Black Hawk Soars, Sonatina for Band, and Pevensey Castle. They were directed by Mr. Michael Omarzu of the Western Dubuque High School. Ryan Moon, playing the Alto Saxophone, participated in the Symphonic Band. They performed Regatta for Winds, Ammerland, and Themes from Halo Suite. This band was directed by Dr. Scott Munterfering, a teacher from Wartburg College. (Submitted photo)
At its second regular January meeting, the Monona City Council heard plans for a zoning reclassification requested by Innovative Ag Services (IAS). Administrator Canton explained that IAS has requested a change in Zoning Classification for a portion of their existing grain handling operation from R-2 Residential Multi-Family Dwelling to M-2 Industrial. The Monona Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 29, in the Community Center to review the application and subsequently make a recommendation to the City Council for their consideration at next regular council meeting. It was explained that the majority of the IAS grain storage and grain handling operation is situated in M-2 although a portion of their facility property is Zoned R-2. The area for proposed rezoning would include Lot 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in Block 16 – New Monona located between East Center and East North Street. IAS plans to make upgrades to grain operations in area Zoned M-2, but would also like to extend improvements into adjoining west side of area Zoned R-2 that already has existing grain storage structures. Appropriate public hearing notices will be published in The Outlook and the North Iowa Times for both public hearings. Notices will also be mailed directly to neighborhood property owners adjacent to proposed zoning change. It was moved by Meyer, seconded by Elledge, to set the public hearing date for February 2, 2015 at 6:00 P.M. as part of regular council meeting to consider recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding proposed change in zoning classification. The motion carried unanimously. Zoning ordinance information was also provided for council review. Mayor Collins suggested that the council reconsider the decision from last meeting appointing the North Iowa Times as the official city newspaper for 2015. Collins stated that since ’The Outlook’ is now under new ownership it would be appropriate for the city to support a local business. The mayor also stated she could exercise her authority to veto the appointment resolution from last meeting per the Iowa Code if she so chooses. After a brief discussion, it was moved by Havlicek, seconded by Meyer to appoint ‘The Outlook’ as the official city newspaper for a six month trial period with the matter to be considered again in July. The motion carried by a vote of 2-1. City Engineer Marc Ruden of IIW reviewed and discussed proposed engineering agreement for continued services as part of Phase II Sewer Improvements. Engineering services and related costs were identified under provision G) Additional Engineering Services ($58,900), H) Bidding and Contract Award ($13,100), I) Construction ($38,200) and J) Construction Observation ($97,000). It was explained that in order to obtain favorable prices it would be beneficial to bid project under three different contracts to include: 1) Sewer Lining/Manhole Improvements, 2) Lift Station Upgrades and 3) WWTP Improvements. Final plans and specifications will be completed by April, with the project to be bid in May. Ruden also talked about implementation of an Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) Inspection Program that would identify unlawful sump pump and roof drain connections. It was stressed that reducing surface water I&I from entering the sanitary sewer collection system through roof drains and sumps is a vital component of the overall project. At the conclusion of questions and comments, it was moved by Elledge, seconded by Meyer, to approve and authorize Amendment No. 2 for Phase II Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project. The motion carried unanimously. Engineer Ruden also talked about future extension of sanitary infrastructure beyond city limits. He identified areas in southeast portion of Monona where sanitary sewer infrastructure would need to be placed and how southeast lift station would handle additional flows. Other undeveloped areas south of Monona were also included in the discussion. Provisions of the current “New Business Start-up” program as adopted by city council November 5, 2013 were reviewed. A suggestion was made that the council might want to modify the monetary benefits and rebates associated with the program. Current and potential program participants were identified along with utility billing rebate amounts. It was decided to take the matter under advisement. Upon explanation by Mayor Collins and the recommendation of Clayton County Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Biggs, it was moved by Elledge, seconded by Meyer, to authorize an Intergovernmental Agreement for Establishment of an Emergency Management Commission and By-Laws for Clayton County. The motion carried unanimously. Freedom Bank provided an alternative debt service schedule for General Obligation Debt that was incurred for 2014 purchase of water meters as part of city wide meter replacement program along with acquisition of sanitary sewer jetter/camera equipment. The proposed schedule would lengthen the debt service payments from five years to ten years. It was decided to discuss again at the FY2015-2016 Budget Workshop. Administrator Canton indicated that the current employee health insurance plan with Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield Alliant Select Plan has been renewed effective February 1. It was also explained that Wellmark now allows their direct groups, like Monona, to have a local agent represent them if they so choose. Brian Huinker of Midwest Group Benefits Inc. will be able to work with Monona closely and help the city explore a Health Savings Account plan along with alternative plan options that would lower health premiums and benefit employees as well. The council unanimously voted to designate Midwest Group Benefits as the Wellmark agent of record for Monona. PeopleService operator Robert Penrod submitted written Operations and Maintenance (O&M) reports for water and wastewater departments for month of December. O&M activities were identified in detail: Water O&M - Received safe bacteria report for December - Attended AWWA Region 1 Planning Meeting - Investigated water leak in vacant house on West North St. - Worked on well no. 2 phosphate line Wastewater O&M - Checked out relining process in Postville - M&B Construction made sewer repair on South Main - Repaired leaking water line in clarifier building - Foaming issues in clarifier building still a problem - Cleaned sewer lines on West Dull and East Maple - Adjusted step screen equipment - Replaced air filters on pre-treatment air handler and aeration blowers - Worked on chlorine pump issues - Installed clarifier spray system - Reinstalled and laser aligned aeration pump no. 1 Mr. Penrod also discussed ongoing issues with chlorine pumps at WWTP. It appears existing pumps will need to replaced. More information and cost estimates would be forthcoming.