The Waukon Chamber of Commerce extends a special welcome to our new and returning members!

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1 F E B R U A R Y Jan 27- Apr 4 Live Healthy Iowa's 10 Week Challenge (Waukon) Feb 3- Apr 28 The Ultimate 8 (Waukon Wellness Center) Tue Feb Magagic (Effective Discipline for Children 2-12) (St. Pat's School, Waukon) Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 Tater Tuesday (Dave, Gus & Tony's, Waukon) Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 Tuesday Story Time (Robey Memorial Library, Waukon) Wed Feb 5 Waukon Head Start Registration (Waukon Head Start) Thu Feb 6 Blood Drive (Farm Bureau Building, Waukon) Fri Feb 7 Wine Tasting (Waukon Greenhouse) Sat Feb 8 Have a Heart Day (Waukon Dental) Feb 8-10 Winter Film Festival (Effigy Mounds) Tue Feb Magagic (Effective Discipline for Children 2-12) (St. Pat's School, Waukon) Tue Feb 11 Chamber Noon Lunch Meeting (Waukon) Feb Winter Film Festival (Effigy Mounds) Tue Feb Magagic (Effective Discipline for Children 2-12) (St. Pat's School, Waukon) Thu Feb 20 The Cat's Pajamas-Vocal Band (Waukon HS Auditorium) Feb Winter Film Festival (Effigy Mounds) The Waukon Chamber of Commerce extends a special welcome to our new and returning members! ~Allamakee Community Education Association ~Allamakee County Extension ~Allamakee Music Boosters ~B.E. Catered LLC ~Bodensteiner Body Werks ~Cameron Ochsner, DDS, PC ~Connie Barthel, PA-C, Certified Health Coach ~Clark Tire Center Inc. ~Cook Insurance Agency ~Effigy Mounds National Monument ~Empty Nest Winery ~Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank ~Fidelity Bank & Trust ~GFMutual Insurance Association ~Good Samaritan Society- Waukon ~Hartig Drug Co. ~Houg Insurance Agency ~JaDecc's ~Key-Stone Real Estate ~Kwik Star ~L.D. BodensteinerInsurance ~Leschensky Insurance Agency ~Mayo Clinic Health System ~Mc Millan Muffler ~Mosaic ~Nancy Everman ~Northeast Iowa Community College ~Palmer Abstract Inc. ~Rockweiler Appliance & TV ~Royal Car Wash ~Schulte's BBQ & Catering ~Shawver Well Company ~ShopKo ~Steel Cow/J.L. Miller Cabinet Makers ~Stoney Creek Inn ~Sweeney Real Estate ~TASC Inc. ~Thunder Rode ~Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission ~Waukon Fareway ~Waukon Greenhouse Flowers & Gifts ~Waukon Harley-Davidson/Waukon Power Sports ~Waukon Lions Club ~Waukon Tire Center Inc. ~WW Homestead Dairy

2 P A G E 2 Waukon Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet FEBRUARY 28, 2014 WAUKON BANQUET CENTER 5:30PM TO 9:00PM The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be awarding nominees from the community for New Business of the Year, Business of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Person of the Year honor. The Chamber will also be handing out awards to honor businesses and organizations for their Years of Service these awards are handed out in increments of five years. Proceeds from this years banquet will go towards the cost of community events/projects, maintaining the Welcome to Waukon Signs and also maintaining regular Chamber duties. You will have a choice of Prime Rib or Shrimp Alfredo. Ticket prices are $30 a person. If you would like to attend this year's Banquet please RSVP to Stephanie Dugan at or waukoncc@mchsi.com. The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is a Valentine's Day Events & Specials Does your attraction or community offer romantic events or destinations for travelers? Does your hotel, inn or B&B have a special Valentine's Day package? We would love to share your information with travel media and on our website. Submit events on Travel Iowa s website. volunteer association of businesses, industries, professionals and individuals working together to enhance the general business climate of the Waukon area KDEC Home, Sport & Garden Show Set For Sunday, March 2nd The 31st Annual show is returning to the newly-renovated Decorah High School this year. After two years at the Decorah Middle School, the return to the High School will offer participants and attendees more space and an open atmosphere. As always, the public is invited to the free event. The one-day expo normally attracts approximately 2000 visitors. The show will again run from 10-3, with the Annual Sunflower Childcare Pancake Brunch beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the High School Cafeteria adjacent to the exhibits. Up to 90 exhibitors are expected at this year's show, displaying products and services ranging from home improvement to leisure-time pursuits to lawn & garden. Last year's show offered displays such as kitchen and bathroom renovation, home design, concrete work including decorative overlays, indoor and outdoor furniture, lawn and garden tractors and equipment, bicycles, watercraft, vehicles and lots of food sampling. Outdoor displays are anticipated again this year. Children's games are planned again, and for the first time one of the films featured in this year's Oneota Film Festival will be shown at the High School during the Home Show hours. The film festival will be running in venues in Decorah from Friday, February 28th through Sunday, March 2nd. 10' x 10' exhibitor spaces are still available to any business involved in related activities. Details are available to prospective exhibitors by call KDEC during business hours at , ing the station at kdec@kdecradio.net or visiting the KDEC website at The annual event is produced and sponsored by KDEC AM1240 and FM100.5 in Decorah. Admission is free. Additional information is available by contacting Jeni Grouws at KDEC or on Facebook.

3 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 1 P A G E 3 Have a Heart Day Saturday, February 8th Waukon Dental, Family Dentistry Associates of Monona & Dental Associates of Decorah are hosting their 24th annual and Dental Associates of Prairie du Chien is hosting its 20th Annual Have a Heart Day. Doctors will be providing dental services at No Charge! This is an opportunity for kids ages 4-18, who have not recently seen a dentist, to receive free dental work. The following procedures will be available/provided at no charge: Exams, X-Rays, Fillings, Extractions & Sealants. Due to time and room constraints, we may have to limit the number of services per patient. Where Health Changing Smiles Are Created! Effigy Mounds Film Festival for February Effigy Mounds National Monument continues to celebrate the 51st Annual Winter Film Festival with free movies for the month of February. Show times for the film are 10:00, 11:00 a.m., 12 noon, 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. There will also be a 1:00 p.m. showing on Mondays. February 1-3 Winter on the Alaska Railroad A view of Alaska Railroading carries you along the rails in the dead of winter, when temperatures are minus 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and only five hours of daylight. Display by Patsy King, local artist. February 8-10 Civil War Journal: Jefferson Davis He was a war hero, senior senator, and one of the best Secretaries of War in American History. Secession turned this Washington insider into the leader of the fight against the government he had so ably served. Display (Jefferson Davis Saw Mill) by Albert LeBeau, Effigy Mounds. February Untamed America: Coasts A fresh look at life, death, familiar creatures and scientific revelations of coasts from the North to the South Pole. Display by Patsy King, local artist. Also, photographs by Jessica Salesman, Jeanette Muller and Albert LeBeau, Effigy Mounds. February The Ioway 2 When the Ioway were removed to a reservation in Kansas, broken treaties and attempts to diminish their culture led to the establishment of a second Ioway Tribe and their own trail of tears. Art by Waterville Elementary School. For more information on the film festival and other upcoming events, visit us online at or call the visitor center at (563) ext Effigy Mounds National Monument's Visitor Center is located three miles north of Marquette, Iowa and 22 miles south of Waukon, Iowa on HWY 76. Admission to the festival is free. THE CAT S PAJAMAS - VOCAL BAND 2014 MUSIC IN SCHOOLS TOUR February 2014 The Cat s Pajamas-Vocal Band, a high energy male a cappella group based out of Branson, MO, will be performing at the Waukon High School Auditorium on February 20th at 7:00pm as part of their seventh annual Music in Schools Tour! This tour brings student choral clinics, school assemblies, and evening shows to communities across the nation in an effort to raise money for music education programs. To date, The Cat s Pajamas have raised over $70,000 for school music programs! Their goal is to inspire students, generate increased excitement and passion for music, and encourage all youth and teens to get involved in the arts. The group teaches and mentors students during the school day, focusing on singing techniques as well as sharing their personal journeys and testimonies about how they have turned their love for music into a professional career. That night, The Cat s Pajamas put on a world-class show for the entire community, and they donate a portion of those profits directly to the Allamakee Music Boosters which apply it to the Waukon music programs. The Cat s Pajamas recently received national acclaim on NBC s hit show The sing-off: season three. When they are not performing in Branson, MO, they are cruising the world as guest entertainers on board Norwegian Cruise Lines. The Cat s Pajamas perform pop classics from the 50s, 60s, and 70s as well as contemporary hits by artists like Jason Mraz and Michael Buble, all in their innovative a cappella style. They appeal to any age and keep the crowd laughing, dancing, and singing along for the entire show. To see what audiences from around the world and saying about The Cat s Pajamas, visit or facebook.com/vocalmeow Tickets are available at Waukon State Bank, F & M Bank, Merchants Bank, any home sporting event, or any music booster board member. Also available at Winneshiek Mutual Insurance in Decorah. Prices: Students $10.00 Adults: $15.00

4 P A G E 4 Upcoming Training Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission and the Northeast Iowa Clerk's Assocation are excited to be hosting Jeff Schott with the Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Iowa to carry out a free two-hour program on basic laws and concepts that apply to local governmental boards and commissions on Thursday, March 13th at 10:00 am at the next upcoming Northeast Iowa Clerks Association Meeting held at our Postville UERPC location. Mayors, city clerks, council members, supervisors, and county employees are all encouraged to attend. Topics will include: open meeting law, public record, gift law, conflict-ofinterest; board duties, team building and more. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Kris Timp at , ext They welcome all newly elected officials as well to the training. With lots of changes following elections and the new year, they encourage you to visit with their office now to help you better understand their programs. The Waukon Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer association of businesses, industries, professionals and individuals working together to enhance the general business climate of the Waukon area. FEMA Changes By Upper Explorerland Regional Planning CommissionRecently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has implemented numerous changes to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. These changes will create significant challenges to developing future mitigation projects. The attached hyperlinks provide reference to the new FEMA guidance. Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Unified Guidance 2013 Addendum to the HMA Unified Guidance Several examples of these changes are: 1. Reduced Period of Performance (POP): this is the timeframe between the date the disaster is declared and the time that all grant activities are completed. This new guidance established a four year timeframe for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to close out activities for the disaster. Previous disasters have been open for 5-8 years. Frontloading project scoping and decision-making processes by sub-applicants will be key to completing all project elements within the reduced Period of Performance. 2. Condensed Application Review: Inclusive with the four year period of performance FEMA has outlined timelines for application reviews and to receive requests for information (RFI) and the repercussions if not met. This requirement if not met may allow for the denial of funding for an otherwise eligible project. 3. Strategic Funds Management Allocation and Budgeting: this is a system where FEMA may elect to implement funding in increments to fund projects where the Federal Share is at or above $1,000,000. This process will require forecasting of budgeting expenses in incremental phases in application submittals to FEMA. 4. Changes in the HMGP Lock In Formula: The HMGP program receives its final budget when FEMA establishes a final lock in at 12 months from the disaster declaration date. Prior to this lock in FEMA will only obligate 75% of the latest current estimate. This change may affect the level of funding available for final application submittals. The State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is requesting feedback toward the interest in the scheduling of future educational sessions, to explain and discuss the changes and challenges for future HMGP applications. Please let UERPC know if you would be interested in further training or if you have any questions feel free to contact Dan Schmitz at

5 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 1 P A G E Bike Rack Challenge By Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission The 2014 Bike Rack Challenge will take place January 2014 May 2014 and challenges Northeast Iowa Industrial Tech students to construct a bike rack for their school or a local business, library or park. Students will have a chance to win welding gear including a BRAND NEW WELDING HELMET! Click here for more information. See if your school district is signed up by contacting Ashley Christensen, Regional Safe Routes to School Liaison, at achristensen@uerpc.org or Surface Transportation Project (STP) Applications due February 28th RPA 1/Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) is seeking applications for Federal Funding for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2018 which begins October 1, 2017 and ends September 30, All incorporated cities and counties located in the five-county UERPC region that maintain federal aid routes (see maps here) are eligible to apply for the funds, as well as the DOT and the Regional Transit Authority. UERPC boundaries include the cities in and the counties of: Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. STP funds can be used for road projects on federal-aid routes; bridge projects on any public road; provide funding for transit capital improvements; and provide funding for transportation planning activities. Applications will be sent to all city and county jurisdictions, the DOT and the Regional Transit Authority via after January 30th, 2014 and will be available on the UERPC website by clicking here. Applications will be due on February 28, The Waukon Chamber Would Like To Wish You a Happy Valentine s Day! Transportation Alternatives Project (TAP) Applications due February 28, 2014 RPA 1/Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) is now seeking applications from the region for Federal Funding for the Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The MAP-21 transportation bill established this program to provide for a variety of alternative transportation projects, including Transportation Enhancements, Recreational Trails, Scenic Byways and Safe Routes to School programs. Eligible applicants include local governments; regional transportation authorities; transit agencies; natural resource or public land agencies; school districts, local education agencies, or schools; tribal governments; or any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for oversight of transportation or recreational trails. Under TAP, nonprofits are not eligible as direct grant recipients of the funds, but they are able to partner with any eligible entity on an eligible TAP project. RPA 1 expects to have at least $50,000 (total) available for distribution in Federal Fiscal Years 2015, 2016 and 2017, and at least $115,000 available for distribution in Federal Fiscal Year (The 2015 Federal Fiscal Year begins October 1, 2014). For more information about the types of projects eligible for TAP funding, please see the complete application on Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission websites after January 30th. Applications will be due on February 28, 2014.

6 Waukon Chamber of Commerce 101 West Main St. Waukon, IA If you would like to receive newsletters electronically