Elkader revises contract with Hawkeye sanitation, appoints representatives
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
At its meeting on Dec. 8, the Elkader City Council received an update from Hawkeye Sanitation regarding the current service contract and approved appointments to the Turkey River Recreation Corridor Board and Clayton County E-911 Service Board.
Two topics of discussion in the existing service contract between the city of Elkader and Hawkeye Sanitation, the city’s long-time waste service provider, include Hawkeye’s commitment to purchase land for a facility in Elkader by the end of 2025 and an exclusivity clause for commercial dumpsters within city limits beginning in 2026.
Representatives from Hawkeye Sanitation explained the property they intended to purchase was no longer available and no progress has been made toward developing a facility in town. The requirement was added to the most recent contract with the hope a local development would improve the appearance, allow for better vehicle maintenance and provide increased reliability for customers. Under the original agreement, Hawkeye was expected to show progress by Dec. 31, 2025.
Another topic reviewed was the upcoming exclusivity change. The contract originally stated that, after Jan. 1, 2026, Hawkeye would have exclusive rights to provide commercial dumpsters within Elkader. Council members noted concerns from residents and businesses that Hawkeye’s rates were not competitive.
Ultimately, the council voted to extend the deadline for showing development progress by two years and to remove the commercial dumpster exclusivity requirement from the contract.
Individuals appointed to the Turkey River Recreation Corridor Board were Roger Buchholtz as primary and Jennifer Cowsert as alternate. Appointed for the Clayton County E-911 Service Board were Ken Hoeger as primary representative and Jerry Gamm as alternate.
During the administrative update, discussion included budget and priority planning for the upcoming fiscal year, updates on previously discussed infrastructure projects and clarification regarding resident property complaints.
At the Nov. 24 meeting, the council considered the first reading of Ordinance 2025-04, which would establish a vacant property registry and add Chapter 147 to the Elkader Code of Ordinances. The ordinance failed to pass its first reading.
Council members Tony Hauber and Daryl Bruxvoort voted in favor, while Bob Garms and Randy Henning voted against. Council member Deb Schmidt was absent.
The intent of the ordinance was to address vacant commercial properties in the downtown district through the creation of a registry and associated fee. Example ordinances and draft language were previously reviewed at several meetings throughout July and August.
At the Nov. 10 council meeting, Elkader Economic Development/Main Street Coordinator Maggie Sommers presented additional information on the topic after attending related workshops during the Main Street Iowa 2025 event in October.
Council members did not share their reasoning for opposing the ordinance but noted the incoming council may want to pursue approving the ordinance with revisions in the future.
Also on Nov. 24, the council heard an update from MercyOne Elkader Ambulance Director Chris Dahlstrom. Dahlstrom reviewed the past year’s service statistics, discussed current local needs and expressed appreciation for the ambulance staff. As part of the planned replacement schedule, the council authorized ordering a 2027 ambulance, with the chassis to be purchased from Brown’s and the box from Lifeline.
