The Atlantic City Council held a work session Wednesday evening to discuss housing needs and a vision for the City’s 5-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). City Administrator John Lund said the City has more than 10.27-million dollars in proposed Capital Improvements, but the resources available (including incoming revenue) to cover about 8.68-million dollars worth, without raising taxes. That leaves a deficit of 1.596-million dollars the City will need to trim from its project wish list.

A list of priorities was included in the draft, FY 2017-2021 plan. The list was created through a survey of Council members and Mayor. Lund said those surveyed didn’t want to let equipment and vehicles for the fire, police and street department fall into disrepair, especially in a tight budget situation, so those items were high in the priority list.

The storm sewer system also rated high on the list, especially with regard to Bull Creek. Mayor Dave Jones said there are some safety issues pertaining to the creek, especially in the area of 17th to 9th Streets, where children are at play. He said steep drop-offs in the creek are dangerous and in the downtown area, enclosing the creek to prevent kids playing in it is being studied.

Lund said they are waiting on estimates from Snyder and Associates Engineers on the cost of the clean-up project. The Storm Water Fund, which is supported by user fees, will help to deal with the project and future housing developments will benefit from the Fund as the City deals with storm water mitigation prior to property completion.

The main area of discussion Wednesday night focused on the streets and roads, the improvements for which would cost more than $6.375-million under the draft CIP. Councilman Bob Cord said the list created is a start for the Council to make decisions, but the City shouldn’t be “micromanaging” the list of priorities, because Street Department Superintendent Derald Anderson and his crew are more aware of what streets need to be taken care of first.

Synder’s Dave Sturm and Anderson, said they’ve made a great deal of progress on maintaining and repairing City streets over the past few years. That being the case, Mayor Dave Jones and the Council suggested the Department should focus next on the downtown alleys resurfaced or repaired. Anderson said a few of the City’s Streets will need major work in the next five-years, including Plum Street, from 10th to 14th, which handles a great deal of high school traffic.

In other business, the Council approved the appointment of Jennifer Miller to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Miller replaces Denise Masker on the Commission.