(Atlantic, IA) – The Atlantic City Council’s first meeting under the leadership of newly elected and sworn-in Mayor Rob Clausen, Jr., took place this (Wednesday) evening. During their first session of 2026, the Council heard comments from Atlantic resident and parks & recreation advocate Frank Saddlemire, who urged the new administration to revisit the idea of having a Parks Director oversee the Parks and Rec Department.

The last time the City had a full-time Parks and Recreation Department Director, was in May, 2023, when Wyatt Adderton abruptly resigned, citing the work environment and alleged harassment. Saddlemire said previous Park and Rec Directors were instrumental in making the parks what they are today, a place for all to enjoy.

The grants secured by previous Directors have resulted in the development of the Schildberg Campground and sparked continued interest by private citizens to making the Splash Pad a reality. Since that time the Parks and Rec Board was disbanded and replaced with a Parks and Rec Advisory Commission, guided by Coordinator Jeff Christensen, whose title was formerly Assistant Parks and Rec Director.

Atlantic City Council meeting, 1-7-2026

The Council also received a presentation/update from Atlantic Cemetery Board representative Rod Deter, who said 11,000 people are buried in the cemetery. The Board is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, regulated and audited by the Iowa Insurance Division.

In 2025, Deter said, they only sold 10 plots, which is a decline from years past. He said Board’s number one expense, is personnel, which is 66-percent of their costs, or $64,000 per year. Equipment and maintenance expenses amount to $11,000 per year. Grave opening and closing, and utilities are additional expenses. Deter said their number one source of revenue is from the opening and closing of graves. The City is the second most source of income for the Cemetery Board.

Challenges ahead include finding additional personnel to due the necessary work, keeping equipment running, dead tree removal, flagpole and building maintenance. City Administrator John Lund notes the Atlantic Cemetery receives an annual $30,000 subsidy from the City, the appropriation for which comes from the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress Fund.

The Atlantic City Council approved the appointment of Roger Poulsen to the Planning and Zoning Commission, who was sworn-in by Mayor Clausen. The Mayor nominated Poulsen to the Commission, which consists of seven members, and serves as an advisory body to the City Council. Members serve five-year, staggered terms. The Commission’s main responsibility is to review and adopt the City’s comprehensive plan, which outlines the long-range development of the community. They also review and make recommendations on matters including: Rezoning; Ordinance amendments and regulations, and other issues, as requested by the Council.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed orders:

• Approving First Whitney Bank & Trust as the City’s Official Bank for the City Checking Account for 2026.
• Approving the Atlantic News Telegraph as the City’s Official Newspaper for Legal Publications in 2026.
• and, a Pay Application #5 for $94,872.79 to TK Concrete for the West 22nd Street Improvement Project.

The Council also passed a Resolution (#01-26) “Authorizing Certain Parameters for the Acceptance and Approval. City Administrator John Lund says a parameters resolution allows the debt issuers to finalize a Bond Purchase Agreement within clearly defined limits. The Council approved the structure and boundaries of the bond issues, including: How much can be issued; How long the bond can run; and, the maximum cost, while authorizing Lund to complete the sale, once the bonds are priced. Once the bonds are priced, the final terms are fully documented and incorporated into the City’s financial records. The parameters approach was recommended by the City’s finance attorneys, Dorsey & Whitney.

In his report, Mayor Clausen thanked the citizens of Atlantic for their confidence in electing him to the position, and said he looks forward to serving his first term.

He reminded the public about the City’s Snow Ordinance, and that the Camblin Hills Housing Development Project – which currently has 40 workers on site – is closed to the public.