The Atlantic City Council, during their meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, will act on approving a Resolution that proposes to put before the voters, a public measure that increases the Hotel-Motel Tax three-percent. If approved by the voters later this year, it would bump the tax to seven-percent beginning January 1st, 2018.

Voters in November 2010 approved by a super majority, the imposition of a Hotel-Motel Tax at a rate of four-percent that went into effect in January, 2011. The revenues from the tax were to be used for improving, repairing, operating and maintaining the parks and recreational facilities and grounds in the City of Atlantic. Since the tax went into effect, the Schildberg Recreation Area Taskforce has been reviewing the future of the park system. They concluded additional resources are necessary to continue the progress made over the past seven-years. If the Council vote to approve the tax language to be placed on the ballot in the General Election, it will need to pass by a simple majority of the voters.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on approving a Resolution that would amend the City’s Personnel Policy, with regard to the payroll system. The submission of time sheets early leaves Department Heads essentially guessing how many hours an employee would work, or if they would use sick leave or vacation time. City Clerk Barb Barrick has consulted with the Personnel and Finance Committee, and it was agreed that the payroll system needs to be changed. The Resolution repeals an existing “Pay Period,” subsection in the City Code, and adopts the following language: “Both hourly and salaried employees of the City are paid semi-monthly. All employees shall be paid on the second and fourth Friday of the month.” And, a sentence dealing with overtime would be replaced with “The workday shall begin at 12:01-a.m. on Sunday and end at 12:00 midnight the following Saturday.”

The Council will also act on an Order to close Cedar Street from 2nd to 3rd Streets on August 6th, for the 1st United Methodist Church Community Block party, which takes place from 5-until 7-p.m.  A separate Order to be approved is for the closing of all relevant streets at certain times on August 12th, for AtlanticFest.  The following streets would be affected:

• Chestnut Street (both lanes) – from 6th to 7th Streets (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.); and 2nd to 6th Streets,  (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.)
• 6th Street (both lanes) – from Walnut to Chestnut (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.).
• 6th Street – from Chestnut to Poplar Street (5-a.m. to 8-p.m.),
• 5th Street – Chestnut to 1/2 block east of the alley before the Post Office (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.); and from Chestnut to Poplar (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.)
• 4th Street – from Chestnut to 1/2 block east, right before the alley (5-a.m. until 6-p.m.); and from Chestnut to Poplar (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.)
• 3rd Street – From Walnut to Poplar (5-a.m. to 6-p.m.)

Walnut Street will remain open for the duration of AtlanticFest.