Members of the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, passed a Resolution committing financial support to the non-profit “Shift ATL” organization, with regard to their plans for a future Housing Rehabiliation Project. Shift ATL spokesperson Alexis Fleener, said they’re not asking for a specific amount of funds at this time.

Councilman Gerald Brink asked Fleener how the money would be used, if it were to be granted at some point in time. She said it would go toward the purchase of a home to rehabilitated. Once completed, the home would be sold at a price more than the cost of the purchase price and rehab costs combined. Funds from the sale of the home would be returned to Shift ATL for future rehab projects, and the title to the property would be transferred to the new owner.

Brink said he’s fielded questions and concerns from the public about how much Shift ATL is taking on, with regard to the purchase and rehabilitation of the old Downtowner Restaurant on 4th Street. Fleener said grants are being applied for to help to pay for work on the old building located across from City Hall.

Fleener said the housing rehab project will be done in cooperation with other groups and partners, the Chamber, CADCO, the City and local contractors, which stand to benefit from tax deductions for their in-kind services. She said they would be purchasing, in a targeted neighborhood, a home under $100,000, with the idea to flip it for anywhere from $120,000 to $150,000 range. The home would be one with “Good bones” and “Curb appeal,” that, once finished would attract potential buyers to Atlantic. She said also, the home would be thoroughly inspected before a decision is made to purchase it for rehabilitation.

Councilman Pat McCurdy said he would like to see “Some fill-in housing,” by means of modular homes, with the City footing the bill. That idea didn’t sit well with some of the other Council members. Alexis Fleener suggested a representative with “Housing 360” from Lenox speak with the Council about other ways to find ways identify open lots and homes that can be acquired through employer participation.

In other business, following a Public Hearing, the Council authorized Mayor Dave Jones (Who was not present Wednesday evening), to make an application to the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Water/Sewer Program for Water Improvements, on behalf of Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU). SWIPCO’s Alexis Fleener said AMU hired Snyder & Associates Engineers to complete a preliminary Engineering report and cost estimate.

Snyder’s proposes to rehab a water filtration system at the water treatment plant, and a second water main crossing over the Nishnabotna River, to create a looping system and redundancy, which will also serve the City of Marne. The costs of the project are anticipated to be $1.097-million. The City will apply for a $493,997 CDBG, with AMU matching $603,773. The CDBG application must be submitted on or before Oct. 1st.

City Administrator John Lund says the project completes will benefit low-to-moderate income residents. The City will work with SWIPCO (Southwest Iowa Planning Council), to complete and