The City Council in Atlantic held an electronically conducted meeting Wednesday evening, and heard from SWIPCO Community Development Director Alexsis Fleener. She spoke about a recent Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that was awarded in the amount of $493,997 for water system improvements. The grant, combined with a $603,773 AMU local match, will pay for a water main project that crosses under the Nishnabotna River near the Wastewater Treatment Plan, and will act as a looped system to serve Marne residents and for other, future purposes and/or development. The City Council approved the CDBG Subrecipient agreement for the AMU grant, with the City acting as the fiscal agent. AMU and SWIPCO will act as the grant administrator.

Fleener also spoke about a Community Catalyst Grant application SHIFT ATL is applying for, with regard to their housing project. In other business, the Council reviewed bids for the Atlantic Animal Shelter expansion project. The project was estimated to cost $151,620. The Animal Control Center has a Gift Funds Balance of $149,419.27. The bids received by the City came in well over the available funds. Snyder and Associates worked with the lowest bidder [United Construction], to try and reduce the project cost by $15,000, but at $165,300, the bid still exceed the resources available. It was agreed by all concerned, including Atlantic Control Officer Kris Erickson, that the Council should reject all bids and delay the project until this fall, or until the economy improves and resources are available. A motion to that effect was passed 7-0.

The Council also approved, by a vote of 6-to 1 (With Gerald Brink in opposition), an Engineering Agreement (for planning and design) with Snyder & Associates for the W. 22nd Street (7th to Palm) Reconstruction Project. The agreement will make the project “Shovel ready,” assuming another trillion-dollar federal stimulus package is approved this Fall, as many expect. If not, the plans will simply be shelved for better economic times. Regardless, when the funds do become available within the next five-years, the engineering aspect will have already been taken care of, and the process to solicit bids can begin. The Council suggested a bike path be figured in to the project, if possible.

In other business, the Council also passed a Resolution approving the transfer of funds for 3rd Quarter LOST (Local Option Sales Tax) receipts for the Fiscal Year 2019-20. This is a routine transfer of money between the City’s 94 separate funds, and are said to be a “Critical component of making the City’s budget work effectively. In addition, it reconciles accurate cost-accounting with the desire to create transparency on what is being spent in each of the line items in each fund.

The final order of business, was for the Council to approved the first reading of an ordinance establishing parking zones on East 12th Street, from Olive Street to the west (a dead-end street just east of the Heritage House). The area has been a source of complaints from home owners about people parking on both sides of the narrow street, and a safety concern of fire and law enforcement. The ordinance designates the north side of the street as a “No parking” area.

Prior to adjournment, Mayor Dave Jones officially announced the City of Atlantic Fireworks will be held July 3rd, in the AMU well fields next to the Atlantic Sports Complex (across from KJAN). In the event rain is forecast, or other events (Including a COVID-19 restriction on public gathering) force a delay, the make-up date will be Sept. 4th (The Friday preceding Labor Day). The celebration is being paid for by the Atlantic Rotary and Community Promotion Commission.