The Atlantic City Council has a full slate of business in store for their meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall. Among the matters to come before them, is a Resolution adopting a 28-E (Cost sharing) agreement between the City, Cass County Health System (CCHS) and the County, to jointly finance Emergency Medical Services within the City of Atlantic and rural Cass County. The three entities will split into thirds, the cost of the service. Currently, the City employs Medivac to provide ambulance and EMS service. That contract will expire on June 30th.

City Administrator John Lund says there has been a consensus among first responders and medical professionals, that the scope of EMS needs to expand in order to reduce the risk of service limitations during peak demand, and to promote quality improvement. Lund says while they are satisfied with Medivac, it is also understood that a $92,000 service for a single ambulance covering a county of 12,930 people and over 565 square miles, was not going to be sufficient. Proposals were received from Medivac and Midwest Medical. Lund says the proposal from Medivac could not be financed between the parties without severe budget cuts. Therefore Midwest Medical was determined to be the best option.

With the agreement, Midwest Medical would assign two Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulances which will be staffed 24/7. ALS ambulances will comply with Iowa Dept. of EMS regulations and maintain proper certification(s); ALS ambulances must be fully capable of responding to 9-1-1 calls for service within the County, including CCHS, and the ambulances must be marked with logos as designed by the City, County and Hospital, if those entities so desire. Following action on the 28-E agreement, the Council, Wednesday, will act on a Resolution Approving an Ambulance Services Agreement with Midwest Medical.

In other business, the Council will hold the first reading of an Ordinance amending the fee the Atlantic Animal Shelter charges, under an order from the Iowa Dept. of Agriculture & Land Stewardship that requires all animal shelters, pet shops, rescues and similar facilities to vaccinate all animals with age appropriate vaccinations if those animals are not proven to have already been vaccinated, once the facility takes ownership of the animals. For the Atlantic Animal Shelter, that means those animals over six-months of age that are not claimed by an owner within three days of arrival at the shelter, must be vaccinated against the Parvo Virus, Distemper, and Rabies. Animals under six-months of age will need everything except a rabies vaccination. No animal shall be adopted, returned to its owner or transferred to another facility without age required vaccinations, under the State Order. The cost for vaccinations can vary from $13 to $60 and more. Those expenses are passed on to the adoptee. If the City fails to follow the required action, and fails to provide proof of compliance, the shelter will be closed.

The Atlantic City Council will also hear a report from Police Chief Dave Erickson with regard to Vehicle Code Enforcement and a number of complaints the City has received with regard to property violations and vehicles. 21 of the complaints are with regard to vehicles. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson will also provide a report on Junk and efforts to enforce the City’s lawn mowing (Grass Code) Ordinance, including 55 complaints on those matters. And finally, Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones is expected to announce a Fireworks display will take place Friday, July 3rd, but the Flight Breakfast will not be held this year. The City is working with the Rotary on financing for the Fireworks. If the event should need to be postponed due to COVID-19, or the weather, the make-up date will be the Friday before Labor Day.

If you wish to join the meeting via Zoom, use this link, and mute your microphone during the session unless you wish to speak during the public forum portion of the meeting.