(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19th, at City Hall. One of their agenda items is to hold the Second Reading of an Ordinance “Amending the City Code…by dividing the City into five Wards and five Precincts, and outlining and describing each Ward and Precinct,” and repealing Ordinance 934.

City Administrator John Lund says an error occurred two weeks ago with the rules for waiving the second and third readings of the Ordinance to adopt the redistricting maps for the City. That means the Ordinance was not passed by the presumed deadline. In his agenda preview notes, Lund said “[City Clerk Barb Barrick] contacted the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office with the issue. As suspected, they wanted to get their hands on our maps, which were submitted, on time.” Lund said “[The SOS Office] was very accommodating of our error and merely want the ordinance sent to them when it is passed.” He says “Since the second and third readings were not legitimate, the second reading can occur now (at the Jan. 19 meeting).”

The Council is then expected to waive/suspend the rules for the third reading that requires three separate meetings before the ordinance is approved. It must do so by a three-fourths vote of the full Council (6 out of 7 members). If that occurs, they can move on to the third and final reading, which requires a simple majority vote, in order to pass. If approved, the Ordinance may then be sent on to the Secretary of State’s Office.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on an Order to approve an agreement with the City of Massena, for Wastewater Operator Services. The City of Massena was informed by the Iowa DNR that the City must delegate the Operator-In-Charge authority necessary to operate and maintain their wastewater facilities, and an operator with a Grade II license. Massena’s employee only has a Grade I license, but is working on their Grade II license. Massena has already established relationships with surrounding communities for the services they need help with, including the City of Marne and the City Clerk’s Office. Atlantic’s Wastewater Superintendent Tim Snyder (who has a Grade IV license) is willing to assist Massena at a contracted rate.

The Atlantic City Council will also act on a Resolution adopting the Cass County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP), and Resolution repealing a Resolution and “Establishing the use of the ARPA Special Fund,” as determined last week by the U-S Treasury Department that allows for greater flexibility in how the COVID relief funds are used. It also means the Bull Creek restoration project is still on the table.