(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic is expected to discuss during a phone call with the City’s finance attorney Wednesday evening, a proposed $2.5-million dollar bond for the Nishna Valley Family YMCA. City Administrator John Lund (in his City Council agenda) notes Attorney John Danos has raised several issues with the proposed bond issuance, and suggested the Council may want to listen to those concerns and ask questions before proceeding on the matter. The phone call and discussion will take place during the Council’s regular meeting that begins at 5:30-p.m., at City Hall in Atlantic.

During their meeting on February 5th, the City Council received a request for a commitment to contribute more than $6 and a quarter million-dollars towards expansion of the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, in Atlantic. The request was made as part of a presentation by Vision Atlantic Committee members Christina Bateman, YMCA Executive Director Dan Haynes, and YMCA Board President Bob Sharp.

Bateman told the Council that if an initial budget appropriation of at least $2.5-million dollars is approved by the Council, Vision Atlantic would like to further “engage in discussions [with the City]…to work and find a way to contribute the remaining $3.77-million dollars.” Dan Haynes said if the City doesn’t agree to contribute toward the fundraising effort, it risks losing a grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation for an new Day Care Center and project. Haynes said the YMCA Board and staff have raised about $2-million dollars over the past 21-years to upgrade and renovate the YMCA to keep it current and maintained.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, this Wednesday, will act on passing a resolution approving the final plat for the Camblin Hills Development Subdivision. The preliminary plat was approved in July, 2024. The final plat was reviewed and adopted by the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission last week, and recommended for approval by the Council. The Council will also act on passing a resolution approving the job description, FY25 compensation, and posting of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Assistant Superintendent position.

Current Wastewater Superintendent Tim Snyder is planning to retire, and wants to train an individual capable of managing the plant. The city’s Personnel and Finance Committee has reviewed the job description of Assistant Superintendent and approved a wage of $33.10/hour for FY 2025. They also recommend the position be posted immediately and for Snyder to set the date of hire at his discretion.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is expected to approve “A professional services agreement with (former City Clerk) Barb Barrick, to temporarily provide Consulting Services” to the City, since those services are not currently available from Teresa Rotschafer, who is with the Iowa League of Cities, and who helps with necessary reporting, Treasurer’s Report and bank reconciliation. The City’s Personnel & Finance Committee met March 7th and concluded it would be beneficial to have Barrick provide temporary professional City Clerk services and finish the training that is necessary for the new City Clerk, Laura McLean, to do all the aspects of her job effectively.

The P&F, Mayor, City Administrator and Rotschafer are all in agreement that Barrick is the only person with current experience using the City’s accounting software, as it relates to reconciling data with the City’s bank records. Barb Barrick has agreed to come on-board for McLean’s in-person training and remote work from Barrick’s home in Huxley. She has also agreed to work every weekend except for two weekends in May, due to family commitments. City Administrator John Lund recommends the Council approve the agreement since timing is critical, in light of the need to publish the Public Hearing for the budget by no later than April 5th.

The final order of business for the Council, Wednesday, is to approve amending the City’s Personnel Handbook, with regard to “Meal Reimbursement.” The Personnel & Finance Committee has proposed a 20%  maximum for reimbursable tips, whereas before there was no such policy in-place, and, a $5-dollar increase for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The City will also ban the purchase of alcohol through the city’s credit cards. If the amendments are approved, any alcoholic beverages will need to be paid for out of the employee’s own pocket, and on a separate bill.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say no injuries were reported after an SUV struck a semi tractor-trailer, Friday afternoon. The accident happened just before 3-p.m. as a 2019 Chevy Trax driven by 92-year-old Lorin Eilers, of Creston, was exiting the Tractor Supply store parking lot, in Creston. As the vehicle was turning onto Highway 34, Eilers looked, but failed to see a 2019 Kenworth semi pulling a trailer that was traveling west on Highway 34.

The front end of the small SUV struck the semi’s rear trailer tires, causing minor damage to the SUV ($2,500). No damage was sustained by the semi, which was driven by 32-year-old Jose Duran, of Clarion (IA).

Authorities say once he was released from the accident scene, Eilers drove eastbound in the westbound lanes before he was stopped by police officers. Eilers denied being in the wrong lane. No citations were issued.

(Onawa, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Monona County say an arrest was made early this (Sunday) morning in connection with a homicide investigation. Deputies were dispatched at around 12:05-a.m. to a residence in rural Whiting following a 9-1-1 call. Upon arrival, deputies found a man who was unresponsive.

A joint investigation by members of the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Monona County Sheriff’s Office was conducted, and as a result, a resident of the home, Veronica Kluge, was charged with 1st Degree Murder.

Additional details were not immediately released.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A woman from Cass County (IA) was arrested Saturday evening in Red Oak, following a traffic stop. Red Oak Police stopped a vehicle driven by 18-year-old Kylie Rynea Miller, of Atlantic, at the intersection of N. Broadway and W. Elm Streets, at around 6:07-p.m.  Miller was taken into custody for Driving While Revoked for OWI- A Serious Misdemeanor. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Sioux County, Iowa) – The two people were injured Saturday evening during a crash in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2004 Honda and a 2016 Subaru collided head-on at around 6:15-p.m. south of Orange City, when the Honda went out of control and crossed the center line of the road. Both vehicles came to rest in the north ditch.

The driver of the Honda, 38-year-old Henry Manuel Esquivel Villanueva, of South Sioux City, NE, and a passenger in the Subaru, 26-year-old Ashley Renae VanBeek,, of Sioux Center, were injured and transported by Orange City Ambulance to the hospital in Orange City.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and Orange City Fire/Rescue.