(corrects phone number at the end of this story to 243-4810)

The “Reopen 2nd Floor of City Hall” committee will hold an informational meeting Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 5:30 at the City Hall Council Chambers, in Atlantic. The meeting will give members of the public a tour of the second and third floors of City Hall that have been closed to the public for approximately 40 years. The meeting will also explain how Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) could be used to pay for a $875,000 bond to cover the cost of the remodel project.

The project will make City Hall ADA compliant by installing an elevator from the basement to the third floor. The ballroom will be refurbished and made available for public gatherings or private meetings. The electrical system will be updated to current standards. A serving kitchen and ADA compliant restrooms will be added in the area of the former fire department rooms.

A conference room will be created on the second floor and a second conference room will be available on the third floor. Potential uses for the ballroom and conference rooms that have been suggested include, but are not limited: art shows; bad weather backup for outdoor events; club & community group meetings; community band & choir; conferences; corporate meetings, and City Council meetings, when a larger crowd will attend.

The total cost of the project will be $975,000, but the Atlantic City Council has already approved $100,000 to go toward the installation of an elevator to make the building ADA compliant. The elevator has not yet been installed so those funds will go toward the project and reduce the amount of the bond to $875,000.

Local Option Sales Tax is the 1% sales tax in addition to the 6% state sales tax on purchases made locally. City officials say L.O.S.T. funds brought in nearly $849,190 to the City of Atlantic last year. The average revenue from L.O.S.T. funds over the past 10 years has been $746,367.30. The amount required to repay the bond in 30 years will be approximately $60,000 annually, or 8% of the average L.O.S.T. revenue. L.O.S.T. funds will still be available for the City to use toward other projects each year.

Persons interested in attending the informational meeting on Thursday, September 24, at 5:30 at City Hall are invited to attend. Any community organizations or clubs that would like to schedule a tour are invited to contact City Hall at 712-243-4810 to schedule a guide.