The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to act on passing a Resolution amending two sections of the City’s Personnel policies. City Administrator John Lund has said the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee met and reviewed proposed changes to the policies, with regard to a repeal of wage step increases, and health insurance.

Lund says a draft of the policies repeals the step increases, because the numbers for those increases have proven confusing for those not directly involved with the City’s payroll, which in-turn, makes transparency on City employee compensation unnecessarily difficult. By repealing the step increase process, Lund says wages listed on salary resolutions will be the numbers paid at the first of the year, including annual adjustments. The only element missing, would be longevity pay, which only applies to exempt, hourly employees.

With regard to the City’s health insurance policy, identical changes to those adopted by both the Police and Public Works Unions will be applied to union benefits and wage adjustments to non-union staff. The amendment sets new deductible amounts, and increases employee premium contributions. Employee contributions for premiums would increase 2% for family plans (to a total of 15%) beginning in July 2017. Single employees will pay 5% of the cost of their plan beginning July 1st, 2016. In July 2017, those contributions will be increased to 8%. Currently, singles pay nothing for their health insurance…which Lund says is “Increasingly rare among Iowa’s municipal employers.”

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on the appointment of Hans Krengel to the Library Board, and at the start of their meeting, recognize all the 2016 Atlantic High School spring athletic programs for having great seasons, and the coaches for being positive influences on today’s youth.

The Atlantic City Council meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers, at City Hall.