It’s no joke….The Atlantic City Council will hold it’s first-ever electronic meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, April 1st, “In order to discourage the spread of the COVID-19 virus.” The meeting will be conducted through “Zoom,” a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration.

There is a lot on the Council’s Agenda. Here’s a brief rundown:

• A Public Hearing on the Adoption of the Final Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget for the City of Atlantic. (The Council passed the preliminary FY21 Budget March 4th)
• A Resolution “Adopting the [FY21] Budget” (which calls for lower property taxes, but increased costs in labor & health insurance) [Total tax levy rate per $1,000 valuation on regular property= $16.56/$1,000; on Agricultural land= $3.00/$1,000]
• A Public Hearing on the Adoption of the 10-year CIP (Capital Improvement Plan).
• A Resolution “Adopting the Proposed [FY21] CIP.”
• A Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City of Atlantic.” (Basically, wage adjustments for the Police Chief, Library Director, Parks & Rec Director, Street Superintendent and City Administrator, plus a 2.4% increase for all employees, keeping in-line with other cities of similar size, as well as Union agreements)
• The Council will also act on a Resolution “Setting the Seasonal Wages for Atlantic Parks & Recreation Department for 2020.”
• Action on a Resolution for a “Temporary [suspension] of Certain Personnel Policy Requirements in Order to Address the COVID-19 Emergency.”
• A Resolution “Setting the date for a public hearing on designation of the expanded North Urban Renewal Area and on [an] Urban Renewal Plan Amendment,” as it pertains to the City’s 2017 development agreement with the Whitney Group.
• And, a public hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation Refunding Loan Agreement and to borrow money thereunder, with regard to recent changes in the bond market.

To view/listen to the City Council meeting, tune to the local access cable channel (here in Atlantic), or join via Zoom using the following:

Only Mayor Jones, City Administrator Lund, City Clerk/Treasurer Barrick, Administrative Assistant Amanda Martin, Police Chief Dave Erickson, Council Members Dick Casady and Pat McCurdy and Cable TV Operator Nick Kern will be allowed to be physically present at Atlantic City Hall, 23 E. 4th St.   The Council Chamber doors will be locked.