(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will hold the first reading, on Wednesday (Aug. 17th), of an amended ordinance, with regard to Panhandling in the City. If approved after three readings, a new section added to the Code of Ordinances would ban panhandling in public spaces. Violators would be subject to a citation and a $50 fine. Currently, panhandling is managed on private property through trespassing laws.

The new section of Ordinance is based nearly verbatim on one currently used by the City of Manchester, and is based on a recommendation by the Community Protection Committee, which met on July 27th. City officials says added section of the Ordinance “accounts for constitutional protections as they may arise through the State and Federal Supreme Courts.”

In other business, the Council will welcome and Mayor Grace Garrett will swear-in, the City’s newest Police Officer: Phillip Hood. Officer Hood joined the Department earlier this month. He has previously been an A-PD Reserve Officer. Hood and his wife Melinda moved to Atlantic in the winter of 2012. The couple have two children.

Officer Hood is a graduate of Winterset High School and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Buena Vista University. He has worked for Atlantic Carriers for the last several years, and will be attending the 305th Class at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, where is expected to graduate in December, 2022.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m.,, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall.