(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett informed the Parks and Rec Board during their meeting this (Monday) evening, that a committee will conduct interviews on December 8^th, with applicants for the Parks and Rec Director’s job. The position became open last month, following the resignation of former Director Bryant Rasmussen, who accepted a job with the USDA. Board member Jeremy Butler said the interviews will be staggered for that afternoon, because the applicants are not all from this area, or from Iowa for that matter.

The Board heard from Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, with regard to the Splash Pad project. The Board approved the engineering contract with Snyders during their meeting last month. He says since then, the survey work is finished and they have drawn-up a brief conceptual design. Sturm said “We’re ready to go.” He spoke about the potential locations for the Splash Pad.

The Board was in agreement that the 3,200-square foot location southeast of the Sunnyside Pool would be the best option. By comparison, Walnut’s Splash Pad is 2,400-square feet. In other business, the Parks and Rec Board voted to appoint Erin McFadden, Jolene Smith and Jeff Christensen to the Splash Pad Executive Committee, but at the request of Board Member Jeremy Butler, tabled his appointment as Splash Pad Fundraising Committee Chair with the authority to form the committee and recruit volunteers.

Butler said more information need to be gathered with regard to the steps that need to be taken so that the fundraising takes place legally, and at the same time benefits those who wish to use their donations as a tax deduction.

The Board will circle back to the appointment during their next meeting, and if there are still questions, the have the option to table it again. In other business, the Board discussed the benefit the Parks Department receives from the Hotel/Motel Tax, as it relates to a possible future vote to increase the tax. The current rate of 7-percent is a combined total of state, county and city sales tax rates. In late 2010, voters approved a measure that called for a hotel/motel tax of 4% with the money used to “improve, repair, operate and maintain parks and recreation facilities and grounds for the Atlantic City.”

City Clerk Barb Barrick explained what that means for the department’s budget…

Disbursements from the State are made quarterly.