(Updated) [Atlantic, Iowa] – The Atlantic City Council met Wednesday evening, and adopted two Resolutions. The first was for the Final Plat associated with the Prairie Hills Development Subdivision, in Atlantic. The second Resolution was to Amend the City of Atlantic’s Personnel Policy, “By repealing and replacing Series 100 and Series 200 Codes through 206, with New Codes numbered as the same.”

City Administrator John Lund says he and Mayor Grace Garrett spent a considerable amount of time the past Spring, Summer and Early Fall, going through the City’s Personnel Policy, and the Personnel and Finance Committee met in September and reviewed the proposed changes. The Committee has endorsed the proposed amendments as written. In his report to the Council, John Lund, who conferenced-in by phone, said “Everything now is really about budget. I will be working on that over the next week.” He said they hope by then he has more more concrete numbers to work with.

The State Legislature convenes January 9^th. The Council will have to digest all the information Lund will have available, when they meet in January (2023). Mayor Grace Garrett reminded the Council of the importance of getting to Des Moines in January and having Council persons get to know the “decision makers, and what it’s going to take to continue to allow a rural America, specifically Iowa, to continue to thrive.”

In other business, the Council heard from Atlantic native Ali Pieken, with regard to the development of a Splash Pad. Ali is a member of the Splash Pad Executive and Fund Raising Committees tasked with overseeing the project. She was also at a meeting of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Tuesday afternoon. Pieken said what’s been decided so far, is for a bean-shaped splash pad area with 5,000-square feet of play space.

Ali Pieken speaks about the Atlantic Splash Pad project (12-21-22)

The facility will have features for all ages and water comfort levels, including a “toddler bay,” shade and seating. The bean-shaped space calls also for a sand volleyball course, dual-play playground equipment that will compliment the Splash Pad.

Splash Pad layout, 12-2022

In other news, Mayor Grace Garret reported that in-person interviews with two finalists for the Parks and Rec Director’s job will take place on December 29th.