(Atlantic, Iowa) – The normally non-confrontational Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Board of Director’s meeting was just the opposite for more than 30-minutes, Monday evening. Heads began to butt as Ali Pieken with the Splash Pad Financing Committee spoke about getting a letter of support for submitting a grant application for project funding, using Shift ATL as a grant writing agency. Councilman Gerald Brink asked why the grant application wasn’t going through Parks and Rec Director Wyatt Adderton.

Pieken said going through the process of applying for a grant is a tremendous undertaking for one person.

She said a community member brought to her attention that someone on the Atlantic City Council was not behind the Splash Pad Project. She asked the Board & Mayor Grace Garrett, “Is this project a go?” Parks & Rec Board member Jeremy Butler, who is a Co-Chair on the fundraising committee, said the Committee is ready to go, but things aren’t moving forward.

Mayor Garrett said she was at a recent meeting with Butler, and didn’t understand what he meant by a “No go.”

Garrett said “The idea of having SHIFT involved to begin with was an idea and a suggestion, but I don’t think in that regard there was ever a go, because we were waiting” [on a legal clarification] to see if that would be possible. City Clerk Barb Barrick commented on what transpired during the meeting Butler referred to…

Butler said the City has three choices.

Butler at one-point stood-up and was about to leave, but then eventually sat back down.

Jeremy Butler (Standing) speaks with Mayor Garrett as he prepared to leave.

Mayor Garrett reminded Butler that she was “All about a Splash Pad”…and that “Our Council has never said they weren’t for a Splash Pad.” Ali Pieken said she has always felt support for the Parks and Rec Board for what she’s trying to accomplish, but she has not felt support from the City Council. Wyatt Adderton offered to be the Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee and an intermediary to foster communication between the Committee and City Hall. Because the Splash Pad was on the agenda for discussion only, no action was taken during the meeting.

While the City awaits a legal decision on SHIFT ATL being a funnel for grant funds, donations for the Splash Pad can be made through City Hall. We’ll have more from Monday’s Parks & Rec Board meeting later this week.