(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday evening, awarded the 2023 Fireworks Display Contract to last year’s vendor, “Wild Wayne’s,” and after discussion, tentatively set the days fireworks may be used leading up to the show, as June 30 through July 4th, from 6-until 11-p.m. on those dates. Action on approving the actual days for fireworks use by the public, will come during their next City Council meeting.

The agreement with “Wild Waynes” will cost the City $12,500, which is more than what was budgeted for, but City Administrator John Lund said he can accommodate the cost overrun through use of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress Fund. A spokesman for Wild Wayne’s said he knows there were complaints about last year’s show at the Well Fields/Sports Complex being too short and not visible enough. He attributed that latter due to the fact he was situated on a lower part of the terrain, which didn’t give him the proper placement needed to set-off the type of display his Class-B fireworks should have had. The Council will finalize this year’s site location after consulting with Fire Chief Tom Cappel, and Public Works Director/Street Superintendent Kirk Knudsen.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett asks residents to be considerate of their neighbors when setting off fireworks.

In other business, the Council, after a public hearing was held – during which there were no comments – passed an amended FY 2023 Budget, as previously explained and twice published in the local newspaper. The Council tabled, however, approving an agreement with Fusebox Marketing, for City Website Design & Development, Website hosting, Security, and Site Health, a Website Enhancement plan along with photography and video services. It was the second time the matter was tabled.

Atlantic City Council mtg. 5-17-2023

After much discussion, the Council agreed they wanted to hear formal presentations from 5Q in Atlantic, and Fusebox Marketing, to compare services that are not currently offered and those that could be. While 5Q services are currently used by the City, the Chamber and CADCO, Mayor Grace Garret said feedback she’s heard privately from certain individuals indicates they are not entirely happy with the company, and that she herself has had issues navigating the City’s website.

She said also, “There are no local customer service representatives. They are east coast to west coast, which means we are all on a different time frame.” Garrett said “We must have adequate technology,” and space, to provide what is required of a city to publish. The Mayor said when she personally tried to help someone outside of Atlantic navigate the City’s website in order to find information they were requesting, she had to go through about “six layers to find what I needed to tell them to use.”

A motion by Councilperson Otte to approve an agreement with Fusebox, was rescinded by her, until such time as the Council hears presentations from both website providers. In other news, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution “Adjusting season 2023 benefits for Sunnyside Pool lifeguards,” which, as we’ve mentioned provides for a $1,000 sign-on bonus, with $500 paid after a full 40-hours of work completed, and the balance at the end of the swimming season. The Council also passed the 3^rd and final reading of an amended Sewer Service Ordinance, and the 2^nd reading of an amended Special Parking Permit section of Ordinance #1032.