(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, during their meeting Wednesday evening, reviewed and briefly discussed and then acted to approve a contract for the City’s website development. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson presented the council with a fact sheet on three companies (A, B & C), who were not named so as to maintain a fair perspective on each companies services, and cost. After review, the Council voted to issue a contract with “Company B,” which, among other things, has support services in Iowa, as opposed to on either U-S Coast.

In other business the Council, following public hearings, passed an Ordinance to repeal an Ordinance, and grant Interstate Power and Light Company a non-exclusive, 25-year franchise to erect, construct, reconstruct, maintain and operate a plant and systems for the distribution of natural gas in the City of Atlantic, and “sell, distribute, and supply natural gas [to the city and it’s occupants],” and requiring the company to pay a franchise fee to the City. They Council also passed a resolution adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS), for the use of expenditures from the revenues gained through a natural gas service fee.

The move means a source to will be available to fund pay increases for the Police Department to make the City more competitive in the retention and hiring of new Officers. A five-percent natural gas franchise fee is expected to result in an increase of $4-dollar per month on the average gas bill. Conversely, it will eliminate the current local sales tax already charged to Alliant Energy gas customers.

The Atlantic City Council passed, after three readings, an Ordinance amending the City’s Zoning Code, because elected officials, it was noted, are concerned that low-value properties are being acquired and converted for rental apartments, with no consideration for the safety of the tenants or the well-being of the surrounding neighborhood. The change say first-story properties on Chestnut Street, north of 7^th, will be limited to commercial uses, unless a conditional use permit is allowed. Second story residential units would continue to be maintained as a permitted use.

And, the Atlantic City Council held the third and final readings of Ordinances that serve to discontinue the Cable Television and Community Promotion Commissions.