(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council has a full slate on their agenda for Wednesday’s upcoming regular meeting at City Hall. The session begins at 5:30-p.m. During the meeting, the Council will act on swearing-in Officer Forrest Fromm, who officially joined the Department this month (July, 2023). Fromm is a Veteran of the Iowa National Guard and Ankeny Police Department. He’s originally from the eastern Iowa town of Bellevue, and attended the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2022.

The Council will then acknowledge and act on accepting the resignation of Parks and Recreation Director Wyatt Adderton, retroactive to June 26, 2023. Adderton took over the Parks Director position in February, 2023. He submitted his resignation in May, citing a hostile work environment and issues of harassment. After much consideration and discussions with the Mayor and others, he had agreed to try and work things out, but will now be moving on.

The City Council will hear a presentation Wednesday from Library Director Michell Andersen, with regard to her efforts to obtain grants and other funding opportunities to enhance the services and public accessibility to the Library. In other business, the Council will review, discuss and act on an Order to accept a website contract. They will also hold a Public Hearing on 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.

The hearing will be followed by action on the first reading of the aforementioned amended ordinance. The proposal would help 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 would result in an increase of $4-dollar per month on the average gas bill, if it is approved. It would also eliminate the current local sales tax already charged to Alliant Energy customers.

The Council is expected to waive the second reading of the Amended Ordinance and proceed with passage of the third reading, a Resolution approving and adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) “for the use of expenditure of revenues from a natural gas service franchise fee.”  There will also be a Public Hearing on, and passage of the first through third readings of an Ordinance “Adopting the proposed amendments to the City Of Atlantic Zoning Code, 2018.”

City Administrator John Lund says the Council and “…appointed officials,” 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.” Lund said “Recently, downtown was specifically cited as an area where these conversions could take place, due to the value of the buildings. This is the C-3 District and our ordinance currently does not make a distinction on which story residential and commercial businesses are allowed.” He highlighted three specific sections of the ordinance where regulations are in question:

• Under Permitted Uses: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.
• For properties abutting Chestnut Street, north of 7th Street, Second Story and above: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.
• And under Conditional Uses:  For properties abutting Chestnut Street, north of 7th Street, Second Story and above: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.

Lund says the change (If approved) “Will preserve the nature of our historic downtown as a vibrant commercial service and retail hub.” First story uses 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. The Council will also hold the third and final readings of Ordinances discontinuing the Cable Television and Community Promotion Commissions.

The last order of business is a closed session permitted under the Code of Iowa, to discuss and/or act on a personnel matter, and that individual has requested a closed session.