[Updated**] (Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council will hold a regular, scheduled meeting beginning 5:30-p.m., Wednesday (Feb. 21st), in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is action on passing a Resolution calling for the adoption of a new, personnel handbook for City Employees. City Administrator John Lund notes he and Mayor Grace Garrett worked together throughout the past year, to complete a comprehensive update to sections of the City’s Personnel Policy that had not received a major update since 2017. Lund and Garrett worked closely with the City’s Labor Attorney on the development of specific policies that did not exist in the current document, as well as to establish a legal clarification and approval on a variety of areas in the policy. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee also reviewed and offered additions/corrections and additional policy work, last month. The Personnel Handbook received a final review February 13th and is ready for adoption by the Council.

The Council will also act on passing a Resolution amending that part of the City Code that pertains to a Purchases and Payables Policy. Those policies were last adopted in Aug., 2027. The updated version (section 203.4) pertains to formal “Requests for proposals,” for services that exceed $10,000 per year.

And, the Atlantic City Council will act on awarding a lease for City-Owned farmland, to Zelmer Farms, in the amount of $151 per acre. The City had sent out bid requests to local farmers for the right to lease City-owned farm ground surrounding the Wastewater Treatment Plant and part of the Schildberg Recreation Area, for the period covering February 1, 2024 and ending Dec. 31, 2017.  John Lund says the City received one sealed bid for the lease, which was opened during the Feb. 8th Personnel and Finance Committee meeting. The bid was from Zellmer Farms for the aforementioned amount. The Committee recommends the Council accept the bid as presented.

[**] In other business, the Council will receive a presentation on the final plans and specifications for the Atlantic Splashpad project from Project Manager, Mike Jorgensen, with Snyder and Associates Engineers. That will be followed by action on passing a Resolution “Authorizing Bid Letting and Setting the Date of the Public Hearing for March 20, 2024.” The bids will be opened on March 20th during the City Council meeting on that date.

Following conclusion of regular business, the Atlantic City Council will enter into an Exempt (Closed) session, for the purpose of Collective Bargaining strategy.