(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic this (Wednesday) evening, voted unanimously to approve the sale/transfer of certain City-owned property in the southeast Urban Renewal Area. While it was not specifically stated in the Resolution as spoken, Councilman Mike McDermott said afterward, it calls for the City to sell the property to Vision Atlantic, for the price of One-dollar.

Prior to the Council’s vote, they heard from Jackie Sampson, a life-long City resident, who is on the leadership board for the non-profit Vision Atlantic organization. Sampson said the turning the land over to Vision Atlantic would have far reaching opportunities for economic development project. The Lakin Foundation, she said, is willing to invest in the project by means of capital for a housing project, and an endowment for a child development center. Sampson said the Lakin Foundation believes in Atlantic, and this is something that is desperately needed.

Vision Atlantic Vice-President Nicholas Hunt, said the development project would yield a much greater return on the City’s investment when it purchased the property from the Comes Family Trust, than if it were to used for farming. The fastest way to get the money invested back, is to develop the land for housing.

Vision Atlantic V-P Nick Hunt delivers a passionate appeal to the Atlantic City Council to accept a proposal to turn over the land in question.

“Every City and town in southwest Iowa wants housing, and they want childcare,” he said, and Vision Atlantic is getting the City both, with no risk nor indebtedness to the City. We are doing this because…the City did not want to develop the land on its own and take on the risk” associated with such a move. Vision Atlantic, Hunt said, is comprised of volunteers, who negotiated a deal for the land. They’ve been working with the Charles E. Lakin Foundation for over a year and a-half. He said they have been willing to commit $8.6-million dollars towards the YMCA and also to the childcare center, as an outright grant, plus a $23-million “loan” for begin the process of establishing the infrastructure.

The Committee has also raised over $7.6-million dollars in private donations for the project, Hunt said. Everyone they’ve talked to, he said, believes in the project. “They all agree that we need housing, they all agree we need childcare, and they all believe in the YMCA, which is a great asset to the community.” Nick Hunt closed by saying “No one has profited from all this activity and volunteer time and effort. The money spent and donated have all been for the City of Atlantic,” as it will bring in more tax dollars and added business revenue, jobs, school, other institutions and churches.

“I’d say no city has been given a better deal than this one [meaning the City of Atlantic], Hunt said. “This is a gift. We all just need to cooperate and not fight it, but to work for Atlantic and work for this great project. Every investment has risk. But doing nothing…not investing in this City, also has risk.” That risk he said, is for the City to stagnate, and die. That’s something he doesn’t want to see. Hunt said “I refuse to give up on Atlantic, and I’m asking you (the Council) to believe in the future.”