(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council, today (Wednesday), approved a request from officials with Vision Atlantic, for a letter of support. Mayor Grace Garrett said no action would be needed by the Council during the meeting, it was being done though, with unanimous consent.

Officials with the non-profit Vision Atlantic say were asking for the letter “to support and strengthen some of [their] federal funding and various grant application [they] have submitted to date.” In addition, the organization says “As our donations and pledges continue to raise, we are getting close to the threshold where [the] grant committee can start to apply for some other key grants (some have a minimum percentage of the project needed to be secured before applications can be submitted). To date, the organization has assembled approximately 139 other letters of support for future grant applications.

Jackie Sampson spoke with regard to those applications…

In other business, the Atlantic City Council acted on approving an Order to have City Administrator John Lund execute a purchase order for an ambulance from Braun Northwest. Cass EMS, the City’s ambulance service exists as a 28E Agreement with costs being split evenly between the City of Atlantic, Cass Health, and Cass County. According to John Lund, “We are in a financially unsustainable commitment with Cass EMS. Over a period of five years, expenditures have increased 1,197%. This increase has occurred even with the generous contribution of a brand-new ambulance for Cass Health.”

Atlantic City Council, 10-15-24

City Councilman Sean Sarsfield said if the order was placed immediately, the new ambulance should arrive by late January or early February, 2025. Councilperson Elaine Otte and others mentioned EMS crews were very impressed with the ambulance’s design and functions.

Councilman Brink said EMS personnel mentioned it was the “best riding one they’d ever been in.” Sean Sarsfield said also, “Cost-wise…the price is probably the best that you can get,” compared to other ambulances. The Council thanked Atlantic Firefighter/Paramedic John Johnson for his role in helping to acquire the new ambulance.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed the Second Reading of an Ordinance prohibiting previously mentioned trees from being planted, due to the specified varieties’ lack of disease infestation, and storm damage, resistance. The First Reading was passed during the Council’s meeting on October 2nd. The list of trees was approved by Trees Forever and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

And, toward the end of Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Grace Garrett declared Halloween Trick-or Treating will take place in Atlantic on October 31st, from 5-until 7-p.m., with downtown trick-or-treating from 3:30-until 5-p.m.  Also, the next Ward Listening date will take place November 14th at the Atlantic Public Library, for residents in Ward 2, and anyone else who wishes to attend. The session begins at 5-p.m.

Other ward listening sessions are in the works. A meeting for citizens in the 4th Ward was held in June.