Public hearings are set to take place this (Wednesday) evening in Atlantic, on several bond resolutions that amount nearly $2-million, and the proposed plans for construction of 2015 Street Improvements. The hearings are part of a regular meeting of the Atlantic City Council, which begins at 5:30-p.m.

The first hearing covers the street improvement plans & specifications. The Council passed a resolution calling for a hearing on the estimated $1.175-million project during their meeting on March 4th, as required by Iowa law. The second hearing, also required by Iowa Code, is with regard to the issuance (purchase) of bonds amounting to $1.45-million to pay the costs of street, water system, storm water management system, sanitary sewer system and sidewalk improvements, plus $100,000 for the purchase of a fire truck, for a total indebtedness of $1.55-million. Those bonds are being bundled, with the intent to save taxpayers $4,000.

The third public hearing is with regard to a bond purchase agreement in the amount of $100,000 for improvements to the City Hall Auditorium, while the final hearing pertains to the purchase of bonds amounting to $415,000, for an Urban Renewal Project in the Southeast Urban Renewal Area, that would benefit local developer Don Sonntag, by funding an economic development grant in connection with the 2015 Southern View Estates Project.

The Economic Development agreement between the City and  Sonntag stipulates financial incentives amounting to $360,000 will be granted in return for the creation of new jobs and affordable housing. The City will pay the funds in three increments, as sections of the project are completed. Sonntag agrees to enter into an Assessment Agreement that specifies an increasing valuation of about $1-million per year through Jan., 2018.

In other business, the Atlantic Council will act on the appointment of citizens to several boards and commissions, and the closing of Chestnut Street from 2nd north to the Depot on May 9th, for the purpose of an E-Recycling event scheduled to take place from 8-a.m. to 4-p.m. on that date.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a Cass County man was arrested Tuesday night on a valid Montgomery County court order. 46-year old Kenneth Dale Schooling, of Griswold, was arrested at around 8:20-p.m. about one-quarter of a mile north of the Cass/Montgomery County line on 590th Street. Schooling was brought to the Montgomery County jail, where is required to serve two-days on an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance, charge.

Only two school districts from southwest Iowa, the Riverside Community School District in Oakland and the Tri-Center Community School District in Neola, sought a waiver from the Iowa Department of Education to start school early next year. The Daily NonPareil reports a total of 52 districts applied for a waiver. The Riverside Community School District asked to start Aug. 25th, while the Tri-Center Community School District asked for Aug. 18th.

After reaching an impasse on what to name a reorganized school district representing AHST and Walnut, school board members decided to stick to their original compromise: AHSTW, a five-letter acronym for Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut that already adorns the Avoca-based district’s secondary school, which educates middle and high school students from Walnut through a grade sharing agreement.

School officials say board members from both districts unanimously accepted AHSTW as the name for a proposed reorganized school district, during a brief, joint session of the AHST and Walnut School District Boards of Education, Tuesday evening, at the Walnut Community School. The vote means the process of collecting signatures for a petition to reorganize the districts into one, can begin.

At least 400 signatures from AHST and 178 signatures from Walnut district patrons are required, in order to advance the petition to the Green Hills Area Education Agency, which would hold a public hearing and approve an election to determine whether the districts will merge.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Senate has passed a bill that would allow law enforcement officials to more easily regulate Iowa’s ban on texting while driving. The Senate voted 44-6 Tuesday to make texting while driving a primary offense instead of a secondary one. It now heads to the House for consideration.

Iowa law prohibits a person from reading, writing and sending messages on an electronic device while driving. The bill would remove a stipulation that a law enforcement official must stop a person for a different offense to enforce it.

Sen. Tod Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, says distracted driving kills people. Most lawmakers voted for the bill, which has Gov. Terry Branstad’s support. But some Republicans questioned whether the legislation was needed.