The City of Atlantic will save more than $209-thousand through the use of a change order with Precision Concrete Services (PCS) of Atlantic, for 2014 Street Improvement Projects (SIP). City Administrator Doug Harris reported the good news to the City Council during their meeting, Wednesday evening. Harris said the original cost estimate for the various reconstruction, Mill, Patch and Overlay projects was $755-thousand. He said since so many other projects have been completed, which saved 20-percent. The change order amounts to $545,857, which is a savings of $209, 143.   

Because the City saved money through a change order, it will be able to have work done on all of 17^th Street from the west side of Redwood Drive all the way to the track and soccer field, instead of just from Redwood to an east dead end. But because the added portion of 17^th Street was not included in the PCS contract, it will need to go through the design process with construction to begin at a later date.

In other business, the Council tabled action on a Resolution accepting Public Improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Doug Harris said he spoke with a representative of Hawkins Construction, which has agreed to pay the City for costs associated with problems caused by the improper compaction of fill materials below the new plant’s blower building.

Hawkins has agreed to pay the City $32,000, in exchange for the City not assessing Hawkins liquidated damages for the project, which was supposed to have been completed last November. Harris said the improvements were completed and officials are satisfied. The Council will act on approving the final payment for the project at it’s meeting on March 12^th.

With temperatures expected to be near 60 during the coming week and most of the snow on the ground already melted, Atlantic residents might not be too concerned about shoveling snow from their sidewalks in a timely fashion, but with Mother Nature being unpredictable, there is still a chance we could see measurable snowfall. Atlantic City Administrator Doug Harris warned Wednesday, that his assistant, John Lund, will no longer send out warning notices to residents who have not shoveled their walks within 72-hours of the end of a snow storm.

Harris said in the past, the property owner would be notified by Certified Mail that they are in violation of a City Ordinance requiring snow to be removed from sidewalks. Now, if the job is not done within 72-hours, City crews will remove the snow and the property owner will be billed for the cost of labor and equipment. If the bill is not paid, it is assessed to their property and therefore the property owners’ taxes.

They especially want to focus on the sidewalks around the schools in Atlantic. This Spring and Summer, the focus will shift to tall grass on residential lawns. Harris said the City will still send out notices if the grass or weeds are more than 12-inches high, but the City could consider lowering that to 8-inches, taking into account the time it takes crews to mow violators’ lawns if the notice is not obeyed.

In other business, Harris told the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, that his office has received requests and inquiries regarding private sewer lines. He says there currently is no policy pertaining to private ownership of sewer lines, but it is something he and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Mark Farrier have looked at and created a draft proposal the Council can review and possibly forward recommendations to the Community Development Committee.

There are several sporadic private lines already around town, including one near the old Cherry Corner building off of east 7^th Street.

Two people were arrested following a disturbance Wednesday night, in Villisca. Authorities say deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office were called to 104 W. 6th Street at around 10:10-p.m., and upon arrival located several subjects in the intersection of 1st Avenue and 6th Street. As the result of an investigation, 24-year old Michael D. Jones, of Shenandoah, and 35-year old Jamie R. Straw, of Villisca, were arrested for Disorderly Conduct.

Straw was also charged with Criminal Mischief and Simple Assault. Officials say additional persons involved in the incident fled the scene and additional charges may be possible.

Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported after two cars collided Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of North 3rd and East Corning Streets. Officials say at around 12:40-p.m.,  17-year old Shelby Musland, of Red Oak, was driving a 2003 Mini Cooper  south on N. 3rd Street and had stopped at the intersection. With a school bus blocking a clear view of the road, the teen pulled away from the stop sign and was struck by an eastbound 2011 Ford Fusion, driven by 48-year old Jamie Thompson, of Red Oak.

The accident caused $3,600 damage altogether. Musland was issued a written warning for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.