Atlantic Developer Don Sonntag Wednesday, decided to pull his application for $250,000 in Tax Increment Financing funds from the City, which would have helped to bankroll a housing development on the City’s southern edge. In a letter he read before the council and provided to the media, Sonntag said since a meeting pertaining to TIF funds for the Southern Heights II project was held on November 30th, 2012 between himself, his grandson Austin, Attorney Dave Chase, and City Administrator Doug Harris, Harris has apparently been working behind the scenes to “Derail the project.”

Those efforts, according to Sonntag, included negative talking points about the project in City Council members’ packets. Sonntag said also he believes “Conversations were made with individuals from the public who would be opposed to using TIF funds for the project, and were given encouragement to speak out against it..”  Sonntag said even if the Council were to have recommended the TIF request be used for the project, he has “A strong feeling that drafting of a TIF agreement with the City Administrator, of (sic) who has been opposed every step of the way, would be very difficult and suspect of major risk for us financially going forward with this project.” Sonntag went on to say “past experience of his (Harris’) actions and characteristics leave us skeptical on what other roadblocks may arise in further into the process and project.”

He concluded by saying “I do not believe our present City Administrator has the same goals for Atlantic as some of us and therefore, I find the need to step back, stopping the process, and discontinuing my efforts on this project.” He said he deeply regrets “The loss of jobs that could have been created,” had the project moved forward. City Administrator Doug Harris was not present at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Afterward, Mayor Dave Jones said he differs from Harris, who’s TIF philosophy, according to Jones is “Not all development is good for the City.” Jones says “No development is not good for the City.”

Authorities in Fremont County are investigating a structure fire in Bartlett, the origin of which is being called “suspicious.” Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters, including crews from Tabor, were called to an abandoned house and garage located at 1119 Western Avenue in Bartlett at around 12:20-a.m., Wednesday. Upon arrival, deputies observed both structures fully engulfed in flames. The buildings were declared a total loss.  Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say crews with the city of Elliott discovered a wastewater discharge this (Wednesday) morning on the northwest side of the Montgomery County town. City officials are not sure when the discharge began, but they estimate up to 8,000 gallons per day of untreated wastewater is bubbling up in the middle of an unnamed tributary of Coe Creek. Coe Creek flows into the Nishnabotna River. The city has contracted with a company to dig up the sewer line and fix it. Work will begin March 21st.

The DNR cautions residents to keep children and pets away from the unnamed creek on the west side of Elliott for at least 48 hours after work is completed. The DNR will be on the site today to provide assistance to the city. DNR staff will continue to monitor the cleanup. The city will be sampling water quality upstream and below the discharge.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska man was arrested Tuesday, after allegedly been seen throwing a large bag of marijuana from a vehicle. Following an investigation which took place in the 1500 block of Washington Street in Hamburg, deputies arrested 33-year old Derrick E. Traub of Nebraska City, NE. Traub was taken into custody while allegedly attempting to retrieve the bag containing approximately 50 grams of marijuana.

Traub faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Failure to have a Drug Tax and Interference with Official Acts. He was booked into the Fremont County Jail, and subsequently released on $5,000 bond.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says effective at Noon today (Wednesday, March 20th), all traffic control lights/signals have been deactivated on the square. All intersections on the square are now controlled by 4 way (all way) stop signs. Brothers reminds motorists that pedestrians approaching the cross walk, entering the cross walk and in the cross walk ALWAYS have the right of way. Remember to make a complete stop behind the stop line and do not drive through the area while inattentive or distracted.

The City of Clarinda Public Works Department will remove the traffic signal stands and light heads at a later date.  Brothers says with everyone’s cooperation this should be a smooth transition.

(12-p.m. News)