A handful of area City Council’s and other organizations will hold their respective meetings, Monday. Included among them:

The Atlantic Community School District’s Certified Collective Bargaining Unit, which will meet at 4-p.m. in the Middle School Board room. The District will present its opening proposal for 2012-2013 negotiations. Last week, the Atlantic Education Association presented its proposal, for a 6.9% total package increase for the 2012-2013 contract salary year.

The Cass County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will meet in the basement meeting room at the Cass County Courthouse, beginning at 6:30-p.m., following a meeting of the E-9-1-1 Board.

And, the Audubon City Council will gather at their City Hall, for a 7-p.m. session. During the meeting, the Council will hear from Midwest Partnership’s Chad Schreck, with regard to Economic Development, and Aaron Voss, with U-S Water Services. The Council will also discuss with Laurie Gilbert, from the Region 12 Council Of Governments (COG), the demolition of houses and tax sale properties. Discussion items on their agenda include issues pertaining to: ICAP (the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool); Parking in yards; and compensation practices.

Numerous awards were handed-out to deserving groups and individuals during Saturday night’s Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and awards program held at the Cass County Community Center. Included among them:

• Ambassador of the Year – Bill Saluk, from Meredith Communications
• Outstanding Chamber Volunteer – Lori Reid, with Airworks (Atlantic Airport)
• Outstanding Committee Member – Dr. Keith Leonard/Atlantic Animal Health Center
• Business Betterment – Boulder’s Inn and Suites/local investors
• Community Service Award – The Atlantic High School Trojan Football team
• Community Betterment Award – the local Trees Forever organization
• Community Impact Award – Jay Miller/Brymon’s Home Furnishings, for his work in getting a $65-million dollar grant to bring the Sieman’s/Industrial Technology Program to Iowa Western Community College
• The Athena Award (Sponsored by Deter Motor Co.) – which went to Wendy Richter, for her work with the Family Crisis Support Network
• and, the Distinguished Service Award, which was presented to Steve Livengood, for his service to our veterans and their families, along with his work with ARISE (The Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise). Livengood is a 24-year veteran of the U-S Army, and and member of the Atlantic City Council.

The Chamber also welcomed its new President for 2012, Debbie Liestad, who takes over the reigns from past President Brian Church, and honored its new board members, including: Steve Andersen (Southwest Iowa Transit); Jeff Jundquist (Atlantic News Telegraph); Becky Mosier (KJAN), and Bill Saluk, along with some returning board members for 2012-through 2014.
The evening’s meal was provided by Atlantic Hy-Vee catering.

Icy roads contributed to several accidents Sunday morning, in Cass County. A van carrying 10 people rolled into a ditch near exit 60 (Hwy 71). The accident happened at around 8:30-a.m.  At least one person suffered serious injuries and was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. Eight people were later turned over to officials with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Two adult individuals in the van who were initially reported as missing, are believed to have caught a ride to Omaha, and were being sought for questioning.

Police Red Oak arrested one-person Saturday afternoon, on drug and other charges. Officers called to the City View Apartments discovered during their investigation into an incident, illegal substances at the residence of 21-year old Corey James Dolph, of Red Oak. Dolph was charged with possession of an illegal substance and taken into custody on a Montgomery County warrant for violation of his probation.  Dolph was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $11,000 bond.