The Atlantic City Council will meet in a regular session Wednesday evening at City Hall, beginning at 5:30. On their agenda, is a call-in presentation from Carlos Galo, of SeeClickFix, with regard to the proposed Community Support and Service software, which Mayor Dave Jones says is part of his goal to make City Government more effective in its communication and follow-through with the public. The program has no up-front cost, but does require a $7,485 annual fee, which would be paid for out of the City’s General Fund.

The Council will also recognize Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green for his 30-years of service to the community, and making Atlantic one of the 25 safest communities in Iowa, according to Iowa Living Magazine. Green is retiring at the end of the month, and will be succeeded by Lt. Dave Erickson. The Council is also expected to act on an order appointing Barb Barrick as City Clerk, effective Feb. 25th, 2017. Barb will succeed Deb Wheatley-Field, who is retiring after serving the City for more than 35 years as City Clerk. Barrick is currently the Community Development Specialist for SWIPCO, and has previously served as the City Clerk/Finance Director for the City of Fort Dodge, and Financial Manager for the City of Marengo.

In other business, City Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson will present her annual report, especially with regard to Nuisance Abatement, Abandoned Properties and Minimum Maintenance Issues. Erickson wrote-up an Ordinance that’s expected to be added to the current Code, with regard to residences without working sewers or water systems. The Ordinance, which will receive its second reading, Wednesday, will address the issue of persons using means other than a sanitary sewer to dispose of human waste.

The Council will also act on the third and final reading of an Ordinance providing for the establishment of a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District for the Old Whitney Hotel project, which is being financed through multiple cash streams, including private investors, commercial loans, as well as State and Federal Tax Credits. The Ordinance calls for the property owner to pay their taxes as normal, but the County Treasurer would not break the funding into separate taxing authorities (City, County and School), and would wait until the City sends an amount of Certified Liability to the Auditor, to be captured. The captured value would be the amount of total taxes the City has the right to retain (Minus the portions of the City and School District’s debt service) into a TIF Fund. The taxes in that fund would be collected and the City would rebate them back to the property owner. In the early years of the project, taxes paid and rebated will be nearly 90%. The percentage will decline over the life of the TIF and as the property value appreciates.

On a related note, the Council is expected to set the date of a Public Hearing on the proposed Development Agreement between the City and The Whitney Group, LLC, as Jan. 4th, 2017.

Police in Creston arrested three people on separate charges over the past few days. At around 8:30-p.m. Sunday, 23-year old Jordan Hibbs, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Hibbs was later released from custody on a Promise to Appear in court. Saturday afternoon, Creston Police arrested 23-year old Jami Michael, of Creston, for 5th Degree Theft. She was also released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear. And, Friday afternoon, 38-year old James Smizer, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Jail on a charge of Simple Domestic Assault. He was later released on $300 bond.