Efforts to bring high-speed, fiber optic internet service to more businesses, and later residences, in Atlantic, are becoming more organized, with approval Wednesday night by the Atlantic City Council, of a feasibility study and costs analysis agreement. The agreement, between the City and Oak Hill Consulting, Inc., will cost the City $18,000. Councilman Bob Cord said the study is expensive, but “None of us are authorities on what’s gonna happen…It’s an opportunity to answer a lot of questions that currently being ‘solved’ at the coffee shop.”

There is fiber optic internet service to the City now, but businesses need higher-speed service. Mayor Dave Jones and others have said a back-up provider is necessary, as evidenced by a widespread outage earlier this week caused by a severed MediaCom fiber optic cable near Carroll that took out all phone and internet service in and about 15 other cities.

Atlantic City Council discusses fiber optic study, Wed. (Ric Hanson/photo)

City Administrator John Lund said he and the Mayor have been working since the fall of 2015 on ways the City can move forward with fiber optic connectivity. That includes talking with MediaCom and Centurylink, partnering with other cities in the County, and getting grants for the project, but Lund says Atlantic doesn’t qualify to grants because of its size.

A project in Waverly, which would be similar in scope, cost that city around $8-million. The Mayor says the feasibility study is the best way to move forward, right now. John Lund agreed, saying the City couldn’t afford to take on the type of debt necessary to set-up the infrastructure on its own. Lund says his understanding is Atlantic is too large to be treated like a charity by the federal government to receive a grant to get the city connected, and too small for the private sector to look at Atlantic as a profit.

The cost of the study will be paid for through the Local Option Sales Tax progress fund.

Police in Creston report a Creston man was arrested Wednesday evening on a Probation Violation warrant. Gerald Lynn Lawrence, Jr., was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, where he was being held without bond.

And, Amber Michelle Smith, of Creston, was cited Wednesday evening, for allowing an animal to run At Large,

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved an agreement with UMB Bank to purchase General Obligation Corporate Purpose and Refunding Bonds, the value of which will not exceed $5-million. Chip Schultz, with UMB says the agreement sets the rates for the bond issue at 1.49-percent.

Schultz says an A-Plus rating with Standard and Poors has been affirmed, so “Things look good from a financing standpoint.” He says the move will save the City about $80,000 on the 2011 bond. The rest will fund municipal library, street and storm water improvements, as well as police and fire equipment.

City Administrator John Lund says the bond issue saves tax payers more than $33,200.

Police in Creston say one person complained of pain but was not transported to the hospital, following an accident Wednesday afternoon. Officials say a 2002 Ford Escort driven by 25-year old Dennis Smith, of Creston, was traveling north on Vine Street just before 3-p.m., when Smith failed to stop at the controlled intersection with Mills Street. When he pulled out in front of a 1999 Jeep Cherokee driven by 16-year old Carmeron Millslagle, of Creston, the vehicles collided, causing $4,000 damage. Police cited Smith for Failure to Obey a Stop or Yield Sign.

Police in Red Oak report the arrest of a Red Oak man Wednesday night on a warrant and drug-related charges. Officials say 25-year old Jeremy Scott Dolph was taken into custody a little after 10-p.m. on a valid Montgomery County warrant. Scott was also charged with Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,600 bond.

Red Oak Police said also, at around 4-p.m. Wednesday, 39-year old Billy Ray Hunter, of Red Oak, was arrested on two active warrants. One of the warrants was issued by the Red Oak P-D, for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree. The other was for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd or subsequent offense. Hunter was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a total of $4,000 bond. Officers with the Shenandoah Police Department assisted in making the arrest.