The Atlantic City Council discussed, but took no action on who will be appointed as the next City Attorney. The search began early last month after Jamie Arnold announced his resignation. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee declined to make a recommendation to the Council on the three applicants for the job, choosing instead to let the Council discuss the matter first.

The prospects include Clint Fichter, of Avoca, with Fichter Municipal Services and Law; J.C. Van Ginkel, with Van Ginkel Law Offices, and, David Weiderstein, with Otto, Lawrence and Weiderstein Law Offices, both located in Atlantic. The applicant who is appointed would fill the vacancy position from October 1st, 2015 through December 31st, 2016.

Councilperson Linda Hartkopf said she felt comfortable with having Wiederstein resume full-time role of City Attorney, based on the fact he has experience in that arena already. Mayor Dave Jones suggested J.C. Van Ginkel would be a good choice because David Weiderstein is the Cass County Attorney, and former Attorney for the City of Atlantic, who hired Jamie Arnold. Arnold worked for Wiederstein’s law firm until his abrupt departure. Wiederstein has been serving as the City Attorney in the interim.

Jones said he prefers J.C as a “Matter of principal.” He explained “Dave’s the County Attorney. He’s our City Attorney. Basically, he’s gonna hire our next City Attorney. My concern is ‘Our we picking our City Attorney, or is Dave picking our City Attorney?'” Wiederstein said even though he did pick the City Attorney the City still went through the bidding process when it came time to appoint that person.

J-C Van Ginkel served as Assistant City Attorney many years ago, when his dad James Van Ginkel was the City Attorney. Jones suggested going with Van Ginkel will allow Wiederstein get his office staffing needs met in the interim. He felt the City would eventually end up hiring someone from Wiederstein’s office anyway.

After some discussion, the Council decided to let the Personnel and Finance Committee take written questions from the Council for each of the candidates, with members of the Council sitting in on the interview process with the Committee as observers. The date and time for the interviews was not set at Wednesday night’s Council meeting.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest last Friday of an Atlantic man on a drug-related charge. 41-year old Dan Douglas Christensen was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Christensen pled guilty to the offense and was released from custody on Saturday.

On September 10th, deputies arrested 39-year old Joseph William Baker, of Griswold, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear for Child Support Hearing. Baker was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $1000 bond.

On Saturday, September 12th, 46-year old Wade Michael Rich, of Anita, was arrested on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense (Aggravated). Rich was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

And on Sunday, 19-year old Amanda Lynn Cooper, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County deputies on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense (Aggravated). Cooper was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on her own recognizance.

Details concerning next week’s Special Meeting of the Cass County Conference Board were released today (Wednesday). The meeting which will be held with regard to the re-appointment of Cass County Assessor Brenda Nelson, takes place in the 2nd Floor Courtroom at the Cass County Courthouse, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Wed., Sept. 23rd.

During the meeting, the Board will hold a voice vote on approval of the minutes of their last meeting on Sept. 3rd, during which they voted 2-1 against re-appointing Nelson to another six-year term. Afterward, the agenda calls for an order to rescind the non-appointment vote. The matter will be done by Roll Call.

A public forum will then take place, with members of the public limited to 2-minutes per speaker, during which you may voice your concerns and/or questions. The forum will be followed by Roll Call vote to reappoint Nelson.

The process of determining Nelson’s future will include all members of the Conference Board deliberating together, as one. Any discussion by any member of the Board will not occur until the motion is made and seconded. Any member of the Board may call for a motion to approve reappointing Nelson to a six-year term beginning January 1st, 2016. That motion, if made, will need to be seconded, followed by deliberations.

Another Roll Call vote will then be held and recorded by the clerk or secretary of the meeting, and taken in the following order: Schools, Mayors and Board of Supervisors of Cass County.

Late last week, Cass County Attorney David Wiederstein said said he asked Conference Board Chair Frank Waters to reconvene the Board, to rescind the Sept. 3rd vote not to reappoint Nelson because of how it was conducted. He stated “There may or may not have been a violation of Open Meetings laws when the three voting units caucused at the same time. Members of the public in attendance, therefore, had to simultaneously divide their attention three different ways.”

Wiederstein brought the matter to the Director of the Iowa Public Information Board, but because a Special Meeting of the Conference Board is being held, he thought there was no further need for the IPIB to be involved in the matter.

A man from Shelby County reportedly suffered minor injuries during a crash Tuesday afternoon in Missouri. The Missouri Highway Patrol says 57-year old John A. Davis, of Panama, was traveling west on Highway 36 one mile north of Osborn, MO., when the 2001 Sterling truck he was driving left the road and rolled onto its passenger side before hitting several road signs. The vehicle came to rest on its side. The accident happened at around 2:15-p.m., Tuesday

Davis was taken to the Cameron Regional Medical Center for treatment. His vehicle was totaled in the crash.

Home prices in Iowa rose nearly six-percent last month compared to August of 2014. That’s according to a new report from the Iowa Association of Realtors. I-A-R president Jon Yocum, of Davenport, says the increase in prices isn’t the only good news for sellers. “Our time on the market is down, so we’re seeing homes sell much quicker,” Yocum said.

The average time on the market for Iowa homes sold in August was just 63 days, the lowest level in five years. Yocum credit low inventory levels across much of the state. The median price of a home sold last month was $146,000. That’s up from $138,000 in August of last year. Despite the rising prices, Yocum believes it’s good time for buyers entering the market because interest rates on a 30-year mortgage are still hovering around four-percent.

“I know there were reports earlier in the year and last spring that, in the third and fourth quarter, we were going to have increases in our mortgage interest rates. Well, that hasn’t come to fruition yet,” Yocum said. The number of homes sold in Iowa last month dropped 7.8 percent compared to August of last year, but Yocum says it’s typically a slow month for sales because families are getting ready for the return to school.

“So, the emphasis on buying a home dropped a little bit. But, I don’t think it was enough of a drop to change anything and I think you’re going to see a big increase in September,” Yocum said. Over the first eight months of this year, the number of homes sold in Iowa is up 7.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in Union County say Doug Jones with the Union County Conservation Office reported Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 15th), that sometime within the past few days someone had vandalized the shelter house at Cedar Park southeast of Creston, in rural Union County. The damage was estimated damage at $300.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says you’re invited to join the Young Professionals of Atlantic (YPA), for their annual scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt will take place Friday, September 18th, beginning at Renew Ag Supply (811 Sunnyside Lane), at 5:30pm. This year’s theme is “Building Atlantic.”

When all the clues have been located join the YPA for an after party at 7:30-pm, at The Alley Bar & Grill (1005 Whitney St), where appetizers will be provided. The winning team will receive their entrance fee returned, and more.

Teams of four are $20, or $5 per person, and the YPA will find a team for you. Registration day of is $28 for a team of 4 or $7 per person. Visit www.atlanticiowa.com or call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712-243-3017 for more information.

The YPA scavenger hunt is brought to you by Renew Ag Supply and the S.F. Martin House. The Young Professionals of Atlantic are 20 and 30-something working professionals who want to be more involved in the community, meet more people, and have fun.