The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is expected to act on the appointment of a City Attorney. Former City Attorney David Wiederstein, who also serves as the Cass County Attorney, has been filing-in as needed since the departure in August, of former City Attorney Jamie Arnold. The Council has considered proposals for the position from Clint Fichter, J-C Van Ginkel and Wiederstein, and conducted interviews with both Wiederstein and Van Ginkel in closed sessions.

The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee also discussed each of the proposals but decided to forward the matter to the Council without making a recommendation. Mayor Dave Jones made it clear during the Council’s session Sept. 16th, that he prefers Van Ginkel for the job, but according to City Administrator John Lund, the consensus of Council following the closed session interviews, was to appoint Wiederstein. Lund said he remains neutral and will not offer a recommendation during the Council’s 5:30-p.m. meeting, Wednesday.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear from Fire Chief Mark McNees, with regard to the Fire Department providing commercial fire extinguisher inspection and servicing. And, the Council will act on a Resolution “Approving the Transfer of Surplus Funds from the Atlantic Wastewater Utility Fund to the City Employee Benefits Fund.”

The move is being considered according to John Lund, because the City was recently forced out of its health insurance plan due to a $2-million dollar deductible being placed on a member of the group plan. That was a substantial increase from the $40,000 deductible the City had been paying from its insurance underwriters. When the contract ended, the underwriter was no longer responsible for any billing or claims being processed after May 1st, 2015.

Once claims in the system had been processed, that left the City with run-out claims amounting to over $1.28-million. Lund says the City has exhausted all of its employee benefits fund, and reduced the balance to just over $600,000. The City, he says has five options, with the most logical being the transfer of surplus Wastewater Utility funds to the Benefits Fund, as allowed under Iowa Code. The City will have a “sizable reserve” of more than $638,000 in the Wastewater Utility Fund as of July 1st, 2016 , according to Lund, largely due to cost overestimates for the treatment plant construction and ongoing operations.

Lund says using those funds would be “The most cost-effective, taxpayer friendly and expedient manner,” with which to address the Run-Out claims issue.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater has released his department’s latest report on arrests. In it, the Sheriff notes 52-year old John William Scott, of Mt. Ayr, was arrested Saturday night for OWI/2nd offense. Scott was released Sunday on a $2,000 cash bond. On Friday, 23-year old Taylor Florencia Kraus, of Des Moines, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, with seven withdrawals in effect. He was later released on $300 bond.

On Sept. 28th, Stuart Police arrested 31-year old Jason Dearl McGowan, of Stuart, for Arson in the 1st degree, in connection with a motel room fire that same day. McGowan was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail. On Sept. 27th, 60-year old David Joseph Convery, of Greenfield, was arrested by an Adair County deputy. Convery was charged with Public Intoxication and Simple Assault. He was later released on $300 bond.

Also on Sept. 27th, 36-year old Jason Bruce King, of Stuart, was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense, and Driving While License Suspended or Revoked for Implied Consent, following an investigation into an ATV accident that happened May 25th. King’s Blood Alcohol Content was determined to be .209, or more than twice the legal limit. He was released from the Adair County Jail on a Recognizance Bond.

And, 34-year old Raymond Scott Davis, of Creston was arrested Sept. 27th, on a warrant for Harassment in the 3rd degree. Davis was later released on $300 bond.

The Creston Police Department reports a juvenile from Creston was referred to Juvenile Authorities on charges of Careless Driving and Eluding. 16-year old Patrick Farlow was then released Sunday to the custody of his mother. Last Friday, Creston Police arrested 46-year old Jerry Chapman, of Creston, on a charge of Theft in the 5th degree. Chapman was cited and released on a promise to appear later, in court.

And a resident of the 1000 block of 190th Street, in Creston, reported to police Saturday, that someone vandalized his semi that was parked at the Creston Hy-Vee parking lot. Two lights on the left side trailer of the semi were broken out, with damage estimated at $60. The incident happened sometime between 8 and 8:30-p.m., Friday.