The Atlantic Board of Education will consult with a financial expert handling the sale of its bonds for the Middle School Heating, Ventilation and Cooling and Renovation project, before making a firm decision on how to cut costs from a recently announced $750,000 increase in the price of the project. The Board Tuesday heard from their architectural consultant on areas where the district could save about $350,000. They also discussed financing options if all of the “Project creep” costs were to be implemented. Design Alliance Architect Jerry Purdy will draw up a list of areas where he thinks costs could be saved without compromising the integrity of the project, such as declining to remove a concrete wall in order to get to the old boilers and take them out…not installing a proposed stage extension over the orchestra pit in the auditorium, and, using a newer, different type of plaster system on some walls, instead of the proposed three-coat system.

Purdy said the biggest cost savings could be realized in holding off on the construction of, and drainage for, the Middle School Parking lot. He says that can be tabled for another two or two-and a-half years, until the necessary funding is attained to complete it as desired. School Administrators will check with Piper-Jaffrey’s Travis Squires to explore the benefits of an additional bonding for the additional costs. Board Secretary Mary Beth Fast said the options right now, appear to be limited, according to her initial e-mails with Squires. One option involves financing the full amount, $1.5-million over the life of the sales tax. The second, if $700,000 is financed, could be accomplished by short-term borrowing, or Bond Anticipation Note  (BAN).

Much of what is decided could boil down to whether the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL), is approved by the voters during next Tuesday’s School Board elections. A renewal of the PPEL, which would begin in the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2013 and each year for 10-years thereafter, would allow the district to tax property valuations at not more than 85-cents per thousand dollars. School officials say if it passes, it would give the district some “Wiggle room,” to help cover the costs, and in terms of timing. If it doesn’t the district would likely need to borrow for the project, sooner.

w/ Ric Hanson

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An investigation into alleged drug activities at a house in Atlantic, has led to the arrest of two people on drug and child endangerment charges. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, 28-year old Justin James Taylor and 27-year old Cortney Anne McIntire were taken into custody in the their home at 1007 Elm Street, in Atlantic, Sunday.

The couple was reportedly arrested on several charges, including: Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Deliver/Cocaine; Two- counts of child endangerment; and, Sponsoring a Gathering where Controlled Substances were being used. The child endangerment charges are the result of children were being present in the home while the couple were allegedly dealing in the drug trade.

Taylor and McIntyre were being held in the Cass County Jail on $250,000 bond, each.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Department says a Corning man died during an accident last week, in Corning. Officials say 36-year old Eric Neil Pace died from electrocution resulting from an accident.

Additional information was not released on the circumstances surrounding the incident, which occurred at around 2:35-p.m., Friday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Army Corps of Engineers predicts the Missouri River will return to normal levels in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri sometime in October, and put an end to flooding that began in June.

The Corps’ Jody Farhat said Tuesday the plan to gradually reduce the amount of water released into the river has been going well so far.

The Corps already cut the amount released from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota from 160,000 to 90,000 cubic feet per second. Officials will wait until Sept. 16 to resume reductions, so there’s time to check levees and make sure they’re stable.

The Corps estimates that 37.5 million acre feet of water flowed down the Missouri River from May to August. That’s significantly more than the normal runoff of 24.8 million acre feet.

The Atlantic City Council will receive a progress report during their meeting Wednesday evening at City Hall, on the 2011 Street Improvement Projects. The report, which will be presented by Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, will be followed by action on adopting a resolution approving the Fiscal Year 2011 Street Financial Report. The State of Iowa requires the City to submit the report as a precondition for receiving Road Use Tax Funds.

In other business, the council will act on a resolution terminating a purchase agreement between the City, and Atlantic resident Ed Leistad, for property located at 706 Walnut Street. Leistad has agreed to pay the City $1,000 to terminate the agreement. If approved, the Council will have to decide on whether to reinitiate the bidding process. Mayor Dave Jones, who was one of the original bidders on property, has expressed a renewed interest in purchasing it, but Councilman Kern Miller has indicated he would like to relocate the skate park, currently at Sunnyside park, to the site. City Administrator Doug Harris is expected to recommend the Council set September 21^st, as the date for a public hearing on the disposition of the property.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday.

The Cass and Adair County Boards of Supervisors are set to meet Wednesday, in Atlantic, and Greenfield. The Supervisors in Cass County are expected to act on approving or rejecting an amendment to the current group insurance program that would allow payroll deductions for voluntary term life insurance. The board is scheduled to recess at 10-a.m. for a hearing on the proposed Cass County Redistricting Commission’s Supervisor redistricting and precincting plans.

During the Adair County Board of Supervisors meeting in Greenfield, the board will hear from: Greenfield Chamber Director Ginny Kuihfus, with regard to courtyard use; Nancy Robinson, with the 5^th Judicial District; Custodian Rich Wallace, with regard to reseeding of the north courtyard; and, Cass-Adair County Engineer Charles Marker, with regard to a petition for road rock.

Both meetings begin at 9-a.m.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Omaha Public Power District says it is already working to improve operations at its Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant. OPPD CEO Gary Gates says the utility is taking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s concerns seriously. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday that Fort Calhoun will receive more oversight as a result of the regulatory violations found in the past couple years. Both OPPD and the NRC said the concerns at Fort Calhoun don’t represent a threat to public safety. A team of OPPD officials starting looking for ways to improve Fort Calhoun’s operations earlier this year. The utility said some of those changes have already been made, but some measures have been delayed while the plant was shut down this summer because of flooding.

Troy Jerman

The Iowa Department of Transportation District 4 Office in Atlantic is pleased to announce the appointment of Troy Jerman to District 4 Engineer.  Troy replaces John Selmer who took a position in the Central office in Ames.

Troy grew up in Anthon, Iowa graduating from Anthon-Oto Community School.  He received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University.  He began his career with the Iowa Department of Transportation as a COOP student in the Sioux City RCE office in 1989 and then in the office of design in Ames.  Troy spent 3 years at the Cherokee RCE office from 1994-1997.  He then spent 6 years in the office of design in the consultant coordination section as the Field Exam Engineer from 1997-2003.  He then became a Senior Transportation Engineer in the office of Traffic and Safety and spent 7 years in that position from 2003-2010 until he was appointed the Assistant District Engineer and Interim District Engineer in District 5 which he has served for the past year.

Troy will officially begin on September 16^th.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green reports two people were arrested Saturday, on unrelated charges. 36-year old Julius Kieki, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. And, 33-year old Nicholas Pelzer, of Atlantic, was arrested for 1^st offense OWI.

Both men were brought to the Cass County Jail and held.