Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley talked by phone last night (Monday) with Judge Merrick Garland, President Obama’s pick to fill a vacancy on the U-S Supreme Court. Grassley says he and Garland agreed to meet for breakfast in the next week or two for what Grassley says is a “courtesy call.” “I’d like to see him and I think he is a very decent person,” Grassley says. “I think it’ll be a good conversation.”

Grassley chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and says he will -not- call a hearing for Garland as Grassley believes the -next- president should pick a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Garland is the chief judge of the U-S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Grassley knows, Garland plans to argue his case during the breakfast meeting.

“That’s his privilege and I can state my position as well,” Grassley says. “I think I made it very clear that that’s what I’m going to do, is tell him what the situation is and why we aren’t moving forward and he’s going to tell me why we should, and that’s his job. I think he’s going to tell me a lot about him and I’m gonna’ listen.” A specific date for the Grassley-Garland meeting hasn’t yet been set.

(Radio Iowa)

The City Council in Atlantic will meet Wednesday (April 6th) and act on an agreement with UMB Bank for the purchase of General Obligation Corporate Purpose and Refunding Bonds, not to exceed $5-million. The meeting, at City Hall, begins at 5:30-p.m. City Administrator John Lund says UMB has offered to significantly reduce the underwriter’s fees and offer a ceiling on the true interest rate for the bond issuance.

Lund says the agreement, if approved, would result in a savings of more than $142,778 in interest costs between Fiscal Years 2018-and 2026, and it would free-up $790,000 in critical debt levy resources that can be made available for other projects. On the other hand, the City would accrue $75,980 in NEW interest due to the extended maturity date of the bonds, plus $22,604 in issuance costs and nearly $10,870 in underwriter’s fees.  All-in-all, he says more than $33,200 in taxpayer dollars would be saved by the change, if approved.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will receive a presentation with regard to Bull Creek Storm Water Improvement Projects, and, a presentation from Hospital, Chamber and Cass County Foundation officials, with regard to a Strategic Community Plan. They’ll also act on: Appointing Christina Bateman to the Planning & Zoning Commission; An order closing specified streets on August 7th for a church block party, and August 13th, for AtlanticFest.

The Council is also expected to set April 20th as the date for a Public Hearing on a proposed ordinance for vacating an alley in Block 73 of the City of Atlantic. The so-called “Phantom Alley,” is not maintained by the City, and does not connect any streets. An offer has been made to purchase the land for $500. The Planning and Zoning Commission has previously voted to vacate the property.