The City Administrator in Atlantic updated the City Council Wednesday evening on that status of the budget, and on the likelihood of bringing fiber optic internet service to town. John Lund said in his prepared statement that, as far as the budget is concerned, it’s “Looking excellent.”

In more detail, Lund said he has received tax valuations from Cass County Auditor Dale Sundermen, and based on what he’s seen, he will likely recommend that tax levies remain flat for the next year. Lund said “Any changes people see to their property taxes will be due to the changes of value to their property or the levies set by the County and School District.” He said “We are not in a windfall situation by any means, but we have the resources available to continue with existing operations and manage the increase of costs relating to annual inflation.” He added that the equalization order from the State has helped the City’s General Fund and Debt Service levels, which in-turn, helps to offset the Multiresidential property classification that began this year, and the Commercial rollback.

Lund said the City also had “An excellent year of receipts from the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST).” He added that “Due to being so conservative with the LOST Streets fund the past two years, we [The City] have accumulated a considerable balance,” and that there should be funds available to take care of repairing or resurfacing all the downtown alleys. He went on to say that “Atlantic can continue to sustain a flat to minimal-growth tax climate in the short and intermediate term, and provide the highest levels of services [while] maintaining our infrastructure, which will lower [The City’s] long-term costs, and as those renewals occur and less is needed, it should ease the tax burden on all classes of property.”

With regard to fiber optic cable, Lund said he has adjusted the City’s Capital Improvement Program, and he proposed using the LOST fund. He’s designated a new line item “Fiber Optic Seed Money,” which will help to cover the costs of issuing a revenue bond for One-half million dollars ($500,000) to set-up the infrastructure for cable. Sales tax money, he said, would likely cover the bond issuance fees and first year of bond payments.

Mayor Dave Jones said the City is 10-years behind other cities in getting fiber optic cable installed for businesses and residential. The primary goal has always been to service businesses with fiber optic, first. Jones said he and other City officials have met with AMU (Atlantic Municipal Utilities), and the two entities are planning to put together a feasibility study, and have a third-party administrator handle the rest. The goal would be to have the City and AMU place the cable in the ground.

In other business, the Council unanimously approved the appointment of long-time City Clerk Deb Wheatley Field to her position for another term.  She’s been City Clerk since 1982, and will be completing her 34th year, next month.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $500 million as more people across the country buy a chance at the biggest prize in nearly a year. Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association raised the jackpot estimate from $450 million due to strong sales before Wednesday night’s drawing.

The jackpot ranks as the sixth largest offered in North America and the biggest since a $564.1 million Powerball prize shared by players from North Carolina, Texas and Puerto Rico last February. A winner of Wednesday’s jackpot could claim the pre-tax $500 million prize through an annuity over 29 years or in a single pre-tax payout of $306 million. Powerball is played in 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The top concerns among the CEOs of the state’s largest businesses haven’t changed much in the new year. Elliott Smith is executive director of the Iowa Business Council (IBC). “Business leaders in the state really continue to be concerned about workforce issues and the availability of the quality, skilled employees that they need,” Smith said.

The IBC has released its annual review of the state’s economic climate — what the group calls the Iowa Competitiveness Index. Smith says the “report card” shows business leaders are struggling to find qualified workers in order to expand their operations or replace employees who are retiring. “It’s been an ongoing issue for a number of years now and it’s a real issue that continues to be on a challenge list for corporate executives, recruiters, and economic development officials,” Smith said. “I think that’s the overriding key priority out of the 2016 Competitiveness Index.”

This is the sixth year the IBC has compiled the Index, which examines data in five areas deemed important to the state’s prosperity; economic growth, education and workforce readiness, governance and fiscal matters, and health and well-being. The index is released just prior to the start of the legislative session. The IBC is pushing state lawmakers to find ways to constrain “explosive” Medicaid costs.

“A lot of that is driven by efficient and effective delivery of services,” Smith said. “A lot of that is also based on better disease prevention and management through addressing all the growing chronic disease conditions in the state and things like obesity and smoking.” In addition to the top executives of the largest businesses in the state, the Iowa Business Council is comprised of the three Regent university presidents, and the president of the Iowa Banking Association.

(Radio Iowa)