Iowa Dept. of Transportation Planning Coordinator Scott Suhr, Monday, provided an update on the Highway 6/7th Street construction project, in Atlantic. Suhr says the milling of the old asphalt surface is complete, and Bluffs Paving is handling Portland Cement Concrete removals in the area near 7th and Plum, where the Environmental Protection Agency is set to mobilize next Monday, in preparation to remove soil contaminated with PCE (or, Tetrachoroethylene),  a solvent used by a former dry cleaning business that was detected in 1980.

Suhr says in addition, Bluffs Paving may start Sanitary Sewer Work at Plum Street, at mid-week. And, the City of Atlantic/Atlantic Municipal Utilities is scheduled to perform water main work at Plum Street, beginning this Thursday.

A traffic stop late Monday night in Fremont County resulted in the arrest of the driver on drug charges. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy stopped a pickup truck driven by 26-year old Gail Gilbert Heywood, Jr., of Randolph, at around 11:30-p.m.   Heywood, Jr., was arrested after an investigation determined he was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The man was transported to the Fremont County Jail and held on a $2,300 cash bond.

One person was injured when a car and a field sprayer collided Monday evening, in Montgomery County. The Sheriff’s Office reports a John Deere 4730 sprayer owned and operated by 25-year old Joshua Stanley Carlson, and a 2009 Hyundai Sonata, driven by 50-year old Lori Jo Mayne, collided at around 8-p.m. in the 2000 block of Highway 34.

The accident happened as both vehicles were heading westbound, and Carlson initiated a left hand turn into a field drive. He noticed the car was beginning to pass him on the left, so Carlson swerved back into his lane, when the car also swerved into the same lane. After the vehicles collided, Mayne was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, where she was treated and later released.

Damage to the sprayer was estimated at $10,000, while the car was totaled in the collision. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Red Oak Police, Red Oak Fire and Rescue, and personnel with Agri-Vision.

The Atlantic City Council is set to act on accepting bids for the Troublesome Creek Bridge project, as part of the Connector Trail to the Schildberg Recreation Area. Action on a Resolution accepting bids for the project, along with the setting of the bid  letting date as June 30th, will take place during the Council’s regular meeting at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday, and will follow a presentation from Snyder and Associates’ Engineer Dave Sturm, on the plans and details for the project.

In other business, the Council will act on awarding a contract for repairs to the street and storm sewer line at 14th and Linn Streets, to McCarthy Trenching, in the amount of $27,800. The repairs are urgently needed, since there is a sink hole forming in the area. The job includes replacement of a failing pipe as well as intake.

The Atlantic City Council will also set the date for a Public Hearing on an Urban Renewal Plan Amendment, as legal counsel has advised the Boose Building & Construction, L.C. development project on Ash Street does not require the City to issue bonds. Instead, City Administrator John Lund says the City can set up an internal loan for the project, which qualifies as debt and allows the City to set up a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District to repay itself, which, he says will save the City money and simplify the process.

The Council is also expected to act on a Resolution setting the Salaries and Wages for City Employees, effective July 1st, 2015, and authorize Mayor Dave Jones to enter into a Marketing Agreement with Utility Service Partners, Inc., for the Service Line Warranty Program, which does not cost the City anything, and purportedly gives residents an affordable utility line repair solution, while at the same time educating homeowners about their water/sewer line responsibilities. The agreement would pay the City an annual royalty of 50-cents per month, per paid warranty contract with residential customers.

Finally, the Council will hear from John Lund with regard to the City’s first Annual Tax Report, which is intended to explain the general nature of property taxes, and how Atlantic compares to other communities our size in the State, along with how the tax burden has changed, over time.