The Director of the Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic gave his annual report to the City Council Wednesday night. Dan Haynes spoke before city leaders at the Senior Center, while renovations continue at City Hall. He said the YMCA staff are keeping busy and they’re still pleased with things that are going on there, in the areas of programming, membership, and facility usage. As far as usage, the numbers show the Atlantic YMCA had the lowest number of visits last year (140,257) since 2004, when there were 122,511. The number of visits peaked in 2008 at 158,465.

Haynes says there were 1,973 membership units in 2012, which was down from 2,090 due to software conversion and cleanup issues, and drop-off’s by clients holding Humana Insurance. The  Y served 253 households on various types of scholarships in 2012. 505 people were served with direct scholarships, while hundreds more kids served by other, subsidized programs. The bulk of the Y’s members in 2012 were women (2,435), but the men weren’t far behind, at 2,331 members. The facility is most popular among persons ages 30-to 54, followed by the 12-to 17 age group and those 65 and up.

The facilities’ Fiscal Year 2013 budget is just under $1.36-million, including revenue from the Ann Wickman Childhood Development Center, the budget is $1.83-million. A standard annual audit report will be released later this Spring. Haynes said volunteers raised $95,000 for scholarships and subsidies for programming, from community members and businesses. The fundraising campaign for this year, according to Haynes, has just gotten underway.

As far as programming is concerned, Haynes said more than 100 second graders went through the Y’s free water safety course over the past year, the Jack and Jill preschool program is still “going strong,“ and that the Nishna Valley YMCA’s “Flying Sharks” Division 2 swim team won the State Championship among Iowa YMCA’s. last weekend, in Marshalltown. The team will be involved in regional competition this weekend, in the Minneapolis area.

Haynes said also, more than 120 children were registered at the Ann Wickman Center, and new this past year, is a collaboration with the Atlantic Public Library, Cass County Extension, and school system to provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and literacy after school programs. The Y has 14 volunteer board members, led by President Christina Bateman, seven full-time and 123 part-time staff members, along with City Council representative Ashley Hayes.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the final plans and specifications, along with the authorizing of bids for, the Park Maintenance building. Bids for the project are slated to be received by no later than March 28th, for review. The contract will be awarded during the Council’s meeting on April 3rd. The project is expected to cost around $311,00.

In other business, the Council approved the plans, specs, form of contract and estimated costs for the 2013 Street Improvement Project. The bid opening was held Wednesday afternoon. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm said there were four bids for the project. He recommended, and the Council approved, an awarding of the contract to Precision Concrete Services, in Atlantic, for 1.75-million dollars, which was just under the engineer’s estimated project cost of a little more than $1.8-million. The project includes reconstruction of four blocks of 4th Street.

Sturm said it is likely Henningsen Construction, of Atlantic, will be the subcontractor for the project through Precision Concrete, since the two companies worked hand-in-hand with each other on last year’s street projects, with Henningsen having won the low bid that time around as the prime contractor. Construction is expected to begin early next month.

The Council referred to the Community Development Committee, a request for a $250,000 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) grant from Don Sontagg. If the Committee deems the request fits the new TIF Policy, it will recommend the Council approve the application. Sonntag says he needs the financial assistance to construct of a 10-duplex condominium complex in the area known as Southern Heights II. If built, it’s expected about half the units would be sold, the other half rented.

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