The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to adopt on the second- and third-reading, a revised Ordinance pertaining to Private Wells. The first reading of the revised ordinance was approved during the Council’s meeting on Sept. 5th, and is less restrictive than the original draft. The new ordinance, if adopted during the Council’s 5:30-p.m. session, Wednesday, says “No person shall install a private drinking or non-drinking water well…within city limits, unless a determination has been made by the City Administrator that: It is a closed-loop system” or that the well is located greater than 1,000-feet from where an area of contamination (requiring corrective action under Iowa law), has been determined to exist.

The Ordinance says “In addition, drinking water wells outside the 1,000-foot restricted area shall not be installed, if the building to be served is within 250-feet from an accessible water distribution main owned and controlled by the City.”  The Iowa DNR has identified the City’s old street garage site at 211 Commerce, and sites at 1408 East 7th, and 100 West 2nd Street, as contaminated sites, under Iowa law.

City Administrator Doug Harris says the DNR has recommended the Council adopt the ordinance because they feel the action would more effectively protect public health and at a lower cost, than either removing the contaminated dirt (at an estimated cost of $150,000), or monitoring those sites over the next 30- to 50-years until the contamination has dissipated (at an estimated cost of $10,000 per year).

The Iowa Department of Transportation will be closing the northbound Interstate 29 to westbound I-480 ramp (exit 53A), in Council Bluffs Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 26 and 27, to make bridge repairs. Northbound I-29 traffic will be routed around the construction zone by exiting at 35th Street (exit 54B) and traveling south on I-29 to westbound I-480.

Motorists will want to allow some extra time in the morning hours to travel on this detour. The roadway should be reopened to traffic by Friday, Sept. 28, weather permitting. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limits and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office in Atlantic reports the overpass on U.S. 59 that spans Iowa Highway 92 near Carson, in Pottawattamie County, has been closed for repairs. The overpass was struck Monday afternoon by a truck hauling a backhoe on Iowa 92, which damaged the U.S. 59 overpass beams. Engineers have inspected the overpass and determined that the overpass must be closed until repairs can be made.

The Iowa DOT is expecting this to be a longer-term closure to allow for the contract bid process and repair work required. The Iowa DOT will provide information about the reopening of the overpass as soon as it is available.

An onsite detour is in place utilizing the U.S. 59 and Iowa 92 ramps. Motorists should be aware of signs directing traffic through this area. A 53-foot length limit is in place on this detour. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will discuss and possibly act on a Valuation exemption agreement for an Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area parcel or parcels. The move is likely a prelude to the possible creation of a 25-million gallon Cellulosic ethanol plant by Fagen, Incorporated, on the site of the defunct Amaizing Energy Ethanol plant.

The Board will also act on approving a Length of Service pay rate adjustment for a part-time assistant in the Recorder’s Office, and, the assignment of a County-held tax sale certificate of purchase, with a compromise on the total amount due, with regard to a property in Cumberland.

Their meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Supervisors’ board room at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic.

BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) – A state audit shows poor record-keeping at the western Iowa city of Blencoe has led to a loss of more than $71,000 in property taxes and unsupported spending of city money. Former city clerk Kym Harris served from January 2008 until she resigned last September after the city discovered financial reports hadn’t been filed. The city couldn’t collect property taxes for the fiscal year that ended in June. Harris told the Omaha World Herald in January she was going through cancer treatments and things were in turmoil.

The audit, released Tuesday by State Auditor David Vaudt, found just over $2,400 of unsupported expenditures and more than $300 of improper reimbursements to Harris.    Blencoe, population 225, is 45 miles south of Sioux City.

The CAM and Elk Horn-Kimballton Board of Education held regular, separate meetings Monday evening, in Anita and Elk Horn, respectively. In Anita, CAM Superintendent Steve Pelzer said while the enrollment numbers won’t be certified to the State of Iowa until October, it looks like they have seen an increase in the number of students attending the school district. He said early projections show a possible increase of 10-to 15 students over last year.

Pelzer said the Connections online Academy is doing well also, with an estimated 240 students taking courses through the program, which works in conjunction with the school district. In other business, Pelzer says the Board re-elected Gary Dinkla as its President, and Nick Kaufman as Vice President. And, they approved a request to the State for modified allowable growth for a negative Special Education deficit, but Pelzer said while they don’t anticipate actually having a deficit, the Board approved it just in case.

In Elk Horn, the EHK School Board Monday re-elected Mark Smith as President and Kevin Petersen as Vice President. Superintendent Dean Schnoes said the Board also approved a bid amounting to about $21,000, for the purchase of a new heat pumps from Rasmussen Mechanical Services, out of Council Bluffs. Schnoes said bearings on the heat pumps located in the Elementary/Superintendents/Commons area of the building were going out, and sounded like a “747 taking off.” The new heat pumps will be mounted on the ceiling to keep the vibrations to a minimum. They’ll replace the heat pumps which were more than 30-years old.

Schnoes said also, that while the enrollment numbers for the District won’t be certified until October, the latest numbers show an increase of “two-to three-bodies,” but the future appears to be looking bright, he says, because of the number of new births in the area. He says they’ve noticed a lot more children being born in the area, and perhaps more people will be moving back into the rural areas to raise their families, which would obviously be a benefit for future enrollment numbers.