Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones will administer the Oath of Office to the City’s newest Police Officer, Wednesday. Officer Dustin Gelner began working with the Atlantic Police Department on April 24th. Originally from Vinton, Louisiana, Gelner met his wife Michelle, an Atlantic native, while serving in the armed forces for five-years. Michelle Gelner is a nurse at CCMH. Both moved to town and have found a home to raise their family. The couple has a two-and one-half year old son, and recently welcomed a daughter, who is now three months old. The event is part of the regular City Council meeting, which begins 5:30-p.m. at the Atlantic City Hall.

The Atlantic City Council will act on approving an application for the Ba-Da Ba-Da Bing Bang Rally set for May 18th. The rally of vintage military equipment has been a popular event over the past few years, and requires certain temporary road closures for a 3-p.m. “cruise” beginning and ending at the Armory (American Legion Memorial bldg.). The route follows Poplar Street south of 7th Street, then west to 10th, continuing onto Sunnyside Lane to 22nd Street all the way to Highway 71. A rest stop will be taken at Wal-Mart, before the military vehicles proceed to head back to the Armory using 14th, Plum Street; Roosevelt Drive; 11th Street; Linn Street; 10th Street; Chestnut Street; 7th Street; 3rd Street, and finally Poplar. There will be an Atlantic Police escort for the participants.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold a Public Hearing on the sale of 602 Spruce Street, followed by a Resolution acting on the sale of the property. They will also act on approving a Resolution authorizing a Loan Agreement and the Issuance of Bonds for a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Note. City Administrator John Lund points out the City is a member of a 28-E organization that operates the Cass County Landfill. The City, he says, is required to support the Landfill financially, if the Landfill determines it is necessary. The Landfill has implemented a per-capita fee of $12 per residence ($85,344), payable in four equal installments over the course of the fiscal year. Since the City does not have the ability to foot that kind of financial obligation out of the General Fund over the long term. “Bonding for this type of debt is not logical,” he says. That leaves the City with one alternative: working with local banks for a paper debt and to make an immediate payment of the principal and any interest. Since it is still a debt, Public Hearings and the proper paperwork are required.

The Council will act on a Resolution approving the contract and bonds for the 2019 Palm Street improvement project, and a Resolution setting May 15th as the date for a Public Hearing on amending the FY 2019 Budget

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in eastern Iowa and other states along the Mississippi River are preparing for record or near-record crests. The Rock Island gauge at Davenport showed the level Tuesday morning at a little more than a foot under the record crest of 22.6 feet set in July 1993. It’s expected to crest Wednesday evening a few inches short of the record.

The Muscatine gauge showed the river more than 3 feet below the July 1993 record of 25.6 feet. It’s expected to crest a little more than a foot under the record at Muscatine, where officials have placed new berms and are preparing to divert downtown traffic.

The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are forecast through Wednesday afternoon, dropping enough rain to alter the predicted river crests.
The service also says storms and flash flooding are expected for portions of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department report 52-year old Richard Lewis, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday for violation of a No Contact Order. Lewis was booked-into the Cass County Jail. And, no injuries were reported following an accident Saturday, in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.  A skid loader was hauling a large barrel from across the street at around 11:15-a.m. when it struck a legally parked vehicle owned by Harlan Sisco, of Atlantic. The driver of the skid loader was identified as Douglas Mitchell, of Atlantic. Damage from the mishap amounted to $2,000. No citations were issued.