The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, approved the FY 2019-2020 Budget, adopted a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and they passed a Resolution with regard to a 28-E cost-sharing agreement with the Cass County Landfill. The Council began their meeting by recognizing and saying farewell, to Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm, who is taking a similar post with the eastern Iowa City of Marion. Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Somers presented Staashelm with a placque for his years of service.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Somers presents an award to Seth Staashelm

His last day is March 14th. Staashelm thanked everyone for making he and his wife Morgan feel welcome in the community. Morgan Staashelm is a math teacher for the Atlantic High School. Former Atlantic Parks & Rec Foreman Bryant Rasmussen will take over March 15th as Interim Parks and Rec Department Director. Former Parks & Rec Director Roger Herring will be used on a consultant, or management adviser basis, through the end of August, as needed, and for no more than 20-hours per week.

Following a Public Hearing, and prior to approving the City’s FY 2020 CIP, City Administrator John Lund told the Council the plan includes updated long-term forecasting and costs. Many of the projects in the 10-year plan, won’t even begin until 2024, assuming there’s reasonable property growth. The Council Wednesday, following a Public Hearing, adopted a Resolution for the FY 2020 Budget. Lund said with the FY 2020 Budget, the combined property tax levy will remain the same as 2019. The rollback on residential property has gone up, however, which means there is more value subject to taxation, which will ultimately result in an increase in taxes to property.

The budget includes around $3.8 million in capital improvement projects. Lund says of the $3.8 million, $2.1 of that will be spent for improvements to the runway and taxiway at the airport. Additionally, $250,000 goes towards a new shelter and bathhouse at the Schildberg Recreation Area; and over $200,000 will be spent on equipment for the fire department. The budget also includes more than $200,000 for street repairs and maintenance.

And, the Council approved a 28-E General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Agreement with the Cass County Landfill, along with providing a levy to pay for the debt. The Landfill has instituted a per-capita fee of $12.00 per resident to be assessed annually. The City’s share of $85,344 is payable in four equal payments during the fiscal year. The County pays a per capita fee for all people not living inside the corporate limits. Cumberland, Massena, Anita, Griswold and Marne all pay their share as well.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge says a northwest Iowa couple owe a lawyer $2.18 million more for representing them in talks that resulted in a $7.5 million settlement with Sioux City. The judge said in her lawsuit ruling filed Monday that attorney Stan Munger’s contingency fee contract with Chad and Rosanne Plante was “reasonable and valid.” The Sioux City Journal reports that Judge Nancy Whittenburg said Munger was entitled to receive 33 percent of the settlement the city paid the Plantes to resolve claims from a 2016 bus crash that caused serious injuries to Chad Plante.

The Plantes already authorized Munger to withdraw $380,000 from the settlement. He says they told him the contingency fee agreement “is against public policy.”

Two men from Creston were arrested on separate Union County warrants, Wednesday. 29-year old Anthony Alan Short II was arrested at the Union County LEC on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original, Driving while license denied-suspended or revoked, charge. His cash-only bond was set at $300. And, 28-year old Alex Richard Cunningham was arrested on three warrants for Pretrial Release Violation. He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate.

(Radio Iowa) — The House Judiciary Committee’s chairman called it a “rare moment.” Wednesday night, Republicans and Democrats on the committee unanimously embraced a plan from Governor Kim Reynolds on felon voting rights. The proposed constitutional amendment would automatically restore the right to vote to felons who’ve completed their sentences. Backers hope the proposed amendment could be presented to voters in 2022. Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton says House Republicans will meet soon to discuss how to legally define what sentence completion means. “Because I believe the voters should know what they’re voting for,” Kaufmann says.

Kaufmann says he’s interested in keeping felons who’ve done time for murder, rape or child sex abuse from voting. “I don’t think that certain classes of criminals should ever have the opportunity to get these rights back,” Kaufmann says. Other Republicans have discussed requiring felons to pay any restitution to their victims before they’d be allowed to vote.