(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council will meet 90-minutes earlier than usual when the meet Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 1st). The Council will gather for a 4-p.m. session in their Chambers at City Hall. Among the action items on their agenda, is:

• A resolution “Obligating funds from the Southeast Urban Renewal Area (URA) Revenue Fund for Appropriation to the payment of annual appropriation Tax Increment Financed (TIF) obligations,” which are due in the next succeeding fiscal year. City Administrator John Lund notes “This is bureaucratic red tape relating to [a TIF] for the Redwood Subdivision.” Action on a similar resolution will take place, with regard to the Hotel Whitney URA.
• Action on a resolution “Granting [an] extension on the maximum accrued vacation hours for Assistant Police Chief Paul Wood.” Wood has served the A-PD for 19-years. City Administrator John Lund reports that due to ongoing staffing issues with the Police Department, Assistant Chief Wood has had to delay the use of his Paid Time-Off (PTO) hours and fill shifts for other officers, sometimes swinging between day and night shifts. At the end of October, Wood will have nearly 250 vacation hours on the books. He is requesting an extension of his vacation accrual bank until the end of January, 2024, so that he does not lose nearly 90-hours of vacation accumulated over the 160 hours allowed for City employees with 10-or more years of service. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee recommend the Council approve a formal extension be given until the end of March, 2024, for Wood to use his vacation time over 160 hours.
• The Council will act on a Personnel and Finance Committee recommendation to approve the job description, FY2024 compensation and posting of an Assistant Code Enforcement and Animal Control Officer position. The committee recommends the full-time position would be compensated at $22.74/hour, or $47,299.20 annually. The position would be overtime eligible, have City health insurance, and IPERS benefits.
• The Atlantic City Council will also act on approving an amended ordinance with an updated position description for “City Administrator,” to include (but not limited to):
  • Preparing the City’s annual budget and related components;
  • Reviewing and recommending change to the City Council on the City’s annual compensation for all employees not covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement;
  • Managing the development and administration of labor contracts, in accordance with Iowa law;
  • Directing and coordinating activities of City departments of Finance & Administration, Public Works and others, as determined by the Council. The hiring, promoting and discipline of employees of departments directly supervised, and the overseeing of Department Head meetings;
  • Acting as the City Zoning Administrator;
  • Acting as the City’s Flood Plain Manager;
  • Advising the Council on insurance matters;
  • Performing other duties as may be required by the Council, not inconsistent with the City charter, law or ordinances.

And, the Council will act Wednesday on approving the Annual Urban Renewal Report as required by the Iowa Department of Management. The report details everything relating to TIF Districts and projects. Failure to submit the report would prevent the County Auditor from collecting property tax revenues from the URA’s for the City’s TIF obligations. The Council approved the 2022 Urban renewal report during their meeting Nov. 16, 2022.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Cass County (IA) are set to receive a trio of regular reports, act on two appointments, and prioritize CIP (Capital Improvement Project) costs. Their 9-a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 31st) agenda includes action on passing a resolution pertaining to an agreement for storage space at the Willow Heights utility building, and, the appointment of Carol Seddon and Denise O’Brien to the Cass County Food Policy Council.

The Board will receive a Quarterly report from Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee, and a Monthly report from Cass County Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator Debbie Schuler, as well as a weekly update from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken. On a related note, the Supervisors are expected to approve the hiring of a Secondary Road Department Equipment Operator 1 (Anita District), at a probationary wage of $24.50/hour.

The Board will discuss the costs associated with, and prioritize these CIP ‘s:

• Secondary Road Sheds: Anita, Griswold, Massena & Atlantic.
• Conservation Dept.: Hitchcock House (Foundation repair & barn siding); Cold Springs Park (Restrooms, picnic shelter & camp sites near the beach).
• Courthouse improvements: Including the boiler and windows.

Join the meeting electronically at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064
Or, Call In to:
312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say the driver’s of two SUV’s complained of pain and possible injury, but they were not transported to the hospital, following a collision Saturday morning near the Creston High School. Authorities report a 2004 Buick Rendezvous SUV driven by 15-year-old Karlee Capson, of Creston, was stopped, facing east on Townline Road, waiting to turn north into the high school parking lot, when the vehicle was struck from behind by a 2016 Jeep Renegade SUV. The accident happened at around 9:30-a.m.

The driver of the Jeep, 20-year-old Macy Adamson, of Creston, told police she had looked down at her radio for second, before hitting the rear of the Buick. The airbags on her SUV deployed during the impact. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

Damage from the collision amounted to $10,000. No citations were issued, but the Police report noted Adamson was following too close, and “operator inexperience” was a factor in the accident.

(Radio Iowa) – A new Iowa Poll from the Des Moines Register and N-B-C News shows former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley tied for second place with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but both trail former President Trump by 27 points. Trump’s lead has increased slightly from the Register’s Iowa Poll in late August. Haley and DeSantis both registered 16 percent support in this latest Iowa Poll. It found Haley has a growing amount of support among independents who plan to register as Republicans to vote on Caucus night. A third of independents said they plan to vote for Trump, Haley got 22 percent and DeSantis got 12 percent of independents. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott was a distant third in the poll, with seven percent support. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has not campaigned in Iowa this year, got four percent, as did businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus four-point-nine percent. It was conducted from October 22nd through the 26th and includes responses from 404 likely Iowa Caucus-goers. Former Vice President Mike Pence dropped out of the race on the 28th. Pence had two percent in the Iowa Poll, but all respondents were asked who their second choice candidate was and those second choice responses were added to other candidates.

(Radio Iowa) – A Hancock County man is charged in the weekend murder of his estranged wife.  The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says at about 11:11 on Saturday morning, Hancock County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in Woden for a welfare check. On arrival, deputies made entry into the residence and located 56-year-old Karen Crews of Woden, who was later pronounced dead at the residence. 56-year-old Roger Crews Junior of Woden was arrested at about 8:30 on Saturday night in Freeborn County in southern Minnesota without incident and was charged with first-degree murder.

The DCI says Karen and Roger Crews were separated and living apart. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI) — A man convicted of a Christmas Day murder in Fort Dodge will spend the rest of his life in prison. Lakendrick Mosley was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole following his first-degree murder conviction in August. Mosley shot and killed 46-year-old Montreail Dungy before fleeing the state.

He and his half-brother Darwin Green, who authorities say was the Mosley’s getaway driver, were arrested in Minnesota months after the deadly shooting. Green was initially charged with aiding and abetting the murder but pleaded guilty to fleeing the state to avoid prosecution and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Mosley has appealed his conviction to the Iowa Supreme Court.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says the immediate priority for the new speaker of the U-S House is bringing a series of budget bills up for a vote on the House floor. Nunn supports the House G-O-P’s new plan to try to reduce federal spending below the level the former House speaker and President Biden agreed to this spring. President Biden has also proposed a spending package with funding for Israel, Ukraine and U-S border security.

Nunn says the new House speaker is right to plan for separate votes on those issues. Nunn is calling for a conversation about funding for the war in Ukraine, as he says there’s currently no accountability, no strategy going forward and no vision of what the end of the war should look like.

(Radio Iowa) –  The University of Iowa has won the bid to take over the Mercy Iowa City hospital in a a second chance twist. Equity firm Preston Hollow Community Capital had won the bid for the Iowa City hospital earlier this month — but their financing was determined unviable. The U-I’s original bid of 28 million dollars was chosen as the best option after the first bid was turned down. The purchase must be approved in bankruptcy court in a sale hearing on November 6th before the U-I can take over.

The U-I issued a statement saying they plan to conduct an in-depth analysis of the healthcare needs of the Iowa City community before making any modifications to Mercy’s hospital or services. The University says it intends to offer employment to substantially all Mercy employees.