(Atlantic) Atlantic City Councilman and Personnel and Finance Committee Chairman Shawn Sarsfield stated at Wednesday’s City Council meeting that, after reviewing 40 applications and conducting six interviews, they found the right person to fill the City Clerk’s position left open by the resignation of Laura McLean, who is relocating to the Quad Cities.
Sarsfield says Jackie Carl has accepted a conditional offer of employment. Carl brings 21 years of City Clerk experience, having served the City of Moville from 2005 to 2016 and the City of Carter Lake from 2016 to 2026.
Jackie Carl has extensive expertise in municipal finance and administration, including required annual state reporting, budgeting and fund transfers, payroll and accounting systems, bank reconciliation, general ledger management, and securing grants and financing through USDA, IDNR, and CDBG programs. She also has experience managing IPAIT investments.
City Administrator John Lund says while Carter Lake differs from Atlantic in size and revenue sources, the two cities share many operational similarities, including a small staff structure, limited utility control, slow property tax growth, low TIF capture, and comparable fund balance management practices.
The appointment resolution includes:
- Appointment as City Clerk
- FY 2026 salary of $80,000
- Credit of 40 hours of vacation upon hire
- Vacation accrual at the 10-year seniority rate (160 hours per year)
- All other PTO is governed by the Personnel Handbook
This appointment is not political; it is a professional hiring decision for a highly skilled Finance and Administration employee. The City Clerk serves as a co-department head of the department responsible for payables, receivables, payroll, benefits administration, budgeting, levy execution, and financial reporting.
