(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening approved a resolution designating the distribution of sales tax revenues to various funds for specific purposes.
During the April 24th meeting, the Personnel & Finance Committee reviewed the funding options for the Community Promotion Commission, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Cass Atlantic Development Corporation. It was decided that the local option sales tax dollars be diverted from CPC to the LOST Progress Fund and that both the Chamber and CADCO receive increases to their funding. Both organizations have been budgeted $35,000 per year since FY2009. Adjusted for inflation, that would bring the allocation for each to $47,700. The Council then approved the resolution adjusting the budgeted amounts in the LOST Progress Fund for FY2024. This resolution makes the adjusted allocations to both the Chamber and CADCO, each receiving $47,700. $8,500 is reserved for Produce in the Park. $45,000 is allocated for the promotional activities of the Chamber for annual community events.
The City Council also approved a resolution for the Updated Cass County Public Safety Commission Articles of Agreement.
City Administrator John Lund explains…
The Council approved the second reading of Ordinance #1031 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlantic by Amending Provisions Pertaining to the Sewer Service Charges as Contained in Chapter 99 of the Atlantic City Code. The current charges for the wastewater utility were adopted on June 26, 2013. They have not changed in nearly ten years. CPI has increased 27.38% between July 1, 2013 and July 1, 2022. The construction cost index during the same period has increased 41.54%. City Administrator John Lund said to ensure the stability of the wastewater Utility Fund, the City needs to adjust the rates, as population loss has reduced overall customers and inflation has made sustaining the plant’s labor and equipment needs unsustainable in the 10-year horizon without a rate adjustment. The increases will be phased in over a two-year period. The monthly service charge is based on the amount of water used. The first 3,000 gallons or lesser mount per month will be $30 effective July 1, 2023. All over 3,000 gallons per month will be $6 per 1,000 gallons effective July 1, 2023. Effective July 1, 2024, the first 3,000 gallons or lesser amount per month will be $31. All over 3,000 gallons per month will be $6.15 per 1,000 gallons. Effective July 1, 2025, the first 3,000 gallons or lesser amount per month will be $32. All over 3,000 gallons per month will be $6.25 per 1,000 gallons.
And, the Council approved the first reading of Ordinance #1032, Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlantic by Amending Section 69.18 ‘Special Parking Permits’. The Community Protection Committee met on March 10th to review issues concerning downtown parking permits. It was discovered during the review that the permit application and the City Ordinance did not match. The Committee made four recommendations in changing the ordinance that governs downtown parking: Current Section 2(A) has parking allowed at 9:00 p.m. It is being charged to 7:00 to reflect current business hours. Current subsection B was deleted because the City does not have a set street sweeping schedule. This subsection stated that “For purposes of street sweeping, parking is prohibited on the first Wednesday evening of each month from 5:00 p.m. until the following Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. Current sections 2(C ) stated “For purposes of snow removal, parking is prohibited after the cessation of any snow accumulation of one inch or more for a period of 48 hours for the City to clear the streets of snow from curb to curb.” The section that says ‘accumulation of one inch or more for a period of 48 hours’ was deleted to eliminate regulatory tedium. The permit fee will be updated from the current $10 to $25.
