Atkins City Council approves parking ban, water meter changes, FY26 budget amendment and sale of city lot

At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Atkins City Council approved multiple ordinances and resolutions, including a parking prohibition, updates to water meter costs and a budget amendment for fiscal year 2026.

During unfinished business the council advanced Ordinance 24-239, a new code section prohibiting parking on certain streets, through a second reading, suspended the rules under Iowa Code section 380.3 and approved the ordinance on final reading by unanimous roll-call votes.

Council then took up Ordinance 238, the third and final reading to amend provisions pertaining to water meter costs; the ordinance passed on roll call with all members voting in favor.

City Administrator Flory presented Resolution 2026-2-02, the first budget amendment for FY26, noting the "big thing was the fire station" and explaining that several capital and timing issues shifted expenditures into FY26 (including a $1.3 million amendment and a $255,000 transfer from sewer to debt service). After a brief required public hearing with no speakers, the council voted to adopt the budget amendment.

The council also approved advertising certain city-owned real property—619 High Point Drive (Ridge View, Lot 13)—as surplus and set minimum sale terms with conditions requiring a building permit by Jan. 31, 2027, commencement of construction by May 1, 2027, and completion by Nov. 30, 2027. Administrator Flory said the lot is currently assessed at $55,000 and the sale will require the buyer to pay legal expenses.

Separately, council approved a contract with Fusebox Marketing for a redesigned city website, described by the administrator as a roughly 12-week project with a not-to-exceed cost of $7,500 (approximately $5,800 for design, $1,200 for hosting/security and $500 for ADA-related work). The new site was described as easier to maintain in-house and offering improved search and potential live-stream and text-notification features.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 24-239 (parking prohibition): approved (final reading). Roll-call: Fisher — yes; Orlando — yes; De Milner — yes; Stolen — yes. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 238 (water meter costs): approved (third/final reading). Roll-call: De Milner — yes; Fisher — yes; Orlando — yes; Stolen — yes. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 2026-2-02 (FY26 budget amendment No. 1): approved. Roll-call recorded unanimous support. Outcome: adopted. - Resolution 2026-2-3 (declare 619 High Point Drive surplus and authorize advertising): approved. Outcome: adopted. - Contract award: Fusebox Marketing, website design and hosting, not-to-exceed $7,500: approved.

The council took these votes as part of routine agenda business; several items — including the budget amendment and the property sale — include next-step implementation tasks (e.g., advertisement, legal work, and final contract execution). The meeting then moved to other business and later entered closed session on a personnel matter.