A building code is a good idea

The latest dustup at city hall involves building codes and inspections. The city of Atlantic is in the process of adopting the universal building code, which means new construction and some remodeling work will now soon require building inspections. There will be a fee for these inspections and not surprisingly the idea has met with a fair amount of controversy.
The issue seems to be this, supporters correctly point out that the state has already passed codes for electrical and plumbing. Those codes require that electricians and plumbers be certified by the state. It also requires buildings to be inspected. The city, if it adopts the code, can use it’s own inspectors for the job or contract with another company to do them for the city.
The city does not have to adopt the new codes, but if it doesn’t, the state code will automatically be enforced. State inspectors will then be used. The bottom line is that inspections are going to happen one way or another.
The concern from some is that there won’t be enough state inspectors to go around, and it could be weeks before a state inspector can get to a job site in Atlantic. So the city has decided to contract with a company out of Pottawattamie County, JAS, to assist in adopting the code and setting the inspection fees, with the idea being that inspectors will be available in Atlantic when needed.
An additional concern is that of fees. There will be fees for the inspections regardless of who does them. The questions are, A) how much will they be, B) who gets the money?
The answer to the first question is, we don’t know yet. The city is in the process of forming an ad-hoc committee that will work with JAS to come up with a fee schedule. JAS officials have said that the fees for will be based on square footage, and will run around $2,000 to $3,000. There will also be fees for some types of remodeling work, additions including decks and things like that. Officials have not publicly said how much those fees will be, and there seems to be a lot of questions as to what kind of work will require a permit and inspections. Those questions will need to be answered.
As for who gets the money, if the city does the inspections, JAS will get 75 percent of the inspection fees and the city will get 25 percent. If the state does the inspections it will keep the fees.
Where do I stand in all this?
Building codes are a good thing. They are there for the public’s protection. Most people are unfamiliar with construction materials and methods and have no way of determining if their home is being built safely. A building code sets out minimum standards that everyone must adhere to. Simply put, it makes homes safer. That’s good.
It will also benefit low income residents, forced to rent in homes that may not meet those standards. Landlords won’t be required to bring homes up to standard, but any new construction, or remodel work, will have to meet the standard. As new homes are built and old homes retired, the overall housing standard in Atlantic will rise and the number of unsafe homes will be reduced.
Some citizens are justifiably worried that new fees will be restrictive and hurt the local construction market. Will it make construction more expensive? Yes, but it doesn’t have to be prohibitively so.
I think the city has made a wise move in expanding the size of the ad-hoc committee, a suggestion that came from JAS officials incidentally, to include contractors, electricians, plumbers, realtors and the general public. The city should seek out responsible, thoughtful, individuals for the job, even if they may oppose the idea at this point. A committee of “yes-men” serves no one, and the decisions they make, will live with for a long time. Once the rules are in place, they’re not going away. Let the committee take its time and work out the details so that everyone can live with the results.
City officials should also make sure the process is open and keep the public informed. There are a lot of questions out there, legitimate questions that deserve an answer, and not an attack on the questioner.
The process got off to rocky start, but if supporters can be less defensive and more open, and if those who oppose it can be less accusatory, and more open, then there may be a chance for putting in place something that will benefit everyone in the community.
That may be a lot to ask for, but here’s hoping.

It's time to
embrace
the future

Last March a group of concerned Atlantic residents got together over a few evenings to discuss the direction the community should be moving in.
Called the "Vision 2020: Atlantic's Plan For the Future," the meetings were hosted by John McCurdy, a community development specialist with the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) but the ideas generated came from ordinary citizens concerned about the future of the community.
Some of the sub goals included making Atlantic a center for research and development in bio-fuels, develop area business parks, add 300 new primary income jobs and 100 managerial or professional jobs, increase available housing units by about 500 units, increase recreational trails and water recreation options, develop a venue for the arts, develop new leaders, increase lodging, and coordinate educational services to link individuals with appropriate learning services. The various sub-goals have target dates ranging like 2008, 2010, 2020 (the target date for the plan) and "on-going" meaning that they would be continuing efforts.
The goals identified were expressed in the format of "Atlantic will..." and included "lead the way in technology," "have many high quality jobs," "develop the necessary housing for a growing population," "expand recreational opportunities," "market itself locally and beyond," "welcome more people," "have a high standard of living," and "educate its people for the future."
I bring this up because I attended some of the meetings, and one of the issues that seemed to have a lot of support involved “leading the way in technology.” A number of ideas were discussed, but among them was the idea of providing city-wide wifi coverage.
This what I wrote at the time:

Why not create a fund that will assist local merchants to purchase computers and develop a website. Those websites could then be linked by a search engine that would allow residents to search for products in Atlantic, before they go out of town to shop.
Funding could come from the city, Community Promotion Commission, Chamber of Commerce, CADCO, P.R.I.D.E. and other service groups. The fund could be used to offer businesses technology upgrade grants or loans to purchase computers, software etc. Classes and seminars could be held to help businesses owners understand how to use the equipment and software, how it can impact their businesses and assist them in setting up internet storefronts.
Ultimately the goal would be to create a directory of local business websites and email addresses. Businesses could offer residents the opportunity to purchase merchandise online, which could be picked up or delivered later that day.
The price of PC's is low enough, under $1,000, that it wouldn't take an outrageous amount of money to get the project started. And there are several websites available that, through the use of templates, provide a low-cost, easy to use, solution to website design.
Our own AMU could perhaps act as the server and maybe offer discounts on high speed wireless service.
Or better yet, free high-speed internet access would attract businesses that need fast, reliable communications and want the benefits of a small town, (safety, good schools etc) and still have access to outside markets.
It could serve to attract small Internet type businesses which sell products all over the world not just Atlantic and allow us to seek out employees who may be able to work at home rather than in Des Moines or Omaha.
At the very least it would provide one more incentive for new downtown businesses and a boost for existing ones at a relatively low cost.

Anyway, I don’t know if you saw the front page of the Omaha World Herald this morning (7/10), but there is a story about the community of Tabor that will be launching a city-wide wireless internet system in a few months. It is apparently the community in the state to do so.
You can find the details here.
They’ve hire a company to implement the plan and it’s going to cost the city about $240,000 over two years, and residents can sign up for $27 a month. The charge will be included on their municipal utility bill.
Yeah it’s expensive, but communities across the state are already offering internet service through their municipal utilities, including Atlantic. And there’s no question that the internet will play an increasingly important role in our lives. With the price of gasoline going up (and it will continue to go up) the ability to work online will become more and more attractive. A community that is safe, has good schools, progressive ideas and the willingness to carry them out, a variety of recreation opportunities, and a thriving downtown may well be the community of the future. The community that thrives rather than survives.
Maybe it’s time Atlantic took the next step.