More than a just a place where people live, our community is unique and vibrant. This community is home to friends and neighbors, people who contribute to the excellent quality of life. But its not just the people, but also the government, the businesses, the schools, and the activities that make us a great place to live or visit. We are proud to call this our home.

Contact information – City Hall Office – 319-446-7870

City Council meeting recordings are can be found in the CITY COUNCIL section at the bottom of this page.

Nomination Papers Now Available for City Elections

8/22/2025. PLEASE BE ADVISED: THE ATKINS CITY CLERK’S OFFICE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY BENTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF ELECTIONS TO RECEIVE NOMINATION PAPERS FOR ELECTIVE CITY OFFICE PURSUANT TO CODE OF IOWA SECTION 376.4(1C) AND AS SUCH WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 5:00 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 FOR SAID PURPOSES

CANDIDATES MAY NOT FILE NOMINATION PAPERS WITH THE COUNTY AUDITOR

This year the City/School Election will be held on November 4, 2025.  Three City Council (At-Large) seats are up for election; along with the Mayor’s seat – all are 4-year terms.

Citizens interested in running for these offices may now obtain a Candidate’s Guide, nomination papers, and an affidavit of candidacy from the City Clerk’s Office or online from the Iowa Secretary of State at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/cityelections.html.

Please refer to the Candidate’s Guide for a comprehensive set of regulations.  Nominees for each office must obtain at least 10 signatures.  All signatures must be from eligible electors, and nominees are encouraged to get more than the minimum. Persons signing the nomination papers must give their name, address (place of residence, not a post office box or mailing address), and the date they signed the nomination paper. The signers must still be eligible electors when the papers are filed.

Candidates may begin filing paperwork at the City Clerk’s office on August 25, 2025. The Affidavit of Candidacy must be signed in the presence of a Notary Public. The last day to file nomination papers and affidavit of candidacy is Thursday, September 18, 2025 by 5:00 P.M.

The Iowa League of Cities offers a guide for potential candidates to learn more about the rules, regulations and resources involved with running for political office.

City of Atkins issues RFP for Solid Waste, Recycling, and Yard Waste Collection Services 2025.  Click here for the document.

The City of Atkins has approved the issuance of an RFP for Solid Waste, Recycling, and Yard Waste Collection Services.  The current provider is Waste Management and has been under contract for several years to perform this service in the City.  The City Council approved the issuance of the RFP in June and will evaluate responses from service providers in late-August and anticipates consideration of a contract in September.  The new contract would begin on January 1, 2026.

Atkins Roundhouse Area Now Open! 🌳

From the Benton County Conservation Commission: We’re excited to welcome you back to the Atkins Roundhouse Area. While the space is still a work in progress, it’s ready for you to enjoy once again.

Come out and stretch your legs. You’ll notice there’s still work to be done, and that’s because we’re committed to continuous improvement for the benefit of people and nature alike.

Read More:  Benton County Conservation Commission social media post.

Read More: Benton County Conservation Commission web post.

Email the Benton County Conservation Commission Staff if you have questions.  info@bentoncountyparks.com

City Council approves change in meeting time

At a Council meeting of May 13, 2025, the Atkins City Council approved a Resolution to change the start time of the regular meetings of the City Council from 6:30 pm to 6:00 pm. The dates themselves remain unaffected and are the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month.
The next regular meeting of the Atkins City Council will therefore begin at 6:00 pm in the Community Room at City Hall on May 27, 2025.
The City Council hopes the time change is beneficial to the public and encourages more in-person attendance at City Council meetings.
As a reminder, all meetings of the City Council are open to the public to attend.

ATKINS WATER DEPARTMENT POSTS CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT

Every year, the EPA requires municipal water systems to deliver a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). This is sometimes referred to as the “Annual Drinking Water Quality Report”. The purpose of the Report is to provide customers with information about their local drinking water quality.

The 2024 report indicates that Atkins drinking water complies with all federal and state drinking water quality standards, such as the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.

Atkins water supply is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Since 1999, the EPA has required municipalities to report to its residents each year on the quality of its drinking water and include information on water sources and water treatment methods, as well as information on impurities that may have been present in the local drinking water. The EPA requires monitoring of more than 80 regulated drinking water impurities and testing for other emergent contaminants.

The Report must be completed and posted to the City’s website by July 1st (a link to the Report is available under the “utilities” section) and the Report was also published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Additionally, the Report is available to anyone who would like a copy by calling City Hall or the Water Department, and it is also posted at City Hall.

The Atkins Water Department is committed to continuously monitoring the quality of its water and the treatment process. Likewise, it is a priority of the City of Atkins to provide the residents of the City with safe drinking water now and in the future.

The City does have Hydrogen Sulfide Gas that naturally occurs in the water source that the City’s wells draw from and the water treatment process does normally remove 100% of this gas. Although, there have been a couple occurrences due to electrical equipment failures over the past 2 months, which prevented all the gas from being removed. While the gas presents a displeasing odor, the water is completely safe to use and consume. The Water Department is working on additionally preventative measures to mitigate that from reoccurring in the future.

In 2012, the Atkins Water Treatment Plant project was selected to receive an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies. The Water Treatment Plant features a full-scale reverse osmosis treatment system, aeration, an 80,000-gallon clearwell, and extensive chemical addition (Atkins was the first water treatment plant in the state of Iowa to be 100 percent reverse osmosis without blending). In addition, odor scrubbing was added to the facility due to the plant’s location on a main street in town.

The City continues to improve and make investments in its Water Treatment Facility and made upgrades in 2022 and 2023.

Quick Links:

What’s New with the Atkins Fire Station Project

    • The Atkins Fire Station Rebuild is underway.  Completion of the project is planned for early 2026. Check back here for updates on this exiting project.

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