The Perry City Council met in regular session Monday.
The meeting began with a project update from City Engineer Matt Ferrier. He stated that the Willis Avenue bridge project is set for a February bridge letting, the Highway 144 intersection with Willis Avenue’s paperwork is completed and a pre-construction meeting is set for next week with Voltmer Electric. Construction will likely start in April. Ferrier said the soccer complex project will be rebid in January, with the City hopefully securing some additional grant money. The sewer project data is being studied and the Council will asked to approve a grant application for the Bock Family Foundation before the January deadline. Ferrier said he and others have walked around 60 blocks of street in the past few weeks to consider roads for the Hot Mix Asphalt project, it too will likely be bid in January.
Councilman Phil Stone then congratulated Councilwoman Barb Wolling on her upcoming retirement later this week. He also mentioned the rental code and asked Compliance Officer Steve Tibbles to provide a reminder. All rental properties need to be registered before the end of the month to avoid a $100 per unit late fee. So far, City Clerk Corey Eastman says around 80 properties have been registered. Councilman Chuck Schott says it’s a very simple process to complete online and as a landlord himself he did not have trouble figuring it out.
Alice Wicker with the Dallas County Local Housing Trust Fund then spoke to the Council. The Fund was formed in 2004 and is the only such organization in the state that has the support of every community in the county. Wicker explained how the Fund works to rehabilitate homes in Dallas County. Since its inception, the group has completed projects on 38 homes in Perry alone, for a total of $255,097. The Council agreed to contribute around $5,700 toward the Fund.
Next a public hearing was held in regards to the disposal of public property for the old middle school lot at Willis Avenue and 12th Street. The Council approved the sale of the property to Hamlin Bell Associates for the purpose of constructing a senior housing development at a cost of $52,800. A reciprocal easement request from Hamlin Bell was also approved to build a driveway on the property.
The final plat for the Casalina Chateau plat 1 subdivision was then approved as presented and as recommend by the planning and zoning commission.
City Engineer Matt Ferrier will speak with us on tomorrow’s Let’s Talk Dallas County to discuss current and upcoming projects in the City of Perry.