The Perry City Council met in regular session Monday.

At the meeting, City Administrator Sven Peterson reported he and Mayor Jay Pattee visited with Congressman David Young recently during a stop at the Hotel Pattee.  He also thanked the Perry Volunteer Fire Department for inviting him and Pattee to their annual banquet.  Peterson also talked about a recent tour at Wiese Industries and making is rounds to area businesses.

Mayor Jay Pattee mentioned he and Councilman John Andorf would be attending the Metro Alliance Council meeting Tuesday.  Pattee also talked about recent meetings with state legislators about things like water quality and local option sales tax.

Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley then asked Peterson about the status of looking at a tax abatement program.  He said they’re working on it and hope to bring a draft together for the Council to look over in a work session yet this month.  Dr. McCaulley also brought up that he has seen turkey vultures in the area and urged the City to harvest a few carcasses as soon as possible to deter them from roosting in town.

House District 20 candidate Scott Held then introduced himself during open forum.  He is a Democrat from Perry who is looking to unseat incumbent Republican Representative Clel Baudler in November.  He says he has worked with politics for a “very long time” now and as a Perry High School graduate and native he said he looks forward to representing his hometown at the capitol.  Held said he has gaining momentum with his campaign and wants to help move the state forward.

Two public hearings were then held, the first in regards to the proposed fiscal year 2017 budget.  The budget was later approved with a slight levy rate decrease to  $17.89 per $1,000 of valuation. Finance Officer Susie Moorhead said expenditures are expected to total $10,898,372  and revenues estimated at $11,041,830, both including numbers from the Perry Water Works.

The second public hearing was in regards to plans, specifications, and bids for the hot mix asphalt resurfacing project.  The City received two bids for the project, both over the engineer’s estimate of $810,000.  Engineer Matt Ferrier said asphalt numbers were higher than they anticipated and several other communities in central Iowa were receiving lower bids than Perry.  Due to the costs being “excessive” and more than budgeted, Ferrier recommended the Council reject the bids and attempt to get lower rates again in the future.  The Council later voted unanimously to reject all bids for the project at this time.  The City will be rebidding the project and a public hearing in regards to bids for the revised project was set for March 21st.

A reciprocal easement agreement with Hamlin Bell Associates was then approved.  This will allow for a driveway and parking access for the senior housing complex that is being built at the site of the oil middle school.  A temporary construction easement with Hamlin Bell Associates was also approved to allow the company to transport and store material on the other portion of the block where they are building the senior housing complex.

A resolution authorizing the destruction of specified documents was then approved as presented and spring clean up and yard waste pickup dates and procedures were set.

Next the Council approved a resolution designating a parking space in front of 1014 2nd Street as a persons with disabilities, or handicap, space to provide access to businesses in the 1000 block of 2nd Street.

An amendment to the City’s dumpster rental agreement was then approved.  Moorhead says this limits the rental period to 90 days unless otherwise approved by the City. It also requires the property to sign the documents, instead of just the tenants.

A resolution setting the rate for off-duty police services was then approved.  Entities needing these services for special events will be charged $45 per officer, per hour for these services and officers paid overtime through the City’s payroll system.

The sale of unused and outdated equipment was then authorized in order allow the City to get rid of 43 light fixtures that are no longer needed after lighting upgrades at Wiese Park.

Fees for rural cemetery provided services were then set.  Moorhead said this is for any cemetery services outside the Violet Hill Cemetery.

Kim Herrera and Tina Kenney were then reappointed to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board with terms ending March 1, 2019.

The first reading of an ordinance adding a section in regards to the assessment of wind energy conversion property was then approved as presented.  These will be taxed at zero percent of the net acquisition cost for the first year, followed by the cost increasing five percent for the second through sixth assessment years and topping out at 30 percent of the net acquisition cost for the seventh and subsequent years.

The first reading of an ordinance in regards to grass and noxious weeds was also approved as presented.  This will require residents to have their yards mowed within the uniform height requirements by the first and third Wednesday of the month in May through October.  Those who do not comply will have their property mowed by the City and be assessed the cost as listed.

Finally, the first reading of an ordinance amending the City’s rental code definitions was approved.  This defines a rental unit as a building or portion thereof that contains living facilities that are not occupied by the owner of the property.  Since the rental ordinance was set, several landlords have applied for exemptions for their properties stating they should not be considered rental properties because they are lived in my family members.  The Board of Appeals suggested the “owner occupied” term to help define a rental unit.

For more on the meeting and things happening in the City of Perry, tune into today’s Let’s Talk Dallas County when we speak with City Administrator Sven Peterson during the 9am, noon and 5pm hours.