The Perry City Council met in regular session Monday.
At the meeting, Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley stated that the Council was 100 percent behind the tax abatement program and though only three members were in attendance at the last meeting, when the second and third readings for the urban revitalization plan were approved, all of them fully support it. Councilman Dean Berkland then mentioned that the Let’s Connect group, that is raising money for the Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail connector project, has raised $77,000 and also secured a $100,000 match.
During open forum, John Palmer with the Perry Historic Preservation Committee talked about a history summit he and another member attended in Davenport recently, thanking the Council for their help in allowing them to attend. He also said they will soon be installing the next bust to the Wall of Witnesses and they’re selling a historical book but currently sold out and working on making more.
The Council then approved changes to the yard waste pickup schedule. City wide cleanup will start this week and run through November 16th, instead of alternating areas north and south of Willis Avenue.
The first pay request for the Pattee Park expansion project was approved in the amount of $56,168 to Spring Lake Construction for work completed through August 26th. A representative from Spring Lake says they’re almost finished with drainage on field two and will soon be working on the third field with a goal to finish in time for seeding yet this fall.
An agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Forestry Bureau was then approved. The Firefighter Property Cooperative Agreement makes a 1991 Ford F8000 truck chassis available to the City. Fire Chief Chris Hinds says this truck has around 71,000 miles on it and will be used to replace the Department’s current tanker truck. Perry will have use of the truck for as long as they want it and when finished will have to return the vehicle to the the DNR.
The fiscal year 2016 Iowa Department of Transportation street finance report was then approved as presented. This is the official financial report for City streets and parking that needs to be submitted on an annual basis.
A fireworks display request for the Perry Community School District was approved. J and M Displays will be shooting off fireworks during halftime of the homecoming football game on Friday, September 30th.
The final plat of the Dale Erickson subdivision was approved as presented, as was the preliminary plat for Sunflower Flats Plat 1 subdivision. Cannon Clark with the Clark Development Group says they plan to have at least four homes starting construction yet this fall and there have been commitments for 22 of the 27 lots in the subdivision already.
For more on the meeting and things happening in the City, tune into today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County when we speak with City Administrator Sven Peterson.