The Perry City Council convened Monday evening in regular session.

A great deal of discussion was had regarding the potential transition of Highway 144/1st Street from four-lanes to three. During open forum, a resident who lives along the road voiced his concerns over turning right on the highway and backing up traffic because of it. That concern was echoed by many on the Council. On the other side, however, there were statistics from the Department of Transportation that showed three-lane thoroughfares are safer than four for a city like Perry. In the end, the Council voted to approve supporting the DOT’s work on the highway, though it was by a 3-2 vote.

The other topic that took up much of the meeting was regarding turning the alleyway between the Perry Perk and Mary Rose Collection into a seasonal pedestrian courtyard. Property owners adjacent to the alley voiced their concerns, but were satisfied by the response from the City staff. The Council unanimously approved the proposal. Additionally, the Council approved an agreement with the DOT for funding towards a new hangar at the airport, including a new apron. They also agreed to allow Minburn Communications to install a fiber optic communication cable from Perry to Dawson, with a cable drop at the airport.

Other items approved included: a pay request and final acceptance for the Wiese Park trail improvement project; a change order for the Willis Avenue Bridge; a pay request for release of retainage for the sanitary sewer cleaning; a change order, pay request, and certificate of completion for the sanitary sewer improvements; setting October 31st as the date for the Annual Safety and Employee Appreciation Day; creating a free residential dumpster sharing program; and an application for a State Revolving Fund (SRF) grant for planning and design.

To learn more about the Perry City Council meeting, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.