The long list of improvements at the Perry Municipal Airport continues to progress, though one of the bigger projects still has a roadblock or two in its way.

The runway reconstruction and extension has been stuck in the land acquisition phase for some time, and City Administrator Sven Peterson says the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grown impatient with the process. With that in mind, what was once considered a last resort is now on the horizon, with Peterson saying the City is moving forward with eminent domain procedures. “The two property owners, so far we have not been able to come to an agreeable price. And that’s really kind of driven by the FAA as far as what that allowed price is. So we have spent, you know, the good part of a year trying to negotiate, and it’s just kind of to the point where the FAA has said, ‘It’s time to move forward with eminent domain.’”

At their most recent meeting, the Perry City Council set a public hearing regarding the eminent domain issue for January 6, 2020. Peterson adds, the City has contracted with the Ahlers and Cooney Law Firm to help them through the process, and the Council approved a related professional services contract with City Engineers Bolton and Menk as well. He’s hopeful everything will be resolved this winter, which would allow the runway project to begin in earnest in the spring. To learn more about this and other topics involving the City of Perry, click the link below to listen to the recent Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program with Peterson.

https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2019/11/19/lets-talk-dallas-county-11-19-2019-sven-peterson/