The Perry City Council met in regular session last night.

At the meeting, City Administrator Butch Niebuhr stated that the City’s application for a grant from the Office of Traffic and Safety was selected and they will receive $380,000 to re-work the intersection of 1st Street and Willis for safety purposes.  The City has also been chosen to move on to step two in a selection process for a program with the Iowa Department of Economic Development and Drake University students to come up with way-finding ideas, along with facade improvement plans and ways to make Perry look better.  He also mentioned that 18th Street is not yet open because they were not able to get it set before the cold weather hit, though work on the project continues and hopes are to have it open soon.

Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley then brought up the fact that housing keeps being brought up at various meetings, including Perry Industries and they’re looking to see if they can’t attract some more upper middle class housing in Perry.  A committee has been started to start researching this topic, that includes both community leaders, City staff and Council members.  Councilwoman Barb Wolling then complimented Art on the Prairie organizers for another well put together and successful event, stating that it reflects very well on the City of Perry.

Next John McAvoy with the Metro Advisory Council addressed the Council with a spacial presentation.  He talked about the group, their purposes, who it is made up of and how it works.  There are 21 cities and 12 counties on this Council.  Mayor Jay Pattee serves as Perry’s representative on the MAC and Councilman John Andorf is the alternate.

Art on the Prairie organizer Jenny Eklund then spoke during open forum to recap this year’s event.  She thanked everyone who helped make this event a success again.  She said without the City’s buildings there wouldn’t be an Art on the Prairie and she thanked them for allowing their non-profit to use their facilities.  Eklund mentioned that there were lines of people waiting to get not only into the buildings with the art but also the restaurants and various businesses. Mayor Pattee then thanked event organizers for their hard work in putting this together and showcasing Perry in a positive light.

The Council then set an additional yard waste pickup date.  Crews will be picking up yard waste throughout the City one last time this year, on Wednesday, December 3rd, weather permitting. Procedures are the same as usual.

An application to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was then approved as the City wants to again get permission to sacrifice turkey vultures in the spring in an effort to deter the birds from roosting in town.  The fiscal year 2016 Airport Capital Improvement Program was then approved.  The five year program is approved each year by the Council and required in order to receive state and federal funding for the Perry Municipal Airport.

The Council then certified the City’s Tax Increment Finance debt to the Dallas County Auditor’s office. Perry will be requesting $525,462 in fiscal year 2016.  A permanent transfer of funds from the TIF fund to the Sewer Operating fund was then approved.  The city temporarily transferred $66,000 from the sewer account to the TIF fund to cover a project in the urban renewal area consisting of a grant to Perry Economic Development to be used to benefit the Hotel Pattee.

The fiscal year 2014 annual Urban Renewal Report and Financial Reports were then approved.   A public hearing was set for the next Council meeting on December 1st in regards to a re-zoning request from Bear Development representing Bruce Thoroughbred Farms.  The request is to re-zone a piece of property from central business commercial to residential multi-family to accommodate the proposed property improvements.

The second reading of three ordinance amendments in regards to the wind energy conversion systems regulations, ag district conditional uses and board of adjustment powers and duties were then approved.  The Council also suspended the rules and also approved the 3rd and final reading of all three ordinance amendments.

For more on last night’s meeting, tune into today’s Let’s Talk Dallas County when we speak with City Administrator Butch Niebuhr during the 9am, noon and 5pm hours on AM 1310 KDLS. a