The Perry City Council met in regular session last night.

At the meeting, City Administrator Butch Niebuhr reminded the Council and those in attendance Cultural District Revitalization Open House tonight from 4:30-7pm at La Poste.  He also said an Iowa State class is hoping to do another public art project here in Perry during the spring semester.  He hopes to have the project done by the end of May or early June.  The Drake University project with the Iowa Economic Development Authority is expected to begin in mid-January and may spread over two semesters and involve several colleges at Drake.

Mayor Jay Pattee then spoke about how the administrative staff did a good job of trimming  budgets in anticipation of the commercial property tax cuts and mentioned commercial versus residential housing and tax abatements and their impacts on cities.  Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley then commended Police Chief Eric Vaughn for his recent presentation on ALICE training at the Perry Lutheran Home and the work he has done to make people in the community prepared for an armed intruder situation.

Ryan Peterson with the Greater Dallas County Development Alliance then addressed the Council during open forum to update them on the services the group offers and what kind of things they have helped the community with in the past.

Next a public hearing was held in regards to entering into a land lease option and lease agreement for the brownfields area to allow for future development of the parcel.  The agreement is between the City and Megawatt Photovoltaic Development.  The goal is to build a small utility scale solar field. A representative from Megawatt addressed the Council and answered questions, the Council unanimously approved the lease option and agreement.

The Council then set a public hearing for January 19th in regards to a request to vacate a public owned right-of-way.  The request is for an alleyway and 18 foot strip along the west side of Block 22 of Original Town. Bear Development currently has a purchase agreement with the owners of parcels surrounding this property.  That agreement to buy the land and build a multi-family housing structure depends on funding they have applied for from the Iowa Finance Authority.

A Board and Commission Training with the Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Iowa was then approved.  This two hour program is designed for old and new members of city boards and commissions and presents basic laws and concepts.

A permanent fund transfer was then approved to close out the 2014 Hot Mix Asphalt Resurfacing Project fund. The total project cost was $335,784, with $200,000 coming from the 2013B General Obligation Bond Issue.

Another public hearing was scheduled for January 5th in regards to voluntary annexation request from Wilford Roberts and the City of Perry.

Judy Marckres and John Palmer were then re-appointed to the Perry Historic Preservation Commission and Marion Valero-Lehman of Adel was appointed to the Perry Volunteer Fire Department.  Butch Niebuhr was appointed City Administrator through December 31st of 2016, City Clerk Corey Eastman, Finance Officer and Treasurer Susie Moorhead, City Attorney DuWayne Dalen, Police Chief Eric Vaughn and Fire Chief Chris Hinds were also reappointed to their respective positions.

Official publications for the 2015 calendar year were then approved, along with the second and final readings of ordinances setting a 30 mile per hour speed zone and no parking area for the newly completed portion of 18th Street between McKinley and Park Streets.

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.