IMG_4169The Perry City Council met in regular session Monday.

At the meeting, City Administrator Sven Peterson shared an update on the budget process.  The second round of budget workshops are taking place this week and next.  The next Council budget workshop will take place February 17th at 2pm.  Peterson also shared the list of legislative priorities from the Iowa League of Cities.  He and Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley will attend the League’s day at the capitol Tuesday.

During open forum, Robert Rainway spoke to the Council encouraging them to join other cities in urging the County Board of Supervisors to give residents a vote in local option sales tax.

A leachate treatment and monitoring agreement with the Metro Park West landfill was then approved.  This will allow the landfill to haul materials year-round.

A resolution ordering bids and approving plans for the police department sally port project was then postponed.  The Council will take action on the item at the budget work session and therefore a public hearing will take place at the second regular meeting in March.

The Council then approved an agreement with the Dallas County Commissioner of Elections to have polling places at the public safety building and the library.  The County will pay Perry $100 for each election.

The Art on the Prairie committee was then given permission to cover benches, rails, bike racks and light polls with fabric and yarn for the May 6th Fiber Art Fair. Jenny Eklund says they’re planning to use a lot of different colors to help bring awareness to several diseases and causes.

The resignation of Ben Brown and appointment of Deanne Eiteman, Joshua Sass and Christopher James were then approved as roster changes to the volunteer fire department roster.

A 2017 Dallas County Foundation grant application on behalf of the library was then approved.  The City is looking for around $4,000 to purchase new meeting room chairs.

Joe McCarty as then appointed to the Perry Historical Preservation Commission for a term lasting through 2019.

A professional services agreement with Bolton and Menk for the sanitary sewer improvements project was approved.  The goal is to improve around 5,100 feet of sanitary sewer on Park Avenue and South 16th Street. The design services cost is not to exceed $29,500.

Finally, tax abatement applications for construction projects completed in 2016 were then approved as presented.

For more on the meeting and things happening in the City of Perry, tune into today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County when we speak with City Administrator Sven Peterson.