The Perry City Council met in regular session last night.

At the meeting, City Administrator Butch Niebuhr talked about the Iowa State students’ visit to town Monday to look at the site they will be looking at making plan suggestions for on Willis Avenue.

Councilman Dr. Randy McCaulley then talked again about turkey vultures and the fact that the birds have migrated to another neighborhood in town.  He suggested applying for permission to sacrifice additional birds, like they did earlier in the year, in hopes of continued progress of moving them out of Perry.  He also talked again about the recent tree removal downtown and said he feels the Council needs to better communicate with all business owners  who are directly effected by such actions so that everyone is informed. Councilman Phil Stone talked about last week’s employee recognition and safety day saying it was a great program and people enjoyed it.

The Council approved a change order for the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning improvements at 908 Willis Avenue at an increase of $644 due to conduit and wiring for the flag pole light.  Pay request number four for that project was also approved in the amount of $62,904 for work completed through October 27th and the final acceptance of the project was approved as well, though a punch list of items will still need to be completed by Wolin and Associates. The total cost of the project is $148,862.

Pay request number three for the 18th Street Reconstruction Project was then approved in the amount of $148,924 to Elder Corporation for work completed through October 30th.  The street has been paved.  The concrete is curing and the road is blocked to keep motorists off of it.  Niebuhr says there is eight working days left in the contract for the project so it should be completed within the next two weeks.

Next the Council approved an Iowa Department of Natural Resources REAP Grant in the amount of $100,000 for the development of a recreation trail, vegetated storm water buffer and future soccer complex.  The City will need to secure a $43,480 match for the project.

An Urban Renewal Loan application from the Mandarin Cafe was then approved.  The owners are currently in the process of moving from their current location to the old Breadeaux Pizza and Black Market Pizza location.  The city will loan the restaurant owners $20,000 which will be paid back over ten years with an interest rate of three percent.  This isn’t the first time the Mandarin Cafe has been awarded an urban renewal loan, though their previous one has since been paid back.  Finance officer Susie Moorhead says she believes after this approval the account will have a balance of between $15,000 and $20,000.

A memorandum of understanding with Perry Water Works was then approved in regards to a chemical discharge permit for the lime sludge storage lagoon.  Mayor Jay Pattee was then appointed as the City’s representative on the Metro Advisory Council, with Councilman John Andorf as the alternate.  Pattee was also appointed to the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitor’s Bureau with Councilman Chuck Schott as the alternate.

The first reading of a wind energy conversion systems amendment was then approved to correct a wording error in regards to residential and commercially zoned lots not exceeding 100 kilowatts.  The first reading of an ordinance adding a subsection to the agriculture district conditional uses was then approved as well.   The change identifies that a conditional use may be permitted in the AG district as approved by the Board of Adjustment for wind energy conversion systems.  Finally, another 1st reading for an ordinance amendment to the Board of Adjustment Powers and Duties was approved.  This changes the powers and duties of the Board to identify them as the grantors of conditional use permits.

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.