The Perry City Council convened Monday afternoon in regular session.

The meeting was held two hours earlier than normal in order to accommodate the Iowa Caucuses and encourage participation. The meeting began with the presentation of the Perry Rotary Club’s Civil Servant of the Year to Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin McLaughlin. There was then a pair of public hearings, with the first on the bids received for the next phase of the McCreary Community Building remodel. The contract will be considered at the next meeting. The second involved the acquisition of property for the Perry Municipal Airport improvement project using eminent domain. City Engineer Matt Ferrier pointed out there are purchase agreements for the land, but this covers the City in case something unexpected comes up that prevents the sales. The Council then approved resolutions authorizing eminent domain use and final offers for the land.

Also in old business, they approved pay requests for the airport hangar project and the McCreary Center equipment replacement in the amounts of $46,769.45 to Jensen Builders and $72,916.30 to the Baker Group, respectively. Items approved in new business included: three appointments to the Historical Preservation Commission; (and) a polling places agreement with the Dallas County Commissioner of Elections; tax abatement applications; and setting public hearings on an amendment to the Urban Renewal Plan and on the proposed maximum property tax dollars for fiscal year 2021 for March 2nd and February 18th, respectively. Additionally, the Council rejected the bids received for the airport fuel system upgrade project, as they were higher than deemed acceptable.

To learn more about the Perry City Council meeting, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.