The Perry City Council met in regular session on Monday.

At the start of the meeting, Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh revealed that the council is beginning to have conversations with employers about the next steps to utilize the former Tyson Foods Pork Plant building, which shutdown at the end of June. He said that he couldn’t go into too much detail, but would provide more information at a later date.

Items on the agenda that were approved during the meeting included several pieces revolving around the Perry Municipal Airport’s Runway 14/32 Relocation, featuring pay application number 20 for phase two in the amount of $79,060.37 to Manatt’s Incorporated, pay application number 16 for phase three for $68,362.85 to Manatt’s Inc., a change order for phase one, a statement of completion for grading and drainage for phase one in the amount of $1,747,233.75 to Principal Aviation Engineer and Silas Parmar of Bolton and Menk, and a pay request for phase one for $34,944.68 to Wenthold Excavating LLC.

Additional approved items pertain to a change order for the Iowa Street Stormwater Wetland project in the amount of $56,872.10 to Perry Waterworks, a pay application for the Willis Avenue Overlay project for $4,537.90 to Des Moines Asphalt and Paving, and a pay application for the HMA Street Repairs to Des Moines Asphalt and Paving for $276,781.78.

The council officially appointed Jim Archer as the new police chief for Perry as Eric Vaughn will be retiring at the beginning of November. A resolution was approved by the council for a wage to be updated for Chief Archer.