The Perry City Council met in regular session last night.
At the meeting, three public hearings were held. The first was in regards to disposal of public property for lots 7 and 8 of block 74. The City plans to sell the property to STC Towers, a company who wants to put up an additional cell phone tower and rent out that service to interested carriers. After no comments from the public, the Council approved sale of the property at $50,000.
The next public hearing was in regards to bids for the hot mix asphalt improvements. City Engineer Matt Ferrier with Bolton and Menk says bids came in unusually high, some of the highest they’ve ever seen. Ferrier says he wasn’t comfortable recommending the Council approves this project until they have a better under standing of what skewed the prices. Typically, Ferrier says asphalt prices come in between $90 and $95 per ton, and the lowest bid for this project came in at $111 per ton. Bolton and Menk will look into details and come back to the council at a future meeting to make a suggestion on how to move forward.
The final public hearing was in regards to bids for the McCreary Community Center parking lot rehabilitation project. Five bids were received for the project with the lowest coming from Jensen Builders in Des Moines at 11%, or more than forty thousand dollars, less than the engineer’s estimate. The Council approved the Jensen bid at $399,900. The first stage may start this fall depending on the weather, though the contractor will be required to leave an area open for parking. According to the contract, the project must be completed by the end of June.
Next the council considered an excessive sewer fee adjustment. Jesus Martinez of 500 4th Street requested the adjustment of $1,493, saying the excessive fees in February and March 2012 were due to a water main break. Martinez says he was unaware that he could request an adjustment, which is why he waited so long to bring it before the Council. After discussion with Martinez, the council voted to approve the adjustment request with Councilman Chuck Schott voting no and Barb Wolling was absent.
The Council then approved a pay request for the 2013 Sanitary Sewer Cleaning project in the amount of $17,705 to Hydro Klean. Ferrier says this is for approximately 85% of the project.
A contract with Solar FX was then approved for the design, construction and installation of solar panels on the roof of the parks department building in the amount of $28,591.
New business items included a request for a City employee safety day for furthering efforts and thanking employees for thinking safety first. The safety committee brought the request forward after their progress was proven in the workman’s comp decrease, which affects the taxpayers. Waterworks employee Matt Gilmore addressed the Council explaining the safety committee’s efforts and asking that employees are able to continue safety training and rewarded for their efforts thus far. The request was for $1,000 toward the training day costs, it was approved by the council.
Next the council approved an acquisition plat of survey, defining the right of way for 28th Street and a resolution to purchase property and authorized issuance of draft for a piece of land across from the public works department to provide additional space. The council approved an offer of the assessed value of $5,670 to bankruptcy trustee Dallas Janssen who owns the plat, plus current taxes, legal fees and cost to bring the abstract up to date.
The Council then authorized the advertising of bids and setting a public hearing to dispose of a 1996 Chevrolet Cheyenne 2500 truck and Boss V plow. Bids are due October 2nd at 3pm and the vehicle can be viewed in the parking lot next to 908 Willis Avenue.
Three ordinance amendments were then considered. The first was the third reading of an ordinance in regards to peddlers, solicitors and transient merchants and reducing the fees these vendors need to pay. It was unanimously approved. Next the council approved repeal of chapter 127, as it is a duplication of the public sale of food, beverages and non-food items on city property as it is covered in the previously amended ordinance. The rules were suspended and all three readings were approved, along with full adoption of the repeal.
Finally, the council approved an ordinance amendment repealing code in regards to bicycle paths adjacent to the roadway, as the attorney general concluded it was a violation of state law.
For more on the meeting and happenings in Perry, tune into tomorrow’s Let’s Talk Dallas County on AM 1310 KDLS during the 9am, noon and 5pm hours when we’ll speak with City Administrator Butch Niebuhr.