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The Perryville Board of Aldermen on Tuesday gave final approval to a new ordinance aimed at aggressive panhandlers, imposing fines and possible jail time for those who violate the law.
The new ordinance makes aggressive panhandling a misdemeanor offense carrying a $500 fine, three months jail time, or some combination of the two.
Perryville Mayor Ken Baer, speaking last month, called the ordinance something of a preemptive act for the city.
“We’re trying to get ahead of the game here and have the legal backing to take any actions we might want to take to secure our city and make our citizens feel safer,” Baer said.
The ordinance draws a distinction between panhandling and charitable organizations seeking donations, defining the former as “solicitation by a person, other than a charitable organization, for an immediate grant of money, goods, or any other form of gratuity from another person when the person making the request is not known to the person who is the subject of the request.”
The board also voted to place a pair of public meetings on the agenda for its next meeting on Feb. 18. The first regards a special-use permit request from Tim Brewer to install a crematory retort inside an unused building at Brewer Monument, located at 111 S. West Street, in an effort to provide Perryville families the option to purchase cremation services locally. The property is currently zoned C2.
Brewer’s request met significant opposition from community residents when it came up before the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission, who declined to grant the permit, citing a lack of knowledge about the operation, especially in light of residents’ concerns over possible air pollution.
A second public hearing will also be held regarding the city’s proposed 2020-2021 budget. The city’s finance committee completed its review Tuesday and is ready to present the budget to the board.
Two additional public hearings regarding the city’s Wastewater Improvement Project were scheduled for March 3.
According to city administrator Brent Buerck, the meetings will include presentation and discussion of planned wastewater system improvements and discussion regarding impact that these improvements will have on user rates.
“The Wastewater Treatment Plant Project is partially financed by a loan from the Missouri State Revolving fund,” Buerck wrote in his notes on Tuesday’s agenda. “[The Missouri Department of Natural Resources] requires public hearings to discuss the wastewater improvement project. The first hearing will discuss the engineering alternatives (e.g. location, design, discharge, etc.); and the second hearing will discuss the impact on user rates (none is expected at this time).”
All four meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m.
In other business, the board approved a request from Mary Jane Burgers & Brew and Main Street Signs to hold the Annual Polar Beer 5K Run on Saturday, March 28.
Participants will begin their run at Mary Jane’s on the downtown square, stopping several times along the route for a small beer sample. Only race participants will be served alcohol. Organizers expect 300-400 runners to participate.
The board also heard a first reading of a bill aimed at approving the city’s participation in the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday for 2020.
In the past, the board has elected to have the city participate in this event, in which the city forgives its sales tax on “energy star” appliances during a seven-day period from April 19th-25.
