Board discusses improvement plan, sidewalks

The Perryville Board of Aldermen had plenty of discussions during its latest meeting on Sept. 20.
The board had a lengthy discussion on the five-year Capital Improvement Plan. Several board members had questions about several items on within the plan at the previous meeting.
“Department heads put it together and we ask for input from the Aldermen,” Perryville City Administrator Brent Buerck said. “This is what staff sees as projects for the city in the next several years to be considered.”
For the plan, the plan is most certain for projects within the first year.
“The further out you go, those are really just best guesses,” Buerck said. “Everything from the project itself to the price of the project. Every year we will go through it again and make recommendations about what we see is most pressing.”
One of the points of contention within the plan, and the primary reason the discussion was moved, was because of an item in the plan which included $250,000 to put windows along the Perry Park Center walking track.
“I respect the people on the Park Board,” Alderman Tom Guth said. “They are good people with good ideas. They were against the windows, but they were for paving parking lots. I agree with them. The park is the crown jewel of the town, let’s start dressing it up a little bit. I think Field 8 should be the first one to get it. That parking lot isn’t the safest place, but I don’t think it should have a bearing on whether it gets paved or not.”
Buerck noted that the price for the windows was an educated guess.
“I didn’t contact an architect or spend any money coming up with that number,” he said. “That is just a number so you know around what it would cost. I’ve talked with people and they thought it would be nice to be able to look outside. However, the board has the opportunity to say no.”
After some heated discussion, Perryville Mayor Larry Riney reminded the board that the Capital Improvement Plan, is just that: a plan.
“Any item can be deleted or moved at any time,” Riney said. “that’s where the finance committee comes into play. The plan itself is up to be voted on, but items can be removed at any time. They are not set in stone.”

Aldermen Dennis House also brought up that bathrooms should be added near the Perryville Youth Football field on Huber Road.
“It’s just a roadmap,” Buerck said. Things get older and break down, so who knows what could come up down the road.”
The other discussion came in the citizen participation portion at the beginning of the meeting that pertained to the sidewalks on North Moulton Street.
Steve Keller came before the board and noted that he talked with 10 residents that live on the street and received nine “no’s” as it pertains to the project to add sidewalks to that particular street.
“Everyone except for the Paulus house is getting a sidewalk at this time because he submitted a letter,” Buerck said.
Several other residents on Moulton Street spoke against the sidewalk as well.
After a lengthy discussion, Buerck sees three options: continuing with the sidewalk plan as expected, not doing the sidewalks at all, or the board waits so that residents can submit a letter for reference for future occupants.
The board opted to delay approving the contract with Lappe Cement for the street project, and it will be moved to the next meeting.
In other news, the board approved a new vendor for police body and in-car cameras. The department recommended Lenslock,Inc. and beginning our transition with the next budgeted purchase. Although the initial purchase price is well below purchasing limits, the 5-year contract that includes licensing and support will exceed $20,000. Since 2014, the city has utilized body cameras in our Police Department. The city was recently notified that the current provider will no longer be making or servicing body cameras.
In his Administrator’s report, Buerck noted that the county will soon release a questionnaire for is courthouse courtyard redesign, for the public to voice its opinion. He also discussed the layout for a disc golf course that will be added at Northdale Park.
The next meeting will be Oct. 4.