Whenever Perry County Clerk Jared Kutz talks about the Perry County Courthouse he gets excited. He believes it is an important landmark when it comes to this area.
“The Courthouse means a lot to me personally and I think that a lot of people feel the same way,” he said. “When people see a picture of it and haven’t lived here for 20 years, they still know its’s our courthouse. It is kind of the symbol of Perry County.”
That’s why he gets excited for the public survey that was recently released about the Perry County Courthouse Master Plan. Kutz and the Perry County Commission are looking for input from Perry County residents on what they would like to see changed, if anything, about the area surrounding the courthouse.
“There are going to be some people who think that the courthouse lawn is perfect just the way it is” Kutz said. “As of the results from last week, we have about 30 percent that like it the way it is and 60 percent that think it needs improvements.”
The survey which consists of 20 questions ranging from demographics, what events residents attend in Downtown Perryville, to what exactly they do when they are downtown when it pertains to shopping, eating, or matters of business.
“I think it is going to be interesting to see what people from Altenburg and the other parts of the county think such as Brewer or St. Mary,” Kutz said. “Is it any different from what residents of Perryville think?
Kutz noted that the survey really wanted to know what types of events people attend downtown, to help those organizers.
“If a person always attends a Cruise-In, maybe that means they also attend the Laid Back on I-55 event too,” Kutz said. “We are going to compare those answers from people who answer the survey. That information will be valuable to the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Perryville and Downtown Revitalization.”
Kutz noted that the more specific questions midway through the survey will be vital to how the project proceeds. One asks if the Courthouse grounds accommodates events well, or residents thoughts on how the grounds look today. There are a total of five questions that provide a box for specific feedback that Kutz said is important.
“To be honest, the boxes are probably the most important,” he said. “Most of the questions are limited on the answers you can give. There is a question about having more events at the gazebo. Once we opened the Downtown Plaza, the gazebo has become something that sits on the other side of the square. The gazebo sets up well for smaller musical groups and events.”
County officials had its kickoff meeting for its Courthouse Lawn Master Plan that has been in the works for the past several years back in July. According to the Request for Qualifications, this project will consist of the construction of public patio/porch areas, commercial exterior lighting for the Courthouse, sidewalks, pedestrian resting areas, arranging vegetation and trees. Perry County Presiding Commissioner Mike Sauer would like to see as much public input as possible.
“We have a few ideas in mind of what we would like to see,” Sauer said. “But we want to know what the people think. It is as much their courthouse as it is ours.”
The survey will be available until the end of the month online and in paper form at the Perryville City Hall and the Perry County Clerk’s Office. Every Perry County hosusehold and business received a postcard in the mail regarding the survey.
Kutz noted that once the survey period ends there will be a public forum regarding the courthouse on Nov. 16.
“Perry County is evolving and our part in that is to evolve with it,” Kutz said. “That is what we are doing with this plan and this survey.”
