Perry's 15% water hike loses two votes at Oct. 1 hearing

The 15% water and sewer rate increase Perry put in front of residents on Oct. 1 came out of its own public hearing weaker than it went in. After an hour of presentation and questions, the council took no vote on the rate — and two of the four members present said from the table that they would not support 15%.

Council member Bob Porter "does not support the 15%," the minutes record. "He thinks it should be less because of the times we live in." Kristin Babel told the room she had changed her mind: she "originally voted to increase to the 15% but has since changed her mind," citing "the state of the economy," and said she believes an increase is needed, "just not 15%."

That matters because of how the number got to a hearing in the first place. The Current reported that at its Sept. 3 meeting the council voted 3-1 to take a flat 15% figure to public hearing rather than a range, with Kamal Ghazi the lone no vote. Ghazi and Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Connell were both excused from the Oct. 1 meeting. With Porter and Babel now saying 15% is too high, the three members on record against the full figure outnumber the one who defended it.

That one was Mindy Galbavi, who said the city is "almost at capacity" and that "something has to be done if we want the city to grow and not become stagnant." Jerry Polmounter, at his third meeting, said the discussion would help him make an informed decision. Nineteen members of the public attended; three — Kevin Johnson, John Hendzel and Chris Method — asked questions from the podium.

Nolan Pacitto of OHM presented the firm's findings, explaining that OHM assessed the age of the city's infrastructure, its projected life expectancy and when it should be updated or replaced. The hearing opened at 7:15 p.m. and the regular meeting resumed at 8:15 p.m. The minutes do not say when the council will vote on a rate, or what 15% would add to a typical bill.

The council did spend money that night. Members approved a quote from Mallory Construction to replace the City Hall doors at 203 W. Polly St. for an amount not to exceed $76,520, and a second quote from SA Morman for hardware on the new doors, not to exceed $2,520. Both passed unanimously, with DPW Superintendent John Souder authorized to sign the contracts and schedule the work. Clerk Shirley Smith had handed out an updated quote for the item earlier in the meeting.

Mayor Sue Hammond was appointed to the city's Board of Review — the panel that hears property assessment appeals — on a unanimous vote, for a term starting Oct. 2, 2026 and running to Jan. 31, 2029 "notwithstanding the expiration of her term as Mayor." The minutes say Hammond had asked the city attorney whether she could appoint herself. The council also accepted Genevieve Cottrell's resignation from the Planning Commission, read into the record on Sept. 3, and set trick-or-treat hours for Saturday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Two other items were pushed: proposals from Raftelis to review the city's REUs and from OHM to update the dashboard were both tabled to the Oct. 15 meeting. A motion by Porter, seconded by Babel, to dissolve the city's Pension Committee at the mayor's recommendation is recorded in the minutes without a vote result; Hammond said the committee had not met the entire time she has been mayor, and Porter asked what the purpose of a pension committee is when the city has no pensions.

What happens next: Smith reminded residents that there are open seats on the City Council and for mayor, and that write-in Declaration of Intent forms are due in her office by 4 p.m. Oct. 23. Absentee ballots were mailed Sept. 25. The Ordinance Committee, which Galbavi chairs, was scheduled to meet Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. and is still drafting the data center ordinance the council's 180-day moratorium was adopted to make room for. The Raftelis and OHM proposals went to the Oct. 15 meeting; those minutes have not been posted.