Board rejects special use permit

The Perryville Board of Aldermen brought a several month issue to its conclusion at the latest City Council meeting on Jan. 2.
The Aldermen rejected the special use permit request from DGOGPerryvillemo 05312023 to construct a 10,640 square foot Dollar General Store at property located on the southeast side of Highway 61 and Sutterer Place unanimously (6-0).
The decision was met with much applause by those in the audience.
The issue has caused much controversy over the past few months as residents said that another Dollar General was not needed in Perryville. They spoke to that during a public hearing before the board during the previous meeting on Dec. 19.
Another Dollar General does not improve the local flavor of Perryville. While that area may be developed in time, development needs to be a thoughtful plan with local businesses or businesses that fill a gap not currently available in our area,” Perryville resident Betty Phillips said. “The loudest voices in this opposition are from the people who live closest to this proposed change. They are long standing residents, business people and participants in this community. Their voices deserve to be heard and taken seriously as you make this decision. They are tax payers who vote. Another Dollar General will not add anything new to the community. It will not expand the tax base. It will be a duplication of services already available in Perryville. The negative effect will be on the existing stores that already offer the same products. If Rozier’s, Farm Fresh and Barnes Mart have a decrease in sales, employees will be laid off and these employees will lose both their income and their benefits.”
Much like Phillips, another resident noted that there is already another Dollar General Store within two miles, already in Perryville and more in the surrounding area, including the fourth in a 15-mile radius and ninth within 25 miles of Perryville.
Perryville resident Angela Swan cited several questions from a recently completed survey by city officials to help them with their Comprehensive Plan that has since been named Perryville 2045. One of those questions centered around what citizens would like to see in the future.
“More than half of the responses were on lifestyle centers and small-scale neighborhood retail. Standalone big box stores were least preferred.”

In other news, the board approved the purchase of two Ford F-550 trucks.
This is a budgeted purchase originally listed as one-ton and two-ton dump trucks.
Staff researched the matter and such equipment is now labelled differently, using
the F-Series titles. Through their research, staff has determined that it is actually slightly cheaper to purchase and outfit an F-550 than an F-450 so this is the request before the Board. The next item on the agenda will outfit the new cabs and chassis with a dump bed and CNG conversion kit. Public Works Director Jeff Layton said that installing the new kits could take up to several months.
“There just isn’t that many people that do them,” he said. “It takes time to do it.”
The board also approved the purchase of 19 sets of turnout gear for the Perryville Fire Department House No. 2, the new building on the bypass. The reasoning for this was to make the location more useable and valuable during emergencies.
In new business, the board approved an agreement with the Perry County Health Department relative to HVAC equipment transfer of ownership to City of Perryville. The Health Department purchased this HVAC equipment during their renovation and it is no longer needed. As such, it was offered to local agencies and partners at no cost. Staff reports having need for three such units. This contract will officially transfer ownership to the City of Perryville.
The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall