Everidge appointed as Perry police chief

PERRY, Ga. — Perry Mayor Randall Walker and City Council approved a resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, appointing Alan Everidge as the chief of police.

Everidge said he was thankful for a stand-up department, backed by their mayor, council and other city officials. 

“Perry’s home for me,” Everidge said. “I’m proud to say I’m from Perry. … I’m very blessed to have the position now, and to work with the men, women and many others that serve to keep this community safe.”

Everidge began working in law enforcement in 1987, joined the Perry Police Department as patrol commander in 2021 and went on to be named interim police chief in July 2022. For more information on Everidge and his 35-year career, see Page 2 of this edition. 

Mayor and council recognized 2022 Mayor Pro Tempore Willie King for his service throughout last year, assuming “the duties and powers of the mayor upon the mayor’s disability or absence.”

“I appreciate all the support I’ve been given since I’ve been in Perry,” King said.

The council unanimously selected Dr. Darryl Albritton to serve as mayor pro tempore during the new year.

For the 2023 term, the mayor led nominations for the appointments of Municipal Court Judge James Freeman and Associate Municipal Court Judge Randy Howard, and council unanimously approved the two.

With the swing seat at the Perry-Houston County Airport Authority switching to the City of Perry this year, Authority Chairman William R. Jerles Jr. recommended the reappointment of Geoff Burkart to the seat.

“Geoff has been an asset to the airport authority, and his presence on the authority continues to create good synergy between the airport and the Guardian Center,” Jerles wrote in his recommendation letter to Mayor Walker.

The council unanimously approved Burkart’s reappointment.

For property owners in the Oldfield neighborhood, a meeting will take place at Oldfield Baptist Church on Jan. 10 from 6-8 p.m. for a discussion on the use of Community Development Block Grant funds for neighborhood improvements, as well as potential rezoning information.

City Manager Lee Gilmour brought forward resolutions to amend the city fee schedule as it pertained to adjusting fire marshal review fees (unanimously approved), and one that added assistant city clerk positions to the job classification plan (unanimously approved). 

Bryan Wood, community development director, opened a public hearing regarding the following properties: a special exception request to operate in-home day care at 304 Red Hawk Pointe (later unanimously approved); a request for rezoning of property from OC, Office Commercial District, to OI, Office-Institutional District at 900 Ball Street; a request to rezone properties from R-3, Single-family Residential, to RM-2, Multi-family Residential at various parcels on Perry Parkway, Gray Road, Perimeter Road, Morningside Drive and Kings Chapel Road; a request to rezone property from M-1, Wholesale and Light Industrial, to RM-2, Multi-family Residential at 106 Smith Drive; and a request text amendment, “to modify Table 5-2-1 in Sections 5-2.1 to adjust interior lot side setbacks for small multifamily development and Table 5-5-1 in Section 5-5 to increase allowable maximum building height in the C-3 District.”

City Attorney Brooke Newby brought forward the first readings and introductions of the following: an ordinance to amend the Code Section 18-5 of the city code relative to speed limits; an ordinance to rezone property from OC, Office Commercial District, to OI, Office-Institutional District at 900 Ball Street; an ordinance to rezone various properties from R-3, Single-family Residential, to RM-2, Multi-family Residential; an ordinance for the rezoning of property from M-1, Wholesale and Light Industrial, to RM-2, Multi-family Residential at 106 Smith Drive; and a text amendment to amend Section 5-2.1 and Section 5-5 of the Land Management Ordinance.

Mitchell Worthington, finance director, said it was his department’s recommendation to approve a bid from Phil Brannen Ford of Perry for a new pickup truck in the amount of $49,818, with funding sourced from the general fund via a GMA lease. Council voted 5-1 on the bid, with Council member Riley Hunt voting opposed.

City Attorney Newby spoke on resolutions adopting the leave donation process policy (unanimously approved), as well as authorizing action to abate public nuisances at 1315 Houston Street and 1311 Whipple Street.

The mayor offered congratulations to the city’s new economic development director, Holly Wharton.

Mayor and council host their public meetings on the first and third Mondays and Tuesdays of each month at the Perry Events Center, 1121 Macon Road. The next meetings will take place Jan. 17, with pre-council at 5 p.m. and council at 6 p.m.

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