Perry Town Hall — Insights from council and citizens

PERRY — During the Jan. 16 Perry Town Hall meeting, councilmembers introduced themselves to attendees and encouraged citizens to talk to them about their concerns and reminded them of which areas they represent.

Councilmember Dan Peterson represents district two and provided attendees with a “snapshot” of growth in the district. According to Peterson, in 2024, there were 369 permits for residential homes to be built. Out of the 369, 48% of those are located in district two. He said they are a growing area regarding commercial growth. In the area, there are 12 projects of commercial growth, for example, stores and restaurants.

Councilmember Robert Jones also represents district two, the most spread-out district in the city. He ran for council approximately 10 years ago and is a teacher at heart. He said he wanted the town he has lived in to grow to the point where his students have options and can come back to live, work and raise a family.

Councilmembers Phyllis Bynum-Grace and Reverend Willie King both represent areas all over the city, from Morningside Drive, Highway 41 and Oldfield Lane. They also encouraged citizens to give them a call if they have any questions or concerns.

Citizen comments

A citizen spoke with mayor and council about car accidents in the area, concerned about lack of expansion on side roads to handle heavy traffic. She then asked if there is any citizen participation concerning transportation. 

Mayor Randall Walker said transportation is very important to them and they are planning to make major roads to take care of additional traffic. He said one concern he and councilmembers have is the Houston Lake Corridor, which runs from Kathleen to Kings Chapel Road. 

Walker then shared it is under the Georgia Department of Transportation and the city does not have jurisdiction over the road. However, they feel strongly there should be traffic controls placed along the corridor and other roads, including Langston Road and Highway 141.

Community Development Director Bryan Wood mentioned the Warner Robins Area Transportation Study, a group set out by the federal government to look at transportation needs in metropolitan areas. He said there is a citizen advisory committee, and everything is looked at by a group of citizens before it goes to a technical committee. It will then go to a policy committee for a decision. 

Wood then shared with the citizen they are updating the 2045 Transportation Improvement plan. He said there will be citizen participation and surveys online for citizens comments on transportation in the county. The citizen wanted to find ways to do it without using a computer, since a lot of older people may not know how.

Another citizen voiced his concern with parking, especially during downtown events. He said he thinks events create great exposure for downtown, but it is also a challenge for parking. 

He suggested as more businesses come downtown, they implement parking and share parking maps online and social media, especially for those from out of town. As a former downtown business owner, he spoke of the parking challenges for his customers.

Walker clarified the city has no intention of developing a parking lot at Ball Street and Main Street, despite rumors of the development. He also reminded the audience Facebook can be a source of misinformation.

Bill Delrow, a concerned citizen, also spoke up during the meeting. Delrow said he requested the town hall meeting 10 months ago. His concerns involved the land use map and sharing it with developers who want to continue building homes. He also asked if the infrastructure is ready for the ongoing growth and the cost of the development.

“I think it’s important that we understand the cost of all of this development, and it’s tailored into the plan so that it’s not just a free for all,” he said.

He also spoke of the cost it will take to fix the Sadie Heights floodplain issue. He asked city council to be thoughtful on what they are allowing to be developed to avoid an issue like Sadie Heights in the future. Delrow has the concern of the city losing its “small town charm,” which he felt when the New Perry Hotel was demolished. 

He believes the city must grow but must be controlled and contained, which the city vows to do.

“Maybe there should be limits as to how much growth we’re going to allow, so that we’re not just building and Perry, as everyone here loves it, is lost,” he said.

Later in the meeting, Jones said the map is a guide. He said if a request for annexation on any area is brought forward to mayor and council, they will consider cost and infrastructure before making a decision.

Jones told Wood to provide any concerned citizens with a list of subdivisions that have been approved, and which ones have been denied.

Another citizen also spoke about her concerns relative to the Sadie Heights floodplain and said it is not represented on the land use map. She also spoke about her concerns about sidewalk connectivity and ensuring surveys are targeted towards citizens. The citizen, and another citizen, Jim Lay, voiced concerns on traffic, especially log trucks, and speed limits needing to be lower. 

They believe trucks going through downtown are a safety hazard for citizens and there should be an extension for log trucks.

Moody addressed the concerns, saying most of the streets are under GDOT and it is difficult to work with them, but they are trying. He also said sidewalks are expensive, but it is one of their priorities to have connectivity. He suggested viewing their website to see where they plan to bring sidewalks. To see the plan, click here . 

Moody also said one of his pet peeves is traffic and would like to get log trucks off city streets. He hopes once Perry Parkway is completed, it will help with their problem.

Two residents also spoke their concerns about a no-kill dog shelter close to their homes. One of the residents said they support the shelter, but does not want animals near a residential area. Both residents also expressed concerns about noise.

Another resident said she just moved into her home two months ago and is worried her property value will go down. As a person who owns animals, she is worried there will be fleas and mange due to the shelter. She is also worried if illegally surrendered animals go into her property.

Councilman Darryl Albritton said he will be in contact with one of the residents soon. Moody said no one spoke in opposition of the animal shelter during the Planning Commission meeting. He assures them nothing is happening “under the table” and everything is transparent.

“That’s one of our values is transparency, trust, respect, accountability, compassion, integrity and transparency,” he said. “If you ever feel like we have failed you on any of those values, call us out on it. Let me know, let the mayor know, let any of my esteemed colleagues know and we’ll fix it for you.”

A resident of the Oldfield Lane neighborhood brought up the discussion on improving the neighborhood. The resident asked for an update on the process and about improvements to the historic Houston County Training School.

Walker said City Manager Lee Gilmour is working on a report on where they are in the small area plan, and they will receive an update soon.

King encouraged the citizens to speak up if they have any ideas on how to improve the community. He also believes the city needs to grow for future generations to feel safe in their community. 

King also reminded people to speak before they say something and to be aware of misinformation on social media. He also believes they need to bring more transportation options especially for older citizens.

Finally, Peterson encouraged the audience to visit the city’s website to stay informed. 

To see the Town Hall’s agenda and minutes, click here.