Work Session

1 MINUTES WORK SESSION OF THE PERRY CITY COUNCIL Date: Location: February 2, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PERRY CITY HALL 808 CARROLL STREET, PERRY, GA 31069 Officials Present: Mayor Randall Walker Mayor Pro Tempore Dan Peterson Council Member Dr. Darryl Albritton Council Member Robert Jones Council Member James Moody Council Member Willie King Council Member Dr. Amy Fouse Staff: Brooke Newby - City Attorney Robert Smith - City Manager Joni Ary - Recording Clerk Holly Wharton - Economic Development Director Mitchell Worthington - Finance Director Joe Duffy - Director of Community Development Chief Lee Parker- Fire and Emergency Services Department Chief Alan Everidge - Police Department Ansley White - Public Works Superintendent Jenny Burdeshaw - Human Resources Director Tabitha Clark - Director of Communications Amber Howell - Communications Specialist - Live Stream Operator Alicia Hartley - Downtown Manager Chad McMurrian - Engineering Services Manager _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order: Mayor Randall Walker, Presiding Officer, called to order the work session of the Perry City Council held February 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. 2. Roll:

2 The above were in attendance for a quorum. 3. Citizens with Input: none 4. Items of Review/Discussion: 4.a Office of the Mayor 1. Recommended 2026 Goals and Objectives - Mayor Walker. Mayor Walker stated that after discussions with Council, this item will be evaluated, and the final work product will be completed during the Council Retreat. 4.b Office of the City Manager 1. Heritage Oaks Park Rentals - Mr. R. Smith. Administration reviewed the original recommendation presented to Council during the January 6, 2026, meeting, which proposed to cease renting Heritage Oaks Park for private events. Administration highlighted several challenges associated with the park's use, including inadequate parking, a lack of utilities and facilities, park rule violations, and difficulties managing traffic and parking. Following discussions and a review of Administration's recommendations, Council enacted a moratorium on private rentals until February 15, 2026. Now that the moratorium is ending, Administration still recommends that private rentals of Heritage Oaks Park be permanently discontinued, allowing the location to be used only for City events. This recommendation is based on issues previously outlined, and the strain on city staff including policy and other resources for events, and the absence of water, sewer, or public restrooms on-site. The estimated cost to install necessary facilities is approximately $380,000.00. Additionally, to address inadequate parking, Administration proposed utilizing a nearby 71- acre satellite location on Highway 341, which would cost about $130,000.00. to create additional parking and sidewalks. This plan aims to resolve the issue of having to turn away the public during city events when the park's current parking capacity, which is 369 spaces, is reached. Administration stated that Heritage Oaks Park would remain open to the public for enjoyment every day during daylight hours, but all private rentals would be discontinued. The

3 Fee Schedule would be amended to reflect this change, should Council concur to move forward. Council had a discussion on the parking diagram, which outlined the additional parking options, the increased use of city staff for private events, and including the costs in the rental fee, the speed on the road to the entrance to the park, safety concerns, ticketing future city events, how to control the amount of people allowed in the park, and the limitation of allowing city events but prohibiting private events. Councilmember Dr. Fouse requested a 45-day extension of the moratorium for new applications, with the exception of prior- approved events. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson inquired whether a specific date is required for the moratorium. Administration stated that he will compile recommendations for the moratorium but does not recommend having an open-ended moratorium without a confirmed expiration date. Council concurred to move the item to the regular meeting on February 3, 2026 to review recommendations from Administration for approval. 2. City Banner Policy - Mr. R. Smith. Administration reported that this is a follow-up to Council's request to review the city banner policy for hanging banners in the downtown area. A review was conducted to establish a formal Banner Policy for the City of Perry. The recommendations include allowing one hanging banner sign for each of the following four events: the Perry International Festival, the Perry Dogwood Festival, the Perry July 4th Celebration, and the Perry Buzzard Drop. Banners may be displayed for two weeks prior to each event and must be removed on the next business day after the event concludes. Banners will only be hung over the 900 block of Carroll Street, at the intersection of Carroll Street and Ball Street. The banners must meet the following criteria: - They should be no larger than 2.5 feet in height and 12 feet in length. - They must be made of perforated mesh material to allow wind to flow through.

4 - They should have reinforced hems and ample grommets for secure installation. - They must not obstruct the flow of traffic. The event sponsors will cover the cost of producing the banner signs, and all signs will be installed and monitored by the Perry Public Works staff. Any damaged banners will be promptly removed. Councilmember Dr. Fouse voiced concerns about not defining the number of grommets and requested that city staff review the banner's content and design before it is approved and hung. She also inquired if there had been any input from downtown businesses. *The minutes above were amended from "Councilmember Dr. Fouse voiced concerns about not defining the number of governments and requested that city staff review the banner's content and design before it is approved and hung."* Councilmember Moody inquired if limiting the events that are allowed to have banners to the four mentioned would open the city to possible litigation. Ms. Newby advised that she does not see any threat of litigation. Council concurred to refer this item to the regular meeting on February 3, 2026. 3. Water & Wastewater Revenue Diversification Options - Mr. R. Smith. Administration reviewed a presentation on the diversification of revenue for water and wastewater services and noted that the city has a valuable asset in its ability to provide these services. The discussion highlighted the necessity for revenue diversification to support water and wastewater services in the city. The intent of the recommendations is to identify and capture potential revenue streams related to these service provisions. This approach would enable the city to serve its entire service delivery area more effectively and cost-efficiently, while also preserving the current service area. The plan aims to achieve cost savings in service operations for the residents of Perry. By providing more flexible service options, the city can extend water and wastewater services to customers living outside the city limits and beyond the current

5 service area, without the need for annexation. Customers would be categorized into three groups: City of Perry Resident, City Service Area Customer, and Outside Customer. Residents and businesses of the City of Perry would pay the lowest rates, benefiting from the higher rates charged to non-city customers. The reason for higher rates for outside customers is that providing services in those areas increases costs, risks, and operational demands. Offering services to these outside areas is a choice and a benefit to the customers living there, but it is not mandatory. If they opt to use city services, they must adhere to the outlined rates. Customers within the service delivery area but outside City limits will be required to annex into the City once they become contiguous. A recent study indicated that among 473 utilities in Georgia, 41% of water providers and 39% of wastewater providers charge higher rates for outside customers. Typically, these outside rates are approximately 20 to 30% higher than what city residents pay. For instance, the City of Gainesville charges $2.92 for residents within the city limits and $5.55 for those outside the city limits. This pricing structure mitigates risks for Gainesville residents and spreads the costs more evenly. If Council decides to proceed, an amendment of city policies regarding service provisions and annexation requirements would be necessary. This would involve establishing a legal framework for compulsory annexation as a condition of service provision and amending the city fee schedule to include the new classifications. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson inquired if this would require an amendment to the City Charter. Administration advised no not that he is aware of. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson also inquired if this is focused on entire neighborhoods. Administration advised preferably yes, but also businesses and industries as well. Councilmember Moody inquired when Administration would like this to be implemented. Administration advised he would like to have this ready before the FY 2027 budget. Council concurred to move forward with the Water & Wastewater Revenue Diversification Options. 4. Perdue Wastewater Request - Mr. R. Smith.

6 Administration stated that the City was approached by Perdue Farms with a request to receive domestic wastewater flows from their plant. Due to changing requirements from the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the necessary investments they would need to make to their current facility, Perdue is asking the city to manage their wastewater. A letter from Mr. Neal Powell, the director of Environmental Operations, outlines the proposed agreement for the city to treat up to 50,000 gallons of domestic wastewater per day. Administration emphasized that this will only include the plant's domestic flow from restrooms and kitchens, not from industrial processes. All wastewater flows must comply with the city's established sewer use ordinance, and all costs associated with the conveyance of wastewater and the connection to the Perry wastewater collection system will be borne by Perdue. The connection fee associated with this agreement is $1,071,668. Revenues from this fee could be used to cover the debt service associated with the A.E. Harris Reclamation Facility. Perdue has requested to make payments over four years to fulfill the connection charge. Additionally, there will be an industrial wastewater utility rate, which will create a significant connection charge as well as a monthly rate for the company. Administration believes this partnership could help build a strong customer base, with the hope that other industries, such as Frito-Lay and Cemex, will consider connecting to the A.E. Harris Reclamation Facility as well due to EPD requirements. Councilmember Dr. Fouse stated she is agreeable to the company making monthly payments, provided there is a mechanism in place to prevent issues if the company defaults and the remaining yearly payments are not received. Administration stated a formal agreement would be drafted that would outline and address that concern. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson thanked Administration for their work on this item. Council concurred to refer the item to the regular meeting on February 3, 2026. 4.c Public Works Department 1. Georgia Power costs - pole banners and lighting - Ms. A. White.

7 Ms. White advised in recent years Georgia Power has been completing work to replace existing transmission lines and poles with new installations along some city streets. This past Christmas no city decorations were placed at locations on Houston Lake Road, Swift Street, and King's Chapel Road due to the poles being removed and replaced. When Georgia Power completed these upgrades the banner attachments are removed as well. Moving forward, Georgia Power is requiring the city to apply through their attachment permit process, which will require, for each pole, a $60.00 per year permit charge. The city will then also pay for the electricity that is use and have to provide them all the data for what is being attached to the pole, how much it electricity is required, and how often they are placed on the poles to calculate how much the city will have to pay. Based on the city's Christmas light displays, the city would be required to pay $1,600.00 per pole to install outlets to plug in the lights. Georgia Power has advised that Courtney Hodges is slated for replacement this year which would being the total one time cost to $97,600.00 and a recurring cost of $3,660.00. per year for the permits. The city would then also be charged for the energy used as well. Ms. White suggests focusing on the downtown district to aid in lowering costs, strain on city staff, and less impact from Georgia Power's changes and requested concurrence to move forward. Administration stated that they believe the new fee structure outlined by Ms. White indicates that Georgia Power no longer wants to be involved in this business. It seems they have made the costs prohibitively high for municipalities like Perry. He cannot recommend moving forward with much of this proposal in good conscience. He believes that Ms. White's suggestion to concentrate on the downtown area is a feasible approach. Although the situation may change once the poles are updated, for now, since the poles haven't been changed yet, we should continue to hang our lights and banners in the downtown district. He recommends that we move forward with focusing on the downtown area. Mayor Walker stated it is his understanding that the city will not incur any cost in the downtown area until such a time the poles are physically replaced. Ms. White stated that is correct.

8 Councilmember King requested that the public is notified in advance as to why there are no longer Christmas displays outside of the downtown area. Council concurred to refer this item to the regular meeting on February 3, 2026 for a formal vote. 2. Legacy Park Phase 2 - Ms. A. White. Ms. White reviewed Phase Two of Legacy Park, which includes the relocation of the Confederate monument and revisions to the curb at the intersection of Carroll and Main Street. She emphasized the proposed construction to the curb due to damage caused by trucks that are unable to navigate the tight turn, which has affected the gutters and storm drain inlets. The Confederate monument will be relocated to a small courtyard, with connecting pathways from the existing park. The cost estimate from Keck & Wood for creating the new courtyard, relocating the monument, and making the necessary curb work at Main Street and Carroll is $594,936.50. Ms. White requested approval to move forward with these plans. Councilmember Jones inquired that funding for the project is coming from the SPLOST funds and not the General Fund. Administration informed that the funding will come from two different SPLOST categories. The improvements to the park and the relocation of the monument will be funded by the Recreation and Parks SPLOST. Additionally, $18,564.00 for curb improvements will be sourced from the Streets and Bridges portion of SPLOST. Council concurred to refer the item to the regular meeting on February 3, 2026. 4.d Economic Development Department 1. 2025 Data Report - Ms. H. Wharton and Ms. A. Hartley. Ms. Wharton and Ms. Hartley reviewed the 2025 Data Report, which highlights some visitor and commercial activity trends in the City of Perry. Most of the information comes from a software called Placer AI. This software collects visitor data based on location and uses geofencing to track attendance and participation in our businesses within any area we define. Ms. Hartley advised in 2025, downtown Perry welcomed 1.8 million visitors, which is a 3.3%

9 increase from the previous year. More people are coming to our events and dining and shopping options. The Main Street Advisory Board raised just under $20,000.00 to support beautification and design projects in downtown. Our main fundraiser is the Downtown Perry Wine event held every spring, along with other successful activities like our holiday trolley tours and various sponsorships throughout the year. These funds are separate from other projects by the Main Street Advisory Board, which includes things like musical instruments at local parks. On average, visitors spend 86 minutes downtown, which is enough time to enjoy a meal and explore. The median household income of a visitor in 2025 was $85,800.00. Currently, the downtown occupancy rate for business properties is 95.4%. Ms. Wharton highlighted the commercial shopping centers in the city which include Perry Marketplace which is where the Kroger is currently located, Paradise Shops which is where Publix is located, and Perry Crossroads is the location of Walmart. Perry marketplace had 2.2 million visits in 2025 and the visit frequency of almost seven and a half visits. Meaning one person would visit that shopping center seven and a half times per year. Comparing that to the Paradise Shops of Perry, which is the public shopping center, it has more visits overall. The shopping center primarily serves residents, as many visit regularly for groceries and daily needs. In contrast, Perry Marketplace and Perry Cross Center attract fewer, more transient visitors due to their proximity to the interstate. The Perry Parkway area sees significantly more traffic than traditional commercial centers, and this trend is likely to continue with the new Kroger shopping center opening soon. 4.e Finance Department 1. Discussion of the amended FY 2026 Operating Budget - Mr. M. Worthington. Mr. Worthington stated at the last meeting on January 20, 2026 staff reviewed the first reading of the ordinance to amend the FY 2026 operating budget. During that period, the staff implemented several of the major changes that had been recommended. Council requested some additional time to further discuss these changes and work through any outstanding issues. At this time, staff has presented the recommended budget amendment that outlines

10 those changes, and we would like to provide Council with the opportunity to raise any concerns or questions they may have. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson requests that the city do a deeper dive into our rates and how they have changed prior to what Raftelis is now recommending in order to help pay for the new wastewater facility, and recommends not continuing to raise rates on our local customers. He also requests that there are no new personnel commitments in this current amendment. Councilmember Moody voiced concerns with increasing the water and wastewater rates. Councilmember Dr. Fouse concurred with Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson stated she would like to see no rate increases to the water or wastewater rates and no personnel increases in the form of additional positions. Councilmember Jones concurred with Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson and Councilmember Dr. Fouse. Mayor Pro Tempore Peterson inquired if the budget reserve account would be used for the wastewater silo, or wastewater Enterprise Funds. Mr. Worthington advised no, this is a concentrated effort by staff to put funds aside in the event of unforeseen expenses and major insurance hits. 5. Council Member Items: Councilmember Jones raised concerns about the removal of the Magnolia tree from the development site of the former New Perry Hotel following the public being previously assured that it would be retained. Mr. Duffy stated that the decision to remove the tree was based on a thorough health assessment by a certified arborist, which revealed significant decay and damage to the 184 year old tree. He stated the revised landscaping plan includes 18 four-inch Caliper shade trees around the site, and acknowledges regret over the timing of the decision being changed following the news broadcast. Mr. Duffy suggests strengthening the Land Management Ordinance to require tree health reports upfront to avoid such discrepancies in the future. Councilmember King inquired about the start of construction on the Big Indian Creek Bridge. Administration advised he will get back to him with details. 6. Department Head/Staff Items:

11 Ms. Wharton advised the public of the annual Perry Start-Up Summit on February 19th and 20th. This is a day and a half of events where people who are interested in starting a business can learn from industry experts and professionals. Chief Parker expressed gratitude to the public for attending the push-in ceremony. He also mentioned that the engine will be parked at City Hall tomorrow at 4:30 PM for anyone interested in viewing it before the pre-council meeting. 7. Mayor Items February 3, 2026 Pre Council at 5pm February 3, 2026 Regular Meeting at 6pm Mayor Walker entertained a motion to go into executive session for the purpose to discuss possible litigation. 8. Executive Session (If required): Executive Session entered at 6:52 p.m.: Councilmember Dr. Fouse moved to adjourn the work session and enter into executive session for the purpose to discuss possible litigation. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Executive Session adjourned at 7:37p.m.; Council's work session reconvened. Council adjourned the executive session held February 2, 2026 and reconvened into the work session. 9. Action After Executive Session (As needed): Adopted Resolution No. 2026-07 stated the purpose of the executive session held February 2, 2026, was to discuss possible litigation. Councilmember Jones moved to adopt a resolution stating the purpose of the executive session held February 2, 2026 was to discuss possible litigation; Councilmember King seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. No action was taken in the work session. (Resolution No. 2026-07 has been entered into the City's official book of record.) 10. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before Council in the work session held February 2, 2026, Councilmember Dr. Fouse motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:38 p.m.; Councilmember King seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.