PERRY – At its work session Tuesday evening, the City Council considered a deal that could place an amphitheater right next to City Hall.
The council listened to a proposal by Tucker Aguirre, who is developing the site for the new Eckerd Drug Store. Aguirre wants to donate the land between that site and City Hall for the project.
The steep slope of the land would be ideal for an amphitheater, he said. His development company would also donate a band shell for the centerpiece.
Councilwoman Phyllis Bynum-Grace asked the burning question:
“What do you want from us?”
“We really don’t want anything from the city,” Aguirre said.
“We want to be a good neighbor.” Aguirre also took a moment to apologize for the clear-cutting on the development site.
“We’re real sorry about the trees,” he said.
But the new landscaping and this proposal should help beautify the area, he said.
The approximately two-acre site should provide plenty of seating for outdoor events such as concerts or Christmas tree lightings, he said. The natural grade of the land will lend itself to tiered seating, and the 20-by-25-foot band shell would need only a few electrical outlets and lighting. A bridge would likely be needed over the drainage ditch behind the proposed shell.
The council agreed to the idea and asked Aguirre to come back with a formal, written proposal detailing the responsibilities of both parties.
Also at this work session, the council heard from representatives of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce, who want the organization’s funding restored in the city’s budget.
The council, which has allocated $12,000 to the chamber in previous years, voted to fund only $6,000 for fiscal year 2005.
Chair-elect Mike Jackson said the concern is not just for this year’s budget, but for the future.
“It’s putting the chamber in a real financial crisis at this time,” he said.
He would like to see the amount fully restored, if not this year, then later.
Chamber President/CEO Megan Smith cited figures of phone calls and visits showing how much the chamber works for Perry.
Of 6,300 total calls and more than 500 walk-in visits last year, Smith said many if not most were questions about Perry.
The chamber also spends many of its resources – especially staff time – promoting the city, she said. Events such as the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, coming up Wednesday, and the Christmas Parade and others benefit the city as a whole more than the business members of the chamber, she said.
If the chamber is going to support Perry, Perry should keep its funding at the accustomed levels, she argued.
Draper Watson, a former chamber chairman, said he understands the difficulty the council faces cutting the budget, but he thinks the chamber’s funding is worth it.
“I know you’re juggling,” he said. “I know it’s a hard job.” Councilman Joe Kusar agreed it is a hard job, and he stands by the council’s decision.
Tax money must spent carefully, because “we take it away from the people of Perry,” he said.
Even with many cuts this year, the council still had to raise taxes for the first time in several years.
The Perry Downtown Development Authority’s budget was cut, as was the Parks and Recreation Department’s, Kusar reminded.
The city’s fire and police departments could use more money, the city’s employees could use a better raise, but only so much can be spent.
And yet the city still gets many other requests for funding, from groups like the chamber.
“Which of the employees should we tell we don’t have a job for because of those things?” Kusar asked.
Mayor James Worrall suggested the council could reconsider funding, if hotel/motel tax collections – the designated source for promotions spending – come in higher than budgeted.
Other than that, there was little the council could offer, other than to point out the cut isn’t necessarily permanent. Next year could be a better year.
