PERRYVILLE — In light of the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration of the Battle of Perryville, Oct. 5-7, the city of Perryville is hoping to spruce up some of the properties in town.
Mayor Anne Sleet had Perryville Chief of Police Charles Parks Jr. compile a list of properties in need of care. It ranges from those that simply need the grass cut, to those suffering from structural damage. The city has ordinances in place to mandate the cosmetic and structural condition of properties.
The council decided to draft a letter to be sent to those on the list created by Parks, notifying them that their property needs attention.
“We are going to see what kind of response we get and go from there,” Sleet said. However, she feels they have to handle it carefully, as, “we don’t want anyone to get offended or upset at this.” Sleet believes some people don’t always think about how their property looks, especially when there are minor things to be taken care of.
For things such as a yard in need of mowing, the city can pay for that to be completed and then put a lien on the property. In more extreme cases, Perryville also has the Abandoned Urban Property tax roll. The properties that usually make it on that list are those that appear to be empty and in serious need of repairs. Owners with properties who make it on the tax roll are required to pay a tax of $5 per every $100 of assessed value.
Other decisions include:
- The 2012 tax rate, which is broken into three types of property, will basically remain the same. The real property tax rate will remain at 30.1 cents per $100 of property valuation. Personal property tax rates will also remain the same, at 40.83 cents per $100. The motor vehicles and watercraft rate will now agree with the personal rate, at 40.83 cents per $100.
- Main Street Perryville Director Vicki Goode shared some things the agency is doing to prepare for the Battle of Perryville. MSP has organized re-enactments and a dinner and dance called A Taste of 1862 to benefit Merchants Row. Additionally, Goode is searching for individuals willing to pay for American flags to be positioned up and down city streets. They are hoping to get 109 flags, each of which costs $20 and can be bought in memory or honor of someone.
- Residents can participate in the United Way Day of Caring on Sept. 12 to help spruce up some of the historic buildings, specifically the Karricks-Parks House.
- Goode, along with Mayor Sleet, community members and pastor Gerry Hearn of First Baptist Church of Perryville are planning to meet with a nonprofit organization to gain funding to restore the one-room schoolhouse on R.L. Sleet Street in Perryville. It is owned by First Baptist Church.
