Grotto sculpin plan advances in Perryville

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Perryville Board of Aldermen on Tuesday moved a step closer to accepting a countywide conservation plan designed to help protect an endangered fish.

The board heard the first reading of an ordinance entering the city into an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with county, state and federal entities to implement the Perry County Community Conservation Plan.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week announced the grotto sculpin, a small fish believed to be found exclusively in five Perry County caves, had been designated as an endangered species.

While protecting the grotto sculpin from water-quality issues, the conservation plan -- which local officials delivered to the service in April -- protects Perry County from being designated as "critical habitat" for the animal.

Such a designation would bring increased scrutiny from regulators, which in turn could scare off businesses, community leaders have said.

"We didn't want the additional regulations with critical habitat," Scott Sattler, director of the Perry County Economic Development Authority, said Tuesday night.

The ordinance still has to go through a second reading and final passage before it becomes official policy.

Also on Tuesday, the board:

• Accepted a $30,032.71 bid from Grover, Mo.-based National Playground to resurface a playground.
• Accepted a $57,564 bid from Perryville-based BBL Construction to build a pole barn for the city's public works department.
• Approved specifications and authorized the city clerk to advertise for bids for a farmers' market shelter.
• Approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of jake brakes inside city limits.
• Passed an emergency ordinance entering into a payment agreement with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc. to review the city's water system.
• Directed city administrator Brent Buerck to begin researching the possibility of switching from its current trash pickup service -- which involves manual pickup -- to a system using trucks with a mechanical arm that lifts and empties the cans, which Buerck said could reduce the risk of injury to workers.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Perryville, MO