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Council approves transfer to fund Boys & Girls Club kitchen upgrades after hearing from staff
Summary
City council approved a transfer of funds to pay for upgrades to the Boys & Girls Club kitchen after the club’s executive director told the council the current space cannot meet modern health and fire standards while producing roughly 5,000 meals per month.
The City of Perry council approved a transfer to fund upgrades to the Boys & Girls Club kitchen after club staff described a cramped, out-of-date space that officials said could be shut down by an inspector.
The council voted to transfer funds to the parks building-improvement and equipment account to pay for work and equipment for the Boys & Girls Club kitchen. The motion called for a $150,000 transfer from a gas-related cash carry-forward account; council members voted in favor. The motion’s mover and seconder were recorded in the meeting but not identified by full, transcripted name.
The club’s executive director, identified only as Emily, told the council the kitchen now prepares “almost 5,000 meals a month” and is operating on a residential-style stove and limited electrical capacity. “If this was built today, it wouldn't meet current fire standards,” Emily said, explaining the need for a commercial oven, ventilation hood, upgraded electrical service and additional equipment the club lacks.
Club cook Alexis described the workspace as extremely small, with “2 of us that's in the kitchen” frequently bumping shoulders while preparing meals. Council members raised technical questions about what parts of the project were included in the contractor’s quote and whether city-supplied items (for example, certain fixtures or utilities) were part of the bid.
During the discussion staff and council members referenced equipment cost estimates and the project total. The club estimated equipment additions could add “maybe $10,000 more, maybe $12,000” to the equipment total, and an earlier line in the discussion referenced a project total “around $145,000,” though speakers also used rounded figures. City staff told the council the property and building are city‑owned, and that equipment paid for from city funds would be the city’s property.
Council members moved to fund the project out of a parks building-improvement and equipment fund, with the city transferring the announced amount into that fund and allowing the parks account to pay for the improvements as bills are presented. The council approved the motion.
The council also discussed formal contract language and asked staff to circulate the existing signed contract to council members for review. Council members requested a follow-up roundtable to review contract terms and ensure tax-exemption and procurement details were clear.
The council’s approval allows staff and the Boys & Girls Club to proceed with the specified upgrades; project details such as final contractor scope, exact equipment lists and an itemized final budget were discussed but not finalized during the meeting.
The council’s approval was recorded on the motion to transfer funds to the parks building-improvement and equipment account; council members voting “yes” were recorded during the roll call portion for that motion.
