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From Plans tp Progress: Update on 2025 City of Perry Goals

From Plans to Progress: Perry’s 2025 Goals in Action

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If you’ve listened to the Inside Perry Podcast, you know the mantra: plan the work, then work the plan. In October 2025, Mayor Walker joined Tabitha Clark, Communications Director, to unpack the City of Perry’s 2025 goals and how years, sometimes decades, of strategic planning are turning into real progress you can see and feel across the community.

From Plans to Progress: Perry’s 2025 Goals in Action

Perry’s first citywide strategic plan launched in 2014 and has been updated every couple of years. That long-range approach guides an annual set of goals and objectives, clear marching orders for staff and a transparent roadmap for residents. The result is multi-generational investments in water, sewer, roads, stormwater, parks, and emergency preparedness that support residential, commercial, and industrial growth.

Wastewater: building capacity for tomorrow

East Perry Wastewater Treatment Facility. This cornerstone project is about 60% complete. The site is permitted for up to 25 million gallons per day, with the initial buildout at 2.5 MGD, a forward-looking design at the confluence of Mossy Creek and Big Indian Creek. Construction is slated to wrap by the end of December, with fresh-water testing in early 2026 and operational startup targeted for Q2 2026.

East Perry Sewer Outfall System. Think of this as the critical “connective tissue” that moves wastewater from neighborhoods and businesses to the plant. The force main work is underway and timed to be ready when the facility goes live.

Transportation and traffic flow

Swift at Commerce Highway Improvements. Recently completed by GDOT (state-funded), these changes are already easing backups downtown. Yes, it takes a moment to learn new traffic patterns - but the early results are strong.

Commodore Drive Extension (Right-of-Way). Modeled as a future counterpart to Perry Parkway, this long-term east-west corridor would connect Houston Lake Road to US-341. 2025’s focus is on securing right-of-way, funded by countywide SPLOST, before development makes that corridor cost-prohibitive or impossible. It’s proactive capacity planning for subdivisions emerging along Langston Road and beyond.

Stormwater resilience

Sadie Heights Stormwater Management. To reduce flood risk, the City is installing new culverts on Stonebridge Drive, expanding a stormwater pond, and clearing canals to improve flow. The goal is simple and non-negotiable: protect homes from flooding.

Sewer system upgrades

Bear Branch Pump Station & Force Main. Growth in the northeast (think 127 corridor neighborhoods like Woodlands, Wind River, and Planters Ridge) has outpaced existing capacity. This project upsizes the force main and routes flow to the Perry Parkway system, adding the headroom we need for reliability and growth.

Funding fairly and sustainably

Water & Sewer Rate Study. A third-party, in-depth analysis is helping the City align costs with beneficiaries. In short: existing customers share in upkeep of existing systems; new development helps fund the new infrastructure it requires. It’s a living, annually reviewed plan tied to the budget flexible enough to adjust when projects or priorities change.

Prepared for the unexpected

Tucker Road Water Treatment Plant (Emergency Backup). Recent severe weather underscored the need for redundant power at critical facilities. Adding emergency backup at Tucker Road, completed about four years ago, ensures we can provide safe drinking water even during major outages caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding.

Quality of life: planning ahead for parks

East Perry Regional Park (Land Acquisition). With most of Perry’s growth trending east, land acquisition now prevents sticker shock, or missed opportunities, later. Thanks to SPLOST, the City can bank the acreage and phase development responsibly over time. Expect planning that responds to evolving demand (hello, pickleball and youth soccer) and balances active sports with inclusive recreation.

(Note: Planned PTV access to Heritage Oaks Park is temporarily on hold while a developer updates site plans. Flexibility is part of smart implementation.)

The bigger picture

Not every critical project appears on the “Top 10” list. Many upgrades, like recently completed sewer line improvements on Bear Branch, quietly protect service reliability for existing customers. That mix of new capacity and system stewardship is by design.

Mayor Walker’s bottom line: trust the process and the people. Perry’s professional staff is managing your tax dollars efficiently, executing a complex municipal operation with a clear focus on quality of life.

And we’re already looking ahead. As 2026 goal-setting begins, some priorities will carry forward, new ones will emerge, and the plan will keep evolving - just as it has since 2014.


Keywords

Perry Journal   Goals   News   Strategic Plan   2025   Inside Perry Podcast  
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