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City To Tackle Trapping Issue |
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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — Members of a city committee next week will hear discussion on possible legislation regarding the trapping ordinance within St. Marys.
Judy Weng addressed St. Marys City Councilors Monday night regarding residents along Hillcrest Drive reportedly trapping animals kept as pets and releasing them in the country without food or water. Weng said the pets, specifically cats, are being baited with shrimp left in traps.
“One neighbor has lost four cats,” Weng said. “They are all spayed and neutered.”
Weng pointed out the city’s ordinance regarding trapping indicates residents cannot trap animals like squirrels, skunks and raccoons, but does not prohibit the trapping of dogs, cats or other domestic animals. Weng said she would like councilors to address the matter.
“My neighbor lives alone and comes home from work and cries,” Weng said. “To me, it’s no worse than kidnapping.”
Weng said she and her neighbors first began noticing some of the animals were missing during the early summer months.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s animal cruelty,” Weng said.
City Law Director Kraig Noble said the trapping ordinance includes language related to animals that typically are hunted and does not include language regarding domestic animals. Noble said as the way the law is currently written, it is legal to trap cats.
Councilors voted unanimously to refer the matter to members of the safety committee, who will hold at meeting at 5:45 p.m. Monday in council chambers. The home owners reportedly involved in the trapping also will be invited to attend, along with the game warden.
Councilors also received an update on the income tax collection receipts for the year. Through Sept. 30, the city has collected approximately $2.69 million in taxes from the 1 percent and 0.5 percent income taxes. Last year at the same time the city collected $3.69 million in income taxes.
“We’ve been able to make the necessary cuts to spend only what we bring in and not dip too much into the coffers,” Safety-Service Director Tom Hitchcock said. “We have been watching expenditures in all accounts.”
As councilors prepare to approve the 2010 budget, Hitchcock said he plans to use conservative estimates when preparing the spending document.
“We are keeping it modest,” Hitchcock said. “We base some projections on the auditor’s estimate but I cannot imagine it will be any higher than this year. We will probably budget to what we collected this year and it may even be lower than that.”
In other business, councilors:
• Tabled the second reading of an ordinance regarding the rezoning of 5.04 acres of land between the Miami and Erie Canal and the St. Marys River.
• Set an electric committee meeting for 5:15 p.m. Monday and a finance committee meeting for 5:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers.
The next meeting of the St. Marys City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the city building located along East Spring Street. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 02 November 2009 )
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