Water/sewer rates go up for August bill
The Jefferson city council at its June 22 meeting approved the first reading of an amended animal protection and control ordinance to address feral cat colonies, but not without discussion.
Council member Matt Wetrich, a wildlife biologist by profession, noted that the proposed ordinance doesn’t address public health concerns raised by feral cats, the welfare of the cats, or the impact of feral cats on wildlife.
The ordinance requires those who feed colonies – called “caretakers” in the ordinance, to report their location and the number of cats to city officials. It also requires caretakers to provide for the medical needs of the cats, and to put the cats through a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program.
Wetrich said he’d like to see the council “button up” caretakers’ accountability, and that thinking caretakers would report to the city is “pie in the sky.”
He also suggested there be a way for neighbors of colony caretakers to know their options in dealing with cats that continue to be a nuisance.
“I think doing nothing over the last several years, we’re endorsing letting animals run at large,” answered mayor Matt Gordon. “This is a starting point, in as humane a way as we can figure, to use TNR and give it a try.”
Gordon called the proposed amendment “just a starting point to do something rather than nothing,” and pointed out the amendment has the support of People for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). PAWS has done TNR with about 50 feral cats since last fall, and reports fewer kittens in colonies this spring.
Wetrich said he’d be more comfortable if there were a way to have the cats adopted rather than being “re-abandoned” after they’re trapped and neutered.
“I don’t know for sure that TNR will help, but I don’t see how it’s going to hurt,” said council member Darren Jackson, a member of the council’s animal control committee. “I don’t think there’s the will to euthanize cats. I don’t think that will ever pass.”
Council member Dave Sloan, who worked with Jackson on the proposed amendment, said he’d like to see the city try it for a couple of years and see how it works, with the possibility that it be tweaked. It’s the start that we need,” he said.
The council approved the first reading unanimously, although Harry Ahrenholtz was absent.
The council approved the first reading of amendments to two other ordinances. The first allows the city to disconnect water service to vacant properties rather letting charges continue to accrue. The amendment also adds rates to be charged to tie in to a fire hydrant as happens sometimes during construction projects.
The second amendment would allow terraces, decks and patios to be built on the front of a house. The current ordinance allows only porches with roofs. The amendment specifies skirting on decks and setbacks from property lines.
The council approved the third and final readings of ordinances to increase water rates by 3 percent and wastewater rates by 5.5 percent. The changes will go into effect July 1 but residents won’t see the increase until the August billing cycle.
The council held public hearings and then approved the sale of three city-owned vacant lots: 705 W. Adams St to Think Big LLC for $500; 607 W. Lincoln Way to Jeff Richardson and Gina Thompson for $1,000; and 703 N. Chestnut St to Judy Kolbeck for $250.
The open forum at the beginning of the meeting lasted 20 minutes. More often there is no one there to address the council.
Three neighbors on W. Sunset Rd were there to ask the council to approve a stiffer ordinance pertaining to what can be placed or stored on a property. The three all spoke of the same neighbor who allegedly has had several vehicles in various stages of disrepair, a fire truck, a skid loader, construction roll-offs and more on his property. All three reported having talked with the city zoning officer and the Jefferson police department more than once in recent years. They’re afraid their property values are declining due to their neighbor’s property. By consensus, the council directed zoning officer Chad Stevens and city attorney David Morain to move forward on updating the relevant ordinance.
Roger Nielsen was there to voice his support for the work of the Jefferson fire department in dealing with the fire at Landus Coop last May and the continuing smolder at the site. He encouraged the city to update contact information for building owners and inventories of any hazardous substances in every building, (County emergency management director Dennis Morlan has most of that information and it is available to fire departments.) Nielsen also mentioned the new hazard of a fire of an electric car because of the vehicle’s lithium batteries.
