ANDERSON — The city will not have an animal control commission that has power to pass policies regarding animal care, despite consideration in recent months of making the existing advisory board more authoritative.
The Anderson City Council on Thursday approved an animal control ordinance that had been tabled for several months due to unanswered questions posed by council members. The adopted legislation did not include the creation of an authoritative animal control board, leaving it up in the air whether the seven-member advisory board would continue to advise the Board of Public Safety on animal control issues.
Public safety Chairman Dick Wiley said he asked the board to remain intact for advisory purposes but had not received an answer.
“There’s a lot of knowledge in these people,” Wiley said.
The Animal Control Commission was recreated in April by Mayor Kris Ockomon after being disbanded in 2005. In its short life, the commission considered and clarified ordinances relating to animal care in the city and worked to update them to match surrounding cities.
Issues involving animal control will be considered by the Board of Public Safety.
The ordinance also set adoption fees at $100 for dogs and $85 for cats, a price Wiley said was equal to that of Indianapolis’ animal control.
Councilman David Eicks voiced concerns that the fees were too high and would keep residents from adopting from Anderson Animal Care and Control.
“I’m very, very concerned we’re going to price ourselves out,” he said, citing brochures that had announced the higher fees before Thursday’s ordinance was approved. “If you’re a citizen of Anderson, this ordinance has already been passed as far as these adoption fees.”
Eicks said the facility could avoid raising adoption fees by hiring a veterinarian to perform spay and neuter procedures in-house.
The ordinance also set a licensing fee of $20 before an unlicensed impounded animal would be returned to its owner and fees of $50 for the first offense, $100 for second offense and $250 for third and subsequent offenses for owners reclaiming impounded animals.
The ordinance strengthened regulations on unrestrained and vicious animals and required that vicious animals must be spayed or neutered before being released from Animal Care and Control.
----------
In other City Council business:
— The council approved the city’s 2009 budget.
— The council approved a six-month moratorium on billboards.
— The council approved economic revitalization areas for the Marina I L.P. and Irving Materials Inc. and NorthStar Aerospace.
— The council designated economic revitalization areas for two homes on Fairview Street and set public hearings for them.
— The council authorized transfer of funds between several accounts for cash flow purposes until the city gets its tax draw, expected in February.
— The council amended the city’s personnel policy to allow non-union personnel to contribute sick and vacation days to a time bank.
Local News
11:10 p.m.: City won't authorize animal control board
- Local News
-
-
Anderson man dies at Monroe Reservoir; 3 others arrested
Memorial Day weekend took a tragic turn Saturday evening as an Anderson man visiting Monroe Reservoir died. Three other Anderson men were arrested later that day following the death of Matthew Hosier, 29.
-
Getting Together: Silence not golden for this library program
Certain rules govern almost all libraries: be quiet, don’t mar the pages and absolutely no food or drinks on the premises. But a small group of patrons wait until after hours, lock themselves in the back room of the Alexandria-Monroe Public Library, eat popcorn, drink soda and loudly scoff as they watch bad movies.
-
Veteran receiving Bronze Star 68 years late
An Army veteran will be awarded a Bronze Star on Memorial Day — 68 years after he was originally supposed to receive it.
-
Memorial Day activities set
For Memorial Day weekend, here’s a list of activities to participate in.
-
Arrest Log: May 28
Arrests made by Madison County law enforcement on Saturday, based on Madison County Jail records. Charges are recommended by arresting officers, but are not final until the Madison County prosecutor reviews the case and files official charges.
- Conservation officers arrest Anderson boater on alcohol charge
-
What's Where: May 28
Local activities are scheduled Monday.
-
Handicapped murder convict alleges prison discrimination
Since October 2006, Donald Lock has been confined to a wheel chair because of a degenerative bone disease. He has spent time at correctional facilities throughout the state, but it wasn’t until he was transferred to Pendleton earlier this year that he said he felt his disability was ignored.
-
Arrest log: May 27
The following arrest log appears in the Sunday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Parents at Little League say coach took money
Parents of the North Anderson Little League filed a complaint with police against a former coach who they say stole fundraiser money.
- More Local News Headlines
-
