City discusses animal control ordinance

Just about two years after amending the city's animal control ordinance, the Concordia city commission revisited the topic during its regular meeting on Wednesday night.
The commission voted in November of 2018 to eliminate breed-specific language from the animal control ordinance, as well as remove the prerequisite for the licensing of some breeds of a Canine Good Citizens certificate and removed language addressing wild canine hybrids and wild feline hybrids.
“What the goal was was to shift that burden from what breed of dog it is to essentially the type of owner. We wanted to hold those people accountable for what was taking place. For the most part, we have been successful,” city attorney Justin Ferrell said. “We have had occasions where it has been bad enough that not only has the animal been taken, but we have had owners that the judge has ordered   them to no longer be allowed to have animals within the city limits.”
Ferrell said that there have been some issues that have come up in regards to the animal control ordinance.
“We have lately had an uptick in animal control issues, especially in the last couple of months,” Ferrell said.
Ferrell informed the commissioners that there has been an increase in reported dog bites.
There is a city ordinance in place to address dog bites which includes investigations, citations and restitution, but does not address quarantining of the animal after they bite a person or another animal.
In most instances involving a dog bite, the animal is allowed to be quarantined at its home.
“That is just simply not working,” Ferrell said of the animal being quarantined at home. “I do understand that there is a possibility that we could have our shelter fill up rather quickly. I do also understand that there is a price paid every day when the animals are taken to the shelter.”
Ferrell said that he had worked with animal control, law enforcement, and Megan Murdock, city court clerk, and discussed possibly having a reduced rate for the cost of having an animal quarantine at the shelter.
It was suggested by Ferrell that an ordinance be drafted and adopted that when animals are involved in a situation where they have bitten a person or other animals, they be quarantined at the owner's expense for 14 days from the date of the bite.
Ferrell also brought up the issue of fostering animals within the city, namely dogs.
The city has received numerous calls regarding dogs being fostered that are fighting, as well as alleged neglect, incessant and aggressive barking and large amounts of fecal matter piling up in yards due to a large number of dogs being fostered.
Ferrell reported to the commission that it has risen to a point where neighbors' ability to lawfully enjoy their homes, notably their backyards, has been encroached upon.
The fostering of animals is governed by the Kansas Animal Pet Act, which outlines methods of legally fostering animal. For the most part, those regulations appear to be followed by pet fostering families.
Ferrell informed the commission that the act does not address many of the issues that arise locally, and he believes it would be beneficial to create a local licensing ordinance for the fostering of animals to ensure that foster homes are safe and are not interfering with the homes around them.
Suggested parts of the licensing could include setting up parameters for the size of yards and number of dogs allowed to be fostered; home inspections to make sure animals are taken care of, fed and not neglected; registering of all animals when they come into possession of the foster home; an annual fee; and the ability to revoke a license and shut down a foster home for violation of such duties.
It was decided that the commission would further discuss the animal control recommendations during a
study session during its next meeting on October 21.
In action taken during the meeting, the commission approved an ordinance changing the total wastewater treatment plant fee to $13 per month effective December 1, 2020, and adding a new section to charge for requested meter reads.
Currently the wastewater treatment plant fee is $10 per water meter which is being used to pay for the improvements to the wastewater treatment plant.
The city closed on bonds on Thursday in the amount of $4,045,000 to fund construction of Phase II of the treatment plant improvements.
An ordinance approved by the city commission in 2013 established a fee of $5 per meter, per month. An additional $5 fee per month was added in 2014.
It was originally planned to add another $5 per month fee in 2020.
The city has now lowered that to a $3 per month fee.
The $2 per meter, per month fee that had been attached to the utility bills to fund the improvements at the Municipal Swimming Pool will be removed at the end of the year. With the $3 fee being added, it will be a net increase of $1 per month.
A new section is also being added to the ordinance to allow the city to charge a fee in the event that a customer requests a meter read if the city determines the request is unnecessary. It allows for charging for time spent by the meter reader and the utility billing clerk.
The commission also approved an ordinance amending the city code to add College Drive as an emergency snow route.
College Drive is already a priority for clearing of snow due to high traffic volume traveling the route to access Cloud County Community College and Walmart.
Cloud County Health Center will be building a new, modern medical facility on College Drive, further solidifying the need to prioritize the street in the event of a snow event or other disaster.
An ordinance updating the annual Uniform Public Offense Code was approved the commission.
The commission approved fundraisers for the city's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2021 and authorizing related necessary expenditures from the general fund, not to exceed a total of $15,000, with the understanding that all expenses for the 150th Celebration will ultimately be supported by fundraising activities.
There will be events taking place throughout 2021 as Concordia celebrates its 150th anniversary of incorporation.
The largest event planned is the Celebration Day on August 14. It will include the opening of the time capsule buried in City Park on August 14, 1971, and the reading of the original articles of incorporation of the city from August 1871.
The Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee also has other events planned for the day including a free swim night, multiple recreational sports tournaments and a free public meal including birthday cake and ice cream.
In order to cover the cost of the planned activities, the committee plans to sell items to commemorate the 150th anniversary.
The committee has decided to partner with Cloud County Travel and Tourism and Britt's Fountain & Gifts to sell the commemorative items. It will also partner with Corner Liquor and Liquor Outlet to sell a limited number of bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey featuring the 150th logo etched in them.
The city anticipates the sale of the items will generate approximately $3,500 needed to support the planned activities.
Commemorative items to be sold throughout the year, along with the bottles of whisky, include Christmas ornaments, t-shirts, travel mugs and glasses, window decals and ice scrapers.
Revenue and expenses for the items will be tracked within the city's general fund budget for the celebration.
The partner vendors will receive a commission for selling the items.
The commission also approved the mayor to sign the audit engagement letter with Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips for the year ending December 31, 2020, in the amount of $13,000, to be paid from one half from the general fund and one half from the water/sewer utility fund.
Reappointing Troy LeDuc to another three-year term on the Planning Commission and appointing R. Kent Anderson to the commission for a three-year term was approved by the commission.
The commission also approved reappointing Tammy Britt to another three-year term on the Board of Zoning Appeals and appointing Anderson to a three-year term to fill a vacant position.
Mayor Mark Matthew proclaimed October 24 as World Polio Day.