On March 28, 2015 the City Council held an Animal Control Hearing at the WPPOA clubhouse.
The meeting had originally been planned at a prior City Council meeting to be be an Animal Control Workshop. At that same meeting, Mayor Clement was tasked to hold a public hearing on fireworks.
Clement has not yet planned a fireworks hearing. If held, citizens and Aldermen will be discussing the sell of fireworks by Mr. W Fireworks, who also happens to be a campaign contributor to the Sandy Oaks Political Action Committee. SOPAC members include the Mayor and 3 of the 5 Aldermen.
Clement also announced beforehand that the meeting would not have minutes taken.
Before the meeting, Alderman Micki Ball sent out an email to people on her city email list with the following message:
Ball claimed the meeting was a workshop, but said the Mayor was calling it a public hearing.
Mayor Clement started off the public hearing by slamming his gavel and sheepishly saying “Workshop.” He admitted he got the two confused.
Animal Control
Mayor Clement talked about the issue of animal control and possible remedies. He mentioned having a leash ordinance “at minimum”, having pets micro-chipped, having kennels the city could keep animals in, and even said he wasn’t against the idea of euthanasia. Clement also added
Of all the things we’ve had to do, since we became a city, [animal control] is the one that has been brought up the most.
Alderman Micki Ball gave information about local services in Bexar County that spay and neuter animals. She also mentioned she was looking at a plot of land that the city could use for kennels. She suggested that the community was made up of “DIY individuals” and that perhaps everyone could donate the materials to build a kennel.
The high cost of running a kennel and the need to meet strict state guidelines was also discussed.
An ordinance was read to the room by Jesse Gutierrez, who claimed to have helped the City of Florseville with their animal control ordinance.
Communication
The audience at the meeting was made up of 6 people.
Catherine Rendahl, who regularly attends meetings, asked the City Council to consider a way to communicate to the community other than the city website and emails. She reminded the Council that they had previously discussed signage in the city and asked where they were on getting something done.
Alderman Micki Ball responded to Rendahl saying
It’s on my menu of things to do. Between working, dealing with other things – there’s only so many hours in the day. If you have suggestions then I’m certainly open to them.
Rendahl responded “I’m suggesting you put signs up.”
Later in the meeting, Alderman Ball said she was disappointed at the lack of involvement in the community because so few people showed up to the meeting saying
A whole contingent of animal activists in the community and not a single one showed up.
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