Animal control ordinance postponed

Pike County commissioners voted 4-1 to postpone the second reading of an animal control ordinance at their Tuesday, Nov. 26 meeting. Chairman Briar Johnson opposed the postponing the issue. The board will vote on the second reading again at their Wednesday, Dec. 11 meeting which starts at 9 a.m.No discussion of the issue was held prior to the vote. ’I make a motion to postpone this because we are not in the position to implement many of the aspects of the ordinance at this time,’ said commissioner Tamra Jarrett. Jayne Midura of Coco’s Cupboard addressed the board during the public comment portion of the meeting – after the 4-1 vote to postpone the issue. ’This ordinance is very reasonable, very sound and not overly restrictive,’ she said. ‘If we say we’re not going to approve it because we don’t have a way to enforce it, that’s like saying we won’t have stop signs because there’s no way to make sure everyone stops at them. We’ve got to start somewhere. This ordinance does a very good job of covering the basics. We understand it is a living document and changes can be made but we’ve got to start somewhere. We hear from citizens all the time that we’ve got to start somewhere. You’re not going to catch everybody, but you will make an impact on everybody you catch. We have to send a message that Pike County is not a dumping ground for animals, and unfortunately, with your vote tonight, you’ve reinforced that you are not very dedicated to providing animal control.’Midura also addressed the board about the 50-cent rabies vaccination fee, noting that the fee is in place in surrounding counties and people who can’t afford the 50 cent fee should not have pets in the first place. She said the animal control officer would gather evidence and information about nuisance dogs. She noted that Coco’s Cupboard tries to help citizens get low-cost vaccinations through PetSense in Thomaston and Griffin as well as the H.E.L.P. Mobile Clinic. Other citizens asked to talk about the animal control issue, and Jarrett made a motion to allow comments, but the motion died for lack of a second. County manager John Hanson announced that items up for auction through govdeals.com brought the county $11,025 and the funds will be received as the items are picked up. ’We sold all the items up for auction,’ he said. ‘A few of the items were hotly contested. Due to the holidays, it may be next week before they are all picked up and paid for.’Commissioner Carol Bass expressed appreciation to Hanson for salvaging and auctioning surplus items through govdeals.com. ’I think you did a really good job and I look forward to seeing some more stuff salvaged,’ she said.Hanson presented board members with another list of items for surplus, including many items that are in storage at the county’s Adams Street property. ’These items consist of historical items taken from the courthouse during renovation, including historical benches in parts. There are a total of seven and they may be repaired to make benches,’ he said. ‘We have the old door that was the door to the jail cell in the courthouse. There are various chairs and judge’s chairs. We have pavers that were used in front of the courthouse in lots of 50, there were roughly 300 of those. We have pillars that could be used for columns for a porch. They are about five foot tall and we have eight of those. We have rock steps that were in front of the courthouse, wooden chairs, 12 eight-foot doors, printers, copy machines and various non-working items. I ask you to consider these for surplus so we can put them on govdeals and liquidate these items because they are of no use to us at this point.’Commissioner Jarrett asked that the doors be listed individually to give more people an opportunity to own a piece of local history. The county also:’¢ Heard that Old Lifsey Springs Road has been repaired and is re-opened and the pouring of concrete at the Station 8, Gresham Road fire department is complete.’¢ Approved a resolution for the 2-12-13 budget amendment, which was changed according to auditor recommendations regarding a capital lease of equipment for the public works department.’¢ Appointed Jonathan Mayfield to a five-year term on the Pike County Water and Sewer Authority board for a post that expires Dec. 31.’¢ Renewed an alcohol license for retail sale of beer for Mitul Patel at Cadies Corner on Highway 19 in Zebulon.’¢ Renewed an alcohol license for retail sale of beer and wine for Dolores Ferguson at Ferguson’s on Highway 362 in Concord.’¢ Approved the second reading of the revised Disorderly Conduct Ordinance and additional misdemeanor ordinances. ’¢ Approved the hardship application of Robert E. Anderson of Highway 109 in Molena, waiving the residential impact fee for his new home application. ’¢ Approved use of courthouse grounds for Christmas on the Square Saturday, Dec. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.’¢ Heard that contracts for LMIG paving and resurfacing projects were finalized with work to start on Twin Oaks Road and then others in the future. ’¢ Offered condolences to the families of Cindy Foster who lost her husband and Carolyn Williams who lost her mother.’¢ Held a closed session to discuss magistrate court and reconvened to take no action.