City meetings, worksession is 5:30 p.m. Monday.. Regular meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday
The city is fixing to pass an ordinance requiring the licensing of dogs and cats. It will cost you $5 for every spayed animal you have, and $10 for those not "fixed."
* Agenda Items.
* Receive presentation from Winfield Mayor Mike Ledy and Assistant City Manager Gary
Mangus.
* Proclaim October 2008 as Spinal Health Month in Arkansas City.
* Review bids and award contract for Chestnut Avenue underpass paving project.
* Consider ordinance amending Chapter 5.08.070 of the Municipal Code clarifying definitions of Contractor and Business licenses.
* Consider ordinance adopting electric franchise with Westar Energy.
* Consider ordinance adopting dog and cat licensing in the City.
* Consider ordinances levying various special assessments for code enforcement activities including weed mowing, junk vehicles, debris removal, and replacement of sidewalks.
* Consider Mayor’s appointments to City Boards. (Voice vote).
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57 comments:
BULL!
a new tax and who will enforce it and how will it be enforced? The poor animal control officers already get people upset when they pick up animals. This would make the job even harder to do.
I'm guessing this is a money grab. To answer your question. It will be "tell on your neighbor" driven.
Just makes me thankful 1 more time that I live in the county.
Why stop at cats and dogs? Why not chickens, llamas, goats, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, gold fish, snakes, etc?
I mean, if we need money this bad, we might as well go for broke.
Its not much money, just $5 each if they are neutered
Its an attempt to control stray animals i guess.
if they are stray animals, how will another tax help control them?
its the license that does that .. the tax is something else.
We already have to licens our animals. Now a tax, what's next? At a time when most of us are trying to fill our gas tanks, put food on table and wonder if our savings will still be there in a couple of months, we don't need anymore unjust taxes. It's bad enough that we have to decide the fate of 1 cent tax in November.
"Its not much money, just $5 each..."
Sorry jj, I'm not buying it.
Old proverb: "when they say 'it's not about the money, it's about the principle. It about the money' "
Too bad it's come to this. Some people's pets is all they have. I've seen them. Some of these folks are really old, and don't have much. Just a tiny dog or two. Now they are being asked to pay a fee just to keep their beloved pet?
Shame, shame, shame.
That's DISSSSPICABLE!!!
JJ, if they are strays,who is responsible for the money? The person who's yard at the time they are caught?
Can you say communism? Next thing you know, we'll need a license to fart in this town.
$10 may not sound like much too many of us but try living on $600 a month in Social Security and you see just what a hardship those “little” fees can be.
This fee sounds like another way to squeeze a few more bucks out of the city residents during a time when many of us are worried about paying the bills and keeping up with gas prices.
I hope this ordinance is voted down.
"$10 may not sound like much too many of us but try living on $600 a month in Social Security and you see just what a hardship those “little” fees can be.
This fee sounds like another way to squeeze a few more bucks out of the city residents during a time when many of us are worried about paying the bills and keeping up with gas prices.
I hope this ordinance is voted down."
Thank You. It's nothing more than a money grab.
Someone got to thinking...."now if there are 10,000 dogs & cats in town, and we can get $5. or $10. for each one...."
I must say, it's just not a good method of raising revenue. If the city needs more money, there are more appropriate ways to raise revenue. Like...ask. It's a back door tax. nothing more.
How bout some of us who get all the strays dumped in our neighborhood and the Humane society expects you to donate everytime a person brings an animal in. Costs money to do that, costs money to fix them(too much in my book by the way) gotta get this shot and that shot, now another fee? Good grief! I am glad other people feel the same way i do.
I am disgusted that they are trying to find another way to suck our billfolds dry. Not right now PLEASE, especially in the middle of an economy crisis. What does the city want from its citizens, they are already asking us to vote for a sales tax for new roads. We are not rich! Yeah, how the animal cops going to find the time to ticket everyone that does not have their animals licensed or is their idea?
If this is targeting stray cats, then maybe they should try a feral cat program, such as the trap, neuter, return, like they do in the big cities. From my understanding it is a successful program that is really cutting down on the stray cat population.
I just read online that we have a new Director of Administration for the city, which was Archer's old job. I was under the impression (probably the wrong impression) that we didn't really "need" a director, as some of the duties of Director and City Manager were redundant, and that is why Archer eased into the City Manager job so well. I might be wrong. I thought I read it somewhere, probably here in the local gossip column.
If they are redundant, why pay one guy $90k for one job, and $66k for the other, when the guy making $90k can do both, and save the city $66k?
because they can seem to catch em in the traps, been there, witnessed that.
Here is the solution
Vote No on any tax changes
maybe they will get the message that we are getting overburdoned
just wait till we start paying the feds for the 850 billion dollar bailout,, this isnt free money its going to cost us dearly
Maybe we should supply all the dogs and cats with condoms, that will surely cut down on out of control population.
SECTION 1: Section 6.04.150 is hereby added to the City of Arkansas City Municipal Code to
read as follows (new provisions in italics):
6.04.150 Licensing of dogs and cats
1. Registration and vaccination required; fee.
(a) Every owner or harborer of a dog or cat over six months of age shall register the animal with
the city clerk or designated agent(s), by providing: the owner/harborer’s name and address; the name,
sex and description of each dog or cat harbored within the City; and a current, completed certificate of
immunization against rabies for the animal or a statement from a veterinarian certifying that such
immunization would be injurious to the health of the dog or cat.
(b) At the time of registration, the city clerk shall collect an annual registration fee of $5.00 for
each spayed or neutered dog and/or cat; and/or $10.00 for each unspayed or unneutered dog and/or
cat. If proof of spaying/neutering is not presented to the city clerk, the registrant shall pay the
unneutered/unsprayed fee.
(c) The registration shall be valid from the date it is issued until the expiration of the rabies
vaccination, but in any event, no registration shall be longer than 12 months.
(d) The owner/harborer shall register every dog or cat subject to this Section within one year after
the effective date of this Section; and annually thereafter.
2. Tag evidencing registration.
(a) The city clerk or designated agent(s), upon receipt of a valid registration and fee required by
subsection 1, shall deliver to the owner or harborer of the registered dog or cat a tag evidencing
registration. The owner or harbor shall attach such tag to the collar worn by the dog or cat.
(b) Any lost or stolen tag will be replaced by the city clerk upon payment of a $2.00 replacement
fee.
3. Counterfeit tag.
October 7, 2008 Commission Meeting Agenda - Page 23 of 30
It shall be unlawful for any person to attach the City registration tag for a registered dog or cat to the
collar of an unregistered dog or cat, or to attach any false, forged, counterfeit or imitation registration
tag to the collar of an unregistered dog or cat.
SECTION 2. Effective Date.
This Ordinance shall be effective upon the date of its first publication in the official city
newspaper.
Where will it end? Next they'll want us to register our guns.
Leave us alone you commie bastards.
God I hate this town more and more all the time.
If you need money that bad, maybe they should install a cursing jar wherever Mayor Kuhn hangs out.
I guess if the people allow it, it will pass.
They are elected officials and welcome a call or visit from citizens.
Has anyone on here complaining called any of the Commissioners? Better yet, about 500 people show up at the meeting and politely voice your concern.
"because they can seem to catch em in the traps, been there, witnessed that.
October 3, 2008 4:07 PM"
Well i've caught some in traps before and had to let 2 out because I thought it was very inhumane to let them sit around the whole day in 90 + degree weather and that was in the shade. Yeah, you think those 2 gonna go near that trap again????
It's amazing.
I understand that for the past several years the city has not raised the mill levee for property taxes. If this is true I would think they have done everything they can to keep taxes down. I know for a fact the price of EVERYTHING else has gone up. To do this they must have done a lot of cutting to keep things in line.
Now they propose a tax specific to dog and cat owners. Isn't it possible they are doing this so that all property owners don't have to pay the costs of the dog catchers and other services? Maybe they are trying to only charge the people that create the costs?
Ooops, that would make too much sense and there is no way anyone would want to believe it. Then again, I doubt if anyone believes that the city has not raised property taxes in several years.
If this is true, why the complaints? If it is not true, somebody please straighten me out.
How is that going to cut down on the animal control officers job? Think everyone is going to comply? I doubt it, just going to make more work for them. Too many areas in this town is asking for more money in some of the worst times in our economy. Think a little bit.
Maybe the people they should worry about is the ones who are dumping animals off on others. Start trying to catch them and tax those people. I been taking care of strays, because of idiots that like to dump the animals instead of doing the right thing.
what makes you think the city has a money shortage,, we just increased the city manager wage by over 40,000 , getting ready to spend 4 million to relocate services for the new hospitial and building a walking path on the dikes for over 1.5 million and you think we have a money problem haha just a money spending problem
Don't forget the new director of administration the city said they weren't going to fill. His income is $66,500 a year.
Was it director of administration or assistant to the city manager? or are they the same?
What, did I miss "Give Your Buddy a Job" week at the City Hall?
They should advertise it better next time.
Gee sounds just like gun control laws. Cigarette sin tax and the ever famous Arkalalah tax of 1988. And they don't work either!
I agree- The most effective way to deal with this is to give them a call or email them, Send a letter. Or how about we go up to city hall and protest it with signs!! Mine will proudly read: " Stop trying to control MY dog when you can't even control yours" and have a picture of Mell on it.
lmao, lmao, lmao.
" such as the trap, neuter, return, like they do in the big cities"
Not saying I agree or disagree with the ordinance but they also charge you to license your dog in the "big cities". When I lived in NYC, it was $7.00 per year.
In Wichita, it is $18.00 per year and fees are higher if you don't have the animal fixed.
AC's $5 sounds pretty cheap in comparison.
The Humane society website, explains how the trap, neuter, return program works. It is rounding up feral and groups of cats and putting them back instead of overcrowding the animal shelters or having to put them to sleep. It is supposed to be done for a way smaller fee(but you gotta find a veternarian willing to do this). Eventually the whole idea is that over a given amount of time the cat population is vastly reduced.
ver famous Arkalalah tax of 1988
Ok, i want to know about that :)
what happened
its funny how the city manager wants to toot his horn about not raising taxes but then he finds these type of things to stick us with for money. he also thinks its a great idea to charge insurance companies for accident reports because 'thats not the policemans duties to deal with that' Really? Since when? He also stated it wouldnt cost the citizens to do so, just the insurance companies, yeah right, they will raise their rates accordingly and we will pay! Just because 'other cities' do it doesn't make it right or certainly popular. I agree, the city is looking for money grabs and there is surely more to come. Yes they are hurting financially as we all are but is it fair to fill the coffers by screwing over your citizens who are feeling the economic hurt as well? Gas, food, and everything else has doubled but most of us have watched our paychecks and benefits stay the same or even be reduced. Why should we be the ones to cough up more money when we barely have any ourselves? He sure didn't balk at taking that $20,000 raise with a tough budget yet he doesn't mind taking from the employees below him and the citizens he serves. Now that is B******T if ya ask me! And our mayor, well I wont even go there, but all of this should be a wake up call to the people of this town. Do we want people with this kind of mind set running our town? I have lived here all my life and thought I would never leave but I will be moving soon as I cannot tolerate living in Arkansas City anymore. The current leaders and management have turned city hall into a train wreck and no one is calling anyone on any of this but just sitting back and taking whatever they dish out. What we should be seeing is record numbers showing up at the commision meetings and demanding reform of our city government that has gotten way way way way out of hand. The waste, the unethical work given to certain commmisioners, the discrimination, and more needs to stop and stop now. And it starts with the city manager, and we hire him to run the show and we can sure see how he runs his show, and we need to all step up and demand he listen to the citizens concerning these things. We pay him with our hard earned money and deserve a lot better than we are getting. maybe the raise should have waited until he proved he could perform the job, which he has yet to do. and the buddy system should stop, look at the last few top jobs filled, all due to who is whos buddy. What happened to ethics in city government anyway???
Are these meetings open to the public? If so, where are they held and how do you participate in them?
for the 100-millionth time ....
ALL city meetings are open to the public.
worksession is 5:30 p.m. monday
regular meeting 7 p.m. tuesday
first and third week of each month.
come on out;
Mr. Editor, no disrespect, but it might be possible everyone commenting has not been here since you started the blog.
"ver famous Arkalalah tax of 1988
Ok, i want to know about that :)
what happened"
Me Too! What is it? What was it? What? What? What?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Wow James, You don't have to get all temperamental over the question. Just answer it and show that maybe you can be a professional editor of a newspaper. So, For the first time, Stop being a jerk to people.
So, For the first time, Stop being a jerk to people.
yea you all know what a jerk i am :)
Well, what if that was the first time that person had visited your blog? It was probably the last.
^ Exactly! If the question was so annoying to you then why even bother answering it, Someone would of answered it eventually. And to answer one of your blog readers in that tone of rudeness was uncalled for. If you want some respect start showing some.
Give the editor a break, maybe he is having a bad day.
awww....lighten up. chill out. don't worry, be happy :-)
Now that all of the required butts have been kissed, let's get on with the city's business please.
so what does rickandkathy think of the licensing ordinance?
The commission does not clearly understand that it is not just the $5 or $10 fee, it will be the cost of the vet call and rabies shot yearly that will be a hardship to some. Vet prices are outrageous anymore. Shoot, it is cheaper to go to the doctor then it is a vet. I don't understand why strictly indoor animals are being required to get the rabies shot to get a license. What would it be 1 in infinity? The commission should really rethink this one for right now since the economy is collapsing right now and it is very possible this country is headed for another depression. The whole picture should be looked at down the road. The city is asking for us to vote for a sales tax increase for new roads, the utility bill is on the climb, the hospital wants a new hospital. Everything else is going up, but the dollar value is going down and it will even of less value when the bailout money is printed. Until this economic downslide stops I hope the commission will set this licensing issue aside. Well, since everything is adding up to too much for me and I am afraid I will be voting no on the hospital and road sales tax next month.
All dogs have to have a rabies vaccination by law anyway. I do not condone the new tax, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't keep their pets shots up to date. If your pet bites someone, and you cannot show proof of a rabies vaccination, then your pet will have to be tested for rabies, and the person who was bitten will have to start rabies shots. Neither of which will be fun for the pet or person.
BUT, that being said, I have not talked to ONE person who thinks this money grab is a good idea, or is needed.
Well I don't have a dog, I have several cats. They haven't bit anyone yet.
Rabies is not something to play around with! However, I do not support more money to the city. I know they are cutting back, but they need to do it some more.
I heard California just went belly up! I think it's a very bad time to think about spending money on anything! We may have to deal with a smaller version of the new hospital (which they can still build if we vote no to a tax increase), broken roads and dogs running the streets for the time being. Just wait until times get better. It may be another 10 years, but we need to wait.
You can count on my "no" vote on the dog and cat deal. I think it is not needed. From the get-go I have not supported the idea.
I find this issue very interesting. Other than yard parking and the hospital this is one topic that has received more comment and attention BEFORE the vote than most. I'm glad James went to the trouble of posting the days and times of the public meetings again.
Government really does work better when the people are involved. You will see that is the case if you can attend in person. Rick has been there and he has had the ability to have input and be listened to. So have Pearl Turner and Arleta Rice. It is a shame that there are only a handful of regulars. I realize there are others who watch on tv or pull up the video on the city website because that is what works for them, but that still isn't the same as sitting in on the dialogue and adding your comments and questions.
Scott Margolius
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