Ordinance committee votes to raise fines for dog waste

Ordinance Committee members prior their meeting earlier this week when they discussed raising the fines for dog waste. | Donovan Wilson

Posted By: Donovan Wilson August 4, 2023

By Donovan Wilson

The ordinance committee discussed litter and dog waste ordinances at their Aug. 1 meeting earlier this week.         

Directly prior to the ordinance meeting there was a public hearing to speak about both ordinances. No one spoke during the hearing and there was no public participation so when the meeting began, there was no present public opinion weighing on the decisions.

The ordinances proposed would essentially make animal waste being strewn about be classified the same as general litter, rather than in its own category.

At present day, the litter fine is S90 and the animal waste fee is $25. Within this proposed ordinance, the animal waste fine would also be $90, as it would now be classified as litter.

Assistant Corporation Council Tom Conlin started the discussion on these two ordinances by reinforcing that what was being discussed was exactly what the city was looking for.

City Council member Cheryl Thibeault responded by assuring him that that was the case and what the major goal is is to really enforce the rules on dog waste as it’s becoming a more serious issue. that in general litter is taken a little more seriously.

The committee passed the changes. The City Council will take the ordinances for final approval at the next council meeting.

Another major piece of business was the supposed draft on a code enforcement for permitted work. Conlin was to present this draft to the committee, but he had yet to have a full draft as he was waiting to speak to Chief Building Official Rick Brown.

Conlin said Brown had recently spoken to a state associate and possibly had more information, so the draft was carried over to next month.

The committee plans to take up medical waste permitting at its next meeting.

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