By KARLA POMEROY
Several months ago the Basin Town Council heard concerns about cat issues in town and Monday the issue was dogs, specifically a lack of an animal control program.
Anita Eibert came before the council asking what the $15 per spayed/neutered dog or $25 for nonspayed and neutered dogs is used for. She said she has been told in the past it is used for law enforcement to pick up dogs and get them to their owners. However, she said when she contacted an officer about a dog running loose in her neighborhood she was told the officer would not pick up the dog.
Chief Dennis Peters said the usual practice of the department is to pick up the dogs, bring them back to town hall and try and find the owner. He said the only kennel the town has is one the police department purchased but he said there is no place to put the kennel that would provide for easy and proper cleanup with a concrete floor and drain needed.
Eibert said on another occasion when she asked what the funds were used for she was told it was to pay the town of Greybull to take the dogs to its pound; however, Greybull’s animal control officer knew nothing of the arrangement.
Peters said if they are unable to find an owner they take them to the Greybull vet, who houses the dog for a few days while the police attempt to find an owner or get the dog adopted. Peters said they usually can hold the dogs about three days due to cost.
A look at the town budget shows revenues from the dog licenses in 2008-2009 at $6,345. This year the town has budgeted $4,000 with $1,430 brought in to date.
Under the animal control line item, the town has $550 listed in expenses that includes $100 for price of the dog tags and $450 for operating expenses.
Eibert said she feels with the increase in licensing fees, the town should be able to provide for an animal control officer and work toward getting an animal pound to house the dogs.
She also said Saam Vet Clinic veterinarian Gretchen Saam told her that she had donated a dog run to the town. Peters said he was unaware of the donation.
To conclude Eibert said she would like to see the money from dog licenses go to animal control projects in the town. “I’m not seeing anything being done,” she said.
Councilor Mike Lewis said, “I would like to have some type of facility, but it’s cost prohibitive. We would need a lot of donations.”
Other business
In other business at Monday’s council meeting:
• The mayor appointed Ken Fink to the Basin Planning and Zoning Committee.
• The council approved a motion directing the mayor to sign a contract with Hinckley James of Cowley for the next phase of the Basin City Arts Center for the low base bid price of $418,877. Mark Hillman said the mayor would also need to sign a construction change directive, which eliminates some items for the project to bring it into budget. He said the curved railing was changed to a straight railing, the size of the water and sewer lines going out into the street were changed and the heating and cooling unit originally designed to be placed on the roof was brought back inside to the third floor eliminating a lot of duct work.
• The council approved two building permits upon the recommendation of the Basin P&Z. Both permits were for splitting lots, one at 706 S. Seventh for Nancy Hendrickson and the other at 654 North Seventh for Wayne Skarda.
• Basin P&Z Chairman Amy Kania reported on their meeting from last Tuesday. Along with discussing the split lot applications, the committee began reviewing subdivision ordinances from communities in the Big Horn Basin and Sheridan. She said it was decided that a rewrite of Basin ordinances should wait until the town’s master plan is updated.
Kania said the committee will work with Bill Stoelk to develop a building permit and subdivision application checklist packet to be given to each applicant.
She said the committee would also be bringing a change to the town ordinance to develop street standards for 80-feet with two 12-foot travel lanes, two 10-foot parking lanes, a boulevard area in residential and mixed residential and a minimum of 4-8 foot sidewalks for pedestrian and bike travel.
• The council approved a joint powers agreement for the Community Juvenile Services Board to obtain grant funding for a diversion program.