Humane Society delivers report of improvements
Logan County Humane Society demonstrated its new transparency Tuesday evening by delivering a brief report to Sterling City Council.
The organization’s board of directors and staff have been overhauled since early December and board member Kelly Nestor assured the council service has improved. The Society had come under scrutiny in late 2023 as complaints of dog attacks against people and other dogs prompted citizens to plead with City Council for better animal control.
Nestor’s board and the LCHS staff have logged several major benchmarks in the past two months. Nestor said response time on loose dog calls has fallen to an average of seven minutes when staff is on duty. When animal control officers are on call, response time does go a little longer, she said.
One improvement Nestor mentioned is that mail service has been restored on all but one street as dog owners have kept their pets under control. The Sterling postmaster last year told the council mail delivery was being suspended on some streets because carriers had been attacked. Nestor said mail should be fully restored soon.
The council also learned that the number of dog-at-large citations has increased exponentially beginning in December. LCHS also has a policy that when a dog is picked up, its owner is served with a citation when the dog is reclaimed.
Board meetings also are open to the public at the beginning of the meetings so LCHS can respond to complaints before citizens complain to City Council.
Councilman Albert Delgado, who has been the most vocal critic of the Humane Society, said he appreciates the new transparency but wants assurance that reports will be delivered in a timely manner and that contracted services are being provided.
Discussion then turned to licensing of dogs as a possible animal control measure. City Attorney Matthew Richardson told the council the city now requires all dogs to be vaccinated for rabies, but a general licensing is not required. He said the council would have to create an ordinance if licensing is desired.
In other business Tuesday the council:
• Approved a liquor license renewal for Reata Petroleum at 2170 E. Chestnut St.;
• Approved a resolution engaging Lauer, Szabo & Associates to conduct a 2023 audit of the city;
• Approved an application for a federal grant of $449,000 to rehabilitate the apron at Sterling Municipal Airport. The city would match with nearly $25,000;
• Approved a resolution changing the language of the intergovernmental agreement with the State of Colorado clarifying ownership of a live fire training facility to be built in Sterling;
• Approved a bid from C&R Electrical Contractors of Northglenn, Colo., for $148,140 to upgrade lighting at Mason Softball Field to include LED lighting and an integrated control system.