Animal control getting new look

Decatur is amending its animal control ordinance, seeking, it was said at the recent city council meeting, “to reframe it.”

The changes were approved on two readings with the third and final reading to come up at at the February 21 council meeting.

“This will give us better clarification” on certain aspects of the ordinance,” Building/Zoning Superintendent Curt Witte said.

“This sort of re-frames it (the existing ordinance),” City Attorney Anne Razo added.

The amendment contains a new section on livestock restrictions, but is meant for households and does not in any way restrict any businesses, officials said.

Prior to the council meeting, Witte talked with the board of works and safety about restrictions on purchases by various departments. He was mainly concerned about emergency situations in which a purchase may be quickly needed, but a wait of two to three weeks to get necessary board of works approval could be a major problem..

He noted that he is the property manager of City Hall and Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert serves in the same capacity for the MERIT Center.

During discussion, it was pointed out that a purchase of up to $5,000 may be made by a department head without board approval. However, a purchase of up to $10,000 can be made without board approval if the department head gets two quotes – or makes an effort to do so – prior to making the purchase.

Any purchase of $10,000 or more requires board approval.

REDIRECT: Council approved on third and final reading an amendment which redirects revenues for mowing nuisances (when the city is forced to step in to mow due to inaction on the part of the owner of the lot).

Those funds will now go into the city’s General Fund.