Rockford discusses properties, animals
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By Christa Jennings
Senior staff reporter
The December meeting of the Rockford Town Council saw mostly discussion and little action as the Town Council discussed various properties in town, animal control and more.
Aside from approving the November meeting minutes and financial statements, the Council, with Councilmember Shirley Ogle absent, unanimously approved moving Sue Peoples from contract labor to part-time maintenance. It was stated that she had worked in the position for about seven to eight months at the time of moving her to part-time.
The only other action item saw the Council unanimously approve for Mayor Scott White to move forward with looking into a Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, for the demolition of the old school auditorium.
In discussion, White said that he would prefer taking the grant route rather than spending town funds to tear down the building. He added that if approved for the grant, there would be no required match by the town for funds.
In further discussion, White asked the Council if it wanted him to move forward with looking into a CDBG for razing the building, adding that it was probably the best route and that the site could be a good parking lot.
After discussion, Lynn Anne Castleberry made a motion for White to proceed with looking into the grant, and Nieshia Whetstone seconded the motion, which was then unanimously approved.
Following those two action items, the rest of the Council’s agenda included four discussion items.
Regarding the old Rockford elementary school on County Road 18, formerly the Rockford Council of Arts and Crafts building, at that time White reported that the facility’s kitchen was about 90% complete and that the building is once again being rented out.
White stated that the town will probably increase the rental fee this year to recoup its costs from improvements made at the facility.
Also regarding the building, White discussed the naming of the old school facility, stating that he was looking for ideas. Castleberry and Councilmember Robert Smith suggested simply “The Old School on 18.”
It was suggested to perhaps consider public input, and since then the town has made a Facebook post asking for suggestions on naming the facility. The Council plans to revisit the matter at this month’s meeting, postponing the issue to its next meeting.
In other business, the Council discussed animal control, with White stating that the town has a leash law and an ordinance regarding animals.
He said that the town has had an issue with some of the same animals routinely roaming through town, contacting the owner and then having to try to keep the animal contained until the owner can come pick it up.
He mentioned that the town has utilized the Sheriff’s Office a couple of times to help with containing an animal. In discussion he said he has looked at the grassy area behind Town Hall that the town could potentially install a gate and use to contain animals until the owner can come.
However, he said the biggest problem is strays, with area animal shelters not taking animals from Coosa County. He said the majority of animals seen in town are not strays, but that it becomes a problem when it is a stray and trying to determine what to do with it.
He said in the past they have relied on each other and trying to help find homes for stray animals since shelters and rescue groups have not taken them.
“It’s a never-ending thing, but there’s no right answer or no solution to the problem because there’s not an animal shelter, and every other animal shelter in every other county is at capacity,” White said.
Smith asked if it is a known stray if the town can just take them and have them put down, or euthanized. Town attorney Tom Young said the problem is determining if the animal is actually a stray or someone’s dog.
Young further mentioned a law enforcement aspect to the issue, adding that it is problematic. In ongoing discussion, White said the town ordinance refers to feeding strays and that people do not help by feeding them, stating that the ordinance reflects that if someone feeds a stray then they take ownership of the animal.
In discussing it sometimes being the same animals that show up roaming in town, Young asked if there are any return charges or fees for those picking up their pets. White said that he wanted Young to look into that because “that’s where you get attention.”
“When people start paying fines and those sorts and hit those pocketbooks, that’s when people open their eyes,” White said. “We don’t mind helping, but we can’t continue to every single couple days the same animal’s out.”
In further discussion, Castleberry referred back to Smith’s question and said that the town would be hard pressed to find a veterinarian who is going to euthanize a healthy dog, adding that the town would also incur the expense of having the dog put down if it did take that route.
“There’s just a lot of moving parts,” Young said. “It seems to be an easy fix, and it’s really not. There’s got to be one, but where do you house them? You’ve got laws on the books that says we’ve got to pick them up. What do you do when you pick them up? Who’s caring for them then? Where’s that expense? If there’s fines and court costs, what are they going to be?”
White mentioned it being a problem in town with complaints of animals “running crazy” and saying the town needs to do something about it.
“Everybody always wants the government to solve the issue,” he said.
He added that a low-cost spay and neuter voucher event is periodically offered at PetSense in Sylacauga, which is open to Coosa County residents to have the opportunity to get their pet spayed or neutered for $30. However, he said the number of people from Coosa County who participate in that opportunity is “very minimal.”
“You just can’t make them do it, but then they rely on the government to fix the issue,” White said. “Love to help, but there are certain things that we can and can’t do.”
Following discussion, the Council postponed the matter and did not take action on it.
In other business, White said that Alabama Power is going to update some of its systems, which he said will hopefully help with some of the recent power outages.
The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Rockford Town Council will be held Tuesday, January 20, at 6 p.m.
The audio recording of the December meeting is available here.
