Committee presents animal control ordinance draft

STAFF REPORTS

CENTRE — County Administrator Tim Burgess presented the county’s first draft of an animal control ordinance to the Cherokee County Commission during a meeting Monday morning.

Burgess was appointed by Probate Judge Melvyn Salter to supervise the five-man committee that wrote the ordinance. He suggested to Salter and county commissioners Lori Owens, Elbert St. Clair, Carlton Teague and Kimball Parker that a date be set aside for public comments on the proposed ordinance before it is adopted.

“We feel as a committee that this is our starting place,” Burgess said as he presented copies of the 13-page ordinance. Commissioners St. Clair and Parker, along with Sheriff Jeff Shaver and Solid Waste Supervisor Wayne Cochran, also served on the committee with Burgess.

Burgess told the commissioners the ordinance provides for an animal control officer and an animal shelter, and establishes procedures for handling the types of animal-related complaints the County Commission office receives on a daily basis.

“It is going to address nuisance animals, dangerous and vicious animals, stray cats and dogs, livestock and barnyard animals,” he explained.

Salter announced three one-hour sessions, to be held Sept. 4 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., for commissioners to hear from the public. He said the commission will take any public comments under advisement and either accept or reject the ordinance at its Sept. 24 meeting.

Copies of the proposed ordinance are available for free at the County Commission office, located at the rear entrance of the county Administrative building in Centre.

Voters in Cherokee County last fall gave approval for the county government to exercise certain health and safety powers granted by the state Legislature in the Alabama Limited Self-Governance Act of 2005.

As a result, county officials may adopt ordinances and implement rules and procedures for the abatement of certain public nuisances, including weed control, animal control, litter, junkyards, noise, unsanitary sewage and pollution.

In April, Burgess told The Post the county also hopes to pass ordinances dealing with sewage and litter.