Waters Addresses City Council
By Sherri Blevins
Freda Waters, representing the Humane Society, addressed the members of the Fort Payne City Council at the November 5, 2019 meeting. She discussed Senate Bill 183, which relates to pet sales. Senate Bill 183 was introduced in the 2019 Legislative session with the purpose of taking away a municipality’s authority to regulate pet retail sales and to repeal any exising ordinances that restricted the sale of pets by a national pet store. The League of Municipalities, the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, the National Humane Society, and the National Animal Control Association opposed this bill earlier in the year, and the bill failed to pass. According to Waters, the bill was filed on behalf of Pet Land, which is a national pet store chain that allegedly sells dogs and cats from puppy mills and catteries. Waters and other members supporting the humane treatment of animals urged the council to pass an ordinance to protect the city’s right to regulate pet sales in its jurisdiction. She cited several reasons that the city should not allow companies that supported puppy mills to operate in the city.
Waters stated, “If the city does not take action against this, we could see a reduction in pet adoptions, higher euthanasia in our animal shelters, and as a result, an increase in local tax dollars that have to be spent each year.”
By being proactive and passing an ordinance, the city would be protected in the event another bill similar to Senate Bill 183 is introduced in the 2020 legislative session.
Then, Cynthia Hancock, DeKalb County Public Librarian, invited the public to visit the library on November 16, 2019, at 1:30 pm for a patriotic presentation by Captain Roger Hill, the author of Dog Company. This book is about an army unit railroaded by a military justice system that puts the lives of the enemy over its troops. Sean Hannity featured Hill on his show, and Glenn Beck and the Washington Post both endorsed his book. Hill will have several copies of his book available to sign and agreed to speak with the public as long as they wanted.
During the business portion of the meeting, the council acted on the following items:
- Appointed Brian Baine to fill a vacancy on the DeKalb Cherokee Gas Board until the end of the term
- Approved Resolution 2019-42 authorizing the application for state matching funds of an apron paving improvement project at the airport at an estimated cost of less than $5,000.00
- Approved Resolution 2019-33 authorizing Watson & Neeley to proceed with any and all actions necessary regarding Amendment 772 as it relates to the “Valley Joist” project off Jordan Road
- Approved Resolution 2019-43, declaring certain Police Department vehicles surplus
- Authorized a “Memorandum of Understanding” between the City of Fort Payne and the Fort Payne Board of Education concerning the use of the new and additional tennis courts (the public may use the courts when not being used by the school)
- Authorized bids for a “Skid Steer Mulcher” for the Public Works Department
- Approved a “One-Time” pay adjustment for the upcoming holiday schedule at $6.50 for full-time employees and $3.25 for probationary employees (two days for Christmas and two days for New Years)
During the meeting, Councilmember Baine announced that Christmas in the Park is scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2019. After concluding its business, the Fort Payne City Council entered into executive session with no further action to be taken.