Resident raises concern about animals

The City of Portland is considering how to solve the issue of dogs and cats running loose through the city. 

Portland City Council agreed to look into strengthening its animal-related ordinances at its meeting Monday. 

Council members also raised the water and sewer deposit and approved the budget for 2019. 

Portland resident Mark Iliff expressed his frustration with the lack of consequences for people whose pets run free and attack other people and animals. 

“This has been over 10 years I’ve been working on getting some ordinances passed in this town on animal control,” Iliff told the council. “Somebody’s gonna get hurt or killed, and if it’s a child, it’s all on you guys’ head.” 

He referenced an incident this weekend when a dog tried to bite him in his garage as he was getting out of his car. Other residents have had their small dogs attacked while they were walking them, Iliff said, and he knows someone who was bitten on the leg while jogging. 

Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman said he had discussed possible ordinances with Portland Police Department and Midwest Pet Refuge, a local non profit animal shelter. 

Currently, the city’s ordinance stipulates that pet owners can’t let their dogs or cats run at large without a leash, and that owners are liable for damages caused on someone else’s property. It also provides the procedure that must be followed after an animal bite and the consequences for pet owners if their animal is running loose. 

Council member Kent McClung suggested looking into what Portland could do to make its ordinances stronger and put more responsibility on the pet owners. 

“I guess I would ask is that we look at what our ordinances are now, what the state statutes are and what we can do as a city, because I’m with you,” McClung said. “I’ve had dogs get loose from a neighbor before and about corner me, it’s not a good situation.” 

Some suggestions were that animal owners provide proof of insurance to cover animal bites and damage, or requiring fences for dogs of a certain size. 

Also on Monday, council members approved an ordinance raising the water and sewer deposit from to $100 from the current $75. The change only applies to residents creating new accounts. Money from the deposit stays in a fund until the account is closed, then is refunded minus the amount of the resident’s final bill.

Council members Janet Powers, Bill Gibson, Michelle Brewster, Don Gillespie and McClung, absent Judy Hedges and Judy Aker, also approved the 2019 budget. It is $8,077,781 and will be sent to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance for review. The budget for 2018 was certified at $6,929,677. 

In other business, council: 

•Heard an update on curbside recycling. Previously, Geesaman had told city officials Portland’s new three-year contract with Rumpke might have to be reworked because of a lack of funding. Now there is uncertainty over whether the U.S. will continue to be affected by tariffs imposed on recycling by China. 

“Right now nobody knows what’s going to happen,” Geesman said. 

If the recycling program does continue, however, the city may request funds from the Jay County Solid Waste Management District, which had previously provided the city a $10,000 grant but had cut it from next year’s budget. 

•Established a fund for the grant Portland received from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to pay for the downtown redevelopment plan.

•Learned that Indiana Department of Transportation will approve the replacing of “no engine braking” signs throughout the city.