Resident says dogs, cats running loose pose hazards
by Abbi Swanson · August 20, 2008

A citizen’s concern about a lack of enforcement of leash laws in Lisbon was discussed at length by the city council last week, prompting officials to point out city laws and the police chief to request people call when they see a loose animal.

Lynette Eldred routinely walks her dog daily and told the council in a letter and at the meeting that she has been knocked to the ground and her dog suffered a minor injury during one walk three months ago, and she had been rushed by three dogs during a recent night’s walk within seven blocks of her Lisbon home. She has kept records of sightings of loose dogs over the past six-week period, perceiving an escalation of the problem.

Eldred said she believes this is “a community awareness issue.”

Lisbon has a leash law that states, “It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow an animal to run at large within the corporate limits of the city.” Police chief Rick Scott said he wants citizens to call the police department (455-2452) or City Hall (455-2459) when dogs are loose.

Lisbon resident Kathy Ormond said she had called the police twice in the past to complain about loose dogs and the owners were cited. She said it’s a safety issue and “we’re reluctant to walk up to our neighbor and complain,” but she had experienced no retaliation when she did so.

Scott also said dogs, and cats, are required to be licensed in Lisbon for an annual, renewable fee of $6 per animal. Licenses can be obtained at City Hall. He said cats are as great a problem as dogs, and added that one bit a resident recently.

Council member Stephanie Kamberling said the law is “almost impossible to enforce,” due to officers’ other duties and lack of personnel. Kim Pasker, co-owner of Little Paws Rescue which has contracted with the City of Mount Vernon to help care for stray dogs that are impounded in a city-owned shelter, said fees for caring for animals vary depending on city ordinances and other factors. She has a state-issued dealer’s license and can charge “whatever she wants” to board dogs on a case-by-case basis.

Council member Doug Kamberling said there’s no simple solution and he does not want fees for people who have to retrieve their animals from a shelter to be prohibitively high. The council will research the issue further.



Well hearing set

City engineer Dave Schechinger requested the Lisbon City Council set the date of Aug. 25 for a bid date and public hearing to discuss the proposed well, planned for the Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church building site east of Lisbon along Hwy. 30. Schechinger said the plans and specs for the test well have been prepared. He hopes that will be completed by Sept. 30 and a contract let for the new well immediately if the water quality is acceptable. The well should be completed by the end of November if weather permits.



Tree board changes

The Lisbon City Council, on the advice of city attorney Mark Parmenter and Alan Kemp of the League of Cities, voted to change a city ordinance that concerns the establishment of a tree board. The current ordinance provided for the appointment of five members, including three citizens, the street superintendent and a member of the council. City administrator Chris Yancey questioned the possibility of a conflict of interest and drafted a new ordinance that states four members would be citizens and the remaining one is the street superintendent. A council member could still serve as a liaison to the board.

The council voted 3-1 to approve the new ordinance on its first reading and there was discussion as to holding a public hearing on the matter, and also waiving the second and third readings, an item in the agenda.

Stephanie Kamberling made the motion and John Bardsley and Lance Zerbe voted aye with her, while Doug Kamberling voted nay. Randy Roberts, a council member who was also a member of the tree board, was absent. Doug Kamberling said he voted nay because he felt the issue should have been the subject of a public hearing, which it was not, and also because Roberts was absent. He added that a council member should vote to suspend the rules in a case like this, and the item, which was written on the agenda as a “possible waiving of the second and third readings” of the ordinance, should not have been handled in that manner. City administrator Chris Yancey said, after the meeting in an email, that “there was some confusion” regarding the discussion and the second and third readings of the tree board ordinance changes will be on future council agendas.

Yancey added she had researched the public hearing requirement, and wrote the following: “I have researched the issue of having a public hearing on ordinance changes. In the Iowa Code, there is nothing that states it requires a public hearing, only three separate readings that may be condensed to waiving the second and third. I checked with two other former city administrators, and they concurred. The only possible exceptions there might be would be for zoning issues or sale of property.”

The council also approved the appointment of Diane McAfee to the tree board and the Veterans’ board, and Travis Jubeck to the planning and zoning commission.



Council sells alleys

Lisbon City Council took the final step in the sale of two alleys Monday. A public alley between 111 W. South St. and 115 W. South St., and an alley located between 507 and 511 W. Main were sold, at the price of $250 per half, or $500 for the entire alley, plus legal fees.



History Center

payment waived

The Lisbon Council waived a building lease payment from the History Center to the City of $3,059.58 because the Center has been unable to rent the upstairs apartment in the building for about seven months due to leakage problems. The normal payment schedule, prorated over 20 years, is annual payments of $5,245, and the amount waived equals about seven-twelfths of that, council member John Bardsley said. Council member Stephanie Kamberling said the entire lease should be revisited.



RAGBRAI fee paid

The Lisbon City Council approved a payment of $500 to Johnson County Refuse Hauling for the removal of waste after RAGBRAI came through Lisbon. The council had budgeted $3,000 for expenses related to this item, and spent about $2,460 on porta-potties.



Sprinklers approved

for City Park field

The Lisbon City Council approved a request from parks and rec director Sarah Boots on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Board, to spend $1,500 for an irrigation system for baseball diamonds one and two. The entire project, Boots said, would cost $3,000. Boots said information she received from Lisbon High School baseball Coach Ryan Stensland indicated additional sprinklers would not need more pressure to operate and would not have a negative impact on current water pressure for locations such as the concession stand, a concern of the council.



Nuisance abatement

discussed

The Lisbon City Council approved a motion, 4-0 with Randy Roberts absent, to grant resident Homer Stoneking 10 days to move forward with the clean-up of his property, located at 514 W. Main St. and extensively damaged in a fire that occurred Feb. 10.

Council members and the police chief had received several complaints about the condition of the property, and Stoneking agreed, saying “It’s just a mess. I want to work with the City.”

According to a letter from the insurance company, Continental Fire Adjusters, Stoneking’s loss has been settled and he was paid in July.

Mayor Rex Cook said the city chose to use the nuisance abatement procedure as the best way to approach the problem and to settle the matter rather than the option of citing a municipal infraction, which would involve the court.

After 10 days, police chief Rick Scott is to check with Stoneking on his progress in cleaning up, removing damaged appliances in particular. A building damaged by fire on Stoneking’s property will be discussed at the next council meeting.