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OLDTOWN — The City of Oldtown is reexamining its pet ordinance following another complaint from a resident.
At the Oldtown City Council’s Monday, July 13 meeting, a resident returned to complain about an ongoing issue with dog-caused disturbances. Her complaint centered on one Oldtown resident, who owned four hound dogs; under municipal codes, he was only allowed two.
“It’s a nightmare, honestly,” said the resident, who asked to remain anonymous, at the meeting. “I want to sell my house and move. But I can’t afford to do that, and I don’t want to.”
In response to prior noise complaints, the owner in question appeared before the council with a petition, stating that two of his four dogs were aging and expected to die soon. As such, the council allowed him to keep all four, with the stipulation that he make them wear anti-bark collars.
The resident told the council that the owner obtained another dog even after the city informed him of its pet ordinance, which was initially established to address puppy mills. Moreover, the anti-bark collars, while effective, deactivate after five minutes of continuous barking, and the dogs have also taken to fighting each other.
“They had to get the sprinkler off and spray the dogs to stop them from fighting,” she said. “And it was just horrible.”
She alleged that the owner occasionally removed the anti-bark collars, that he intimidated at least one resident into signing his petition and that he was the reason why Rathdrum had an ordinance specifically restricting hound dogs.
Law enforcement has been contacted about the issue several times, she said, with no action taken. Mayor Lonnie Orr responded that it was not law enforcement’s highest priority.
“We need to make ourselves aware of exactly what that ordinance says,” council member Susan Jones said at the meeting.
Later in the meeting, the council agreed to double as the city’s Urban Renewal Board, with board meetings to be held before or after regular council meetings. No one on the water-sewer district board expressed interest in remaining on the Urban Renewal Board, Orr said.
On a related note, the council once again rejected the West Pend Oreille Fire Department’s request to leave the urban renewal district, as the water-sewer district was still $2.3 million in debt and needed the tax revenue.
The water-sewer district recently hired a new employee, whose first day is this or next week.
“He’s used to working in Lewiston,” Orr said. “I’ve got to make him understand we don’t quite have the budget that Lewiston has.”
In other business, Orr announced that the city had been awarded a $129,000 grant from the state Department of Lands, matched by 17% from the city. This will fund improvements at the river boat ramp, which has seen heightened activity from recreationists.
City planner Brian Quayle gave the council an update on Oldtown properties and other affairs.
A city budget hearing is at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10 at Oldtown City Hall, before the regular council meeting.
