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Hunting fails to gain city support |
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Tuesday, 10 November 2009 |
By WILLIAM LANEY
Managing Editor
Hunters will be unable to bag a deer within the city limits at the former Wapakoneta Landfill, the Wapakoneta Composting facility or on the Job Ready Sites property which falls under city zoning.
Wapakoneta City Council Health and Safety Committee members plan to recommend to council to maintain the current ordinance which prohibits hunting or the discharge of a firearm within city limits or on city-zoned land. The next city council meeting is scheduled for Monday.
Councilor-at-large and Health and Safety Committee Chair Steve Walter said his committee members understand the two distinct issues before them — hunting within the city corporation limits and hunting on city-zoned property — but they decided against altering city codified ordinances at this time.
“Our feeling is we did not feel we could pen an equitable and manageable solution,” Walter said after the 30-minute committee meeting Monday. “We were unanimous in that we were not in favor of hunting on city property. We are not going to permit hunting at the landfill, and we are not going to permit hunting at the Zink Farm (compost facility).
“Regardless of what else would have been permitted north of the city, it likely would not have the desired impact we would want,” he said. “To that end, if these numbers presented by Police Chief Russ Hunlock grow and become much more significant then it will have to be revisited by whomever is sitting on the Health and Safety Committee at that time.”
Hunlock presented statistics regarding deer in Wapakoneta since 2007. The police chief’s report states 15 times deer have caused property damage within the city, with 12 of those instances being deer involved in motor vehicle accidents.
The majority of the deer and motor vehicle accidents occur in the North Water Street and Redskin Trail area.
Police dispatchers have received 11 calls where deer have been sighted in the city and three calls of hunters illegally hunting deer within city limits.
The issue of hunting on city zoned land arose when a farmer, Alan Frey, approached councilors in mid-September about possibly hunting deer on his property to keep them from damaging his soybean crop.
Auglaize County Game Warden Matt Hoehn, who attended a committee meeting Sept. 25, said crossbow and bow-and-arrow could be permitted and he advised hunters use an elevated platform if councilors permitted hunting.
The discharge of firearms within the city limits and hunting animals, except the extermination of rodents, is prohibited under city ordinance. Councilors would have to pass legislation to permit hunting of deer or other game within the city limits.
Walter said he and his committee members — 3rd Ward Councilor Bonnie Wurst and Councilor-at-large Ed Wallen — believed the existing ordinance should continue to be enforced.
“We just feel the safety risks at this point in time outweigh the potential rewards, which would be marginal at best,” Walter said.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 November 2009 )
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