CC Minutes - 10/27/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES Eugene City Council Regular Meeting Council Chamber--City Hall October 27, 2003 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gary Pap6, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Bonny Bettman, Jennifer Solomon, George Poling. Mayor James Torrey called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. 1. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Torrey reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. Janetta Overholser, 30300 Cottage Grove-Lorane Road, Cottage Grove, thanked the council for comments made in regard to the cattery at the previous City Council meeting and for its willingness to reexamine the issue. Ms. Overholser stated that the Animal Welfare Network, an umbrella organization with membership from all of the animal organizations that serve Lane County, operated a booth at the Eugene Celebration. She explained that a petition had been circulated to restore the funding for the Lane County Animal Regulation Authority (LCARA) cattery. She provided copies of the petition, signed by more than 200 people. Noting the question from the council on whether the funding for the cattery that the County had indicated it would provide contingent upon the City's provision of funding would still be available, Ms. 0verholser said e-mails were sent to County Commissioner Dwyer and LCARA lead staff, Mike Wellington. Mr. Wellington ascertained that the funding was still designated for that purpose. Mary Blackburn, 3914 Shasta View Drive, thanked the council for agreeing to review the cattery issue in December. She asserted free cat ads in the newspaper were evidence enough of the need for such a facility. She urged the council to "step up and take responsibility for Eugene cats." She felt ignoring the burgeon- ing cat population and not funding the cattery impacted the entire county. Ms. Blackburn related a story of feral cats living by her husband's office building. She explained that a pregnant cat had given birth to three kittens, now mature, and now had another litter of four. She commented that all of the cats would be breeding in the coming spring and asked councilors to consider the exponential impact. She discussed the cost of spaying and neutering, noting that most people do not have the resources to provide this service for feral cats. Ms. Blackburn asked the council to seriously consider a cat protection ordinance. She alleged the fees generated by this would help offset some of the costs of operating the cattery. MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 27, 2003 Page 1 Regular Meeting