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Resident urges city to stop chemical spraying in local retention pond after pet deaths
Summary
A neighbor of a city detention pond asked the Sustainability Advisory Board to halt herbicide spraying and consider treating the site as green space after two household dogs died; staff said the matter falls under another department and they will investigate.
A neighborhood resident told the City of Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory Board that herbicide or other chemicals sprayed in a nearby detention pond have recently coincided with the deaths of two dogs and asked the city to stop the spraying and treat the site as green space.
James Ponzer, who identified his address and said he lives adjacent to the retention pond between Newark Avenue and Baldwin Avenue, said both his dog and a neighbor’s dog died after recent chemical applications. “The poison’s gotta stop,” Ponzer said, and asked the board to consider the pond as habitat for birds such as sandhill cranes and to involve the Department of Natural Resources if necessary. He offered to help maintain the area at no cost.
Board members thanked Ponzer for raising the concern and noted the detention/retention ponds are managed by a different city department. Emma said staff received only surface‑level information and that city staff would investigate further and bring additional details to a future meeting so the board and relevant departments can determine appropriate follow‑up.
The board did not take formal action on the public comment but asked staff to seek more information from the department responsible for detention pond maintenance and report back.
