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Board seeks clearer process for reporting water hazards after residents spotted deceased deer in canal
Summary
After residents reported a dead deer floating in a canal, city staff told the advisory board to call the nonemergency number for hazards outside business hours and to contact the street department during business hours; police boat assistance is available for in-water removal.
A resident raised a report of a deceased deer in a canal and asked the Freshwater Advisory Board for a clear process to notify the city when hazards appear in waterways. Becky said for hazards that present immediate safety concerns outside business hours, residents should "call the nonemergency number" so dispatch can route the issue; during business hours, the street department is the contact for removal.
Becky explained the nonemergency line will dispatch and may call Scott or the crew chief and that, when needed, the Police Department's boat has been used to remove large carcasses. "If there's a hazard, just like any other hazard, it is, call the nonemergency number," she said; a board member reported police did come with a police boat and remove the deer in one recent incident.
Why it matters: hazards such as sinking boats, debris, rotting docks or animal carcasses can pose public-safety and water-quality risks; the board requested a documented city contact and response process so volunteers and residents know how to report and escalate issues.
Practical follow-ups recorded at the meeting: document the nonemergency call procedure for after-hours hazards, specify that the street department handles removal during business hours and confirm the police boat as a response asset when in-water retrieval is required.
No formal policy was changed at the meeting; the discussion produced an expectation that staff will document and publish a clear reporting process for water hazards.
