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Westport leaders ask Decatur County commissioners for animal-control solution as town lacks capacity
Summary
Westport Town Board members told Decatur County commissioners on March 3 that the town’s animal-control ordinance and operations are not working for their community; county legal counsel said an interlocal financial agreement would be required for the county to provide formal coverage.
Westport Town Board members told Decatur County commissioners at their March 3 meeting that the town’s animal-control ordinance is not working for local needs and asked the county to help find a permanent solution.
The matter drew a legal explanation from county counsel: Westport is an incorporated municipality and therefore has the authority to adopt or amend its own ordinances; Decatur County cannot unilaterally enforce county ordinances inside a separate town. County legal counsel said the county and the City of Greensburg have a financial agreement for animal control, but no similar interlocal agreement exists with Westport — the principal obstacle to having county personnel provide regular animal-control service in town.
“The current ordinance that we have is not working,” said Dolores Honeycutt, who identified herself at the meeting as a member of the Westport Town Board. Westport board member Jennifer Riv, who spoke with Honeycutt at the podium, said the town currently has no facility or staff to house or care for animals and that the number of animals is growing; one resident told the board she had “approximately 20 cats” near her property.
County legal counsel Chad explained that Westport may revise or repeal its own ordinance, but that any arrangement for county-provided animal-control services would require a financial agreement between Westport (or a willing municipality) and the county. “There’s no such agreement for Westport,” Chad said. He described several options: Westport could (1) keep and amend its ordinance and build town capacity, (2) vote to withdraw or repeal the town ordinance so the county (or the City of Greensburg under an interlocal agreement) could provide services, or (3) negotiate a new interlocal agreement that specifies funding and responsibilities.
Commissioners and Westport board members agreed to continue conversations. The group discussed the practical limits inside Westport — the town currently lacks transport capacity and staff hours to round up and care for large numbers of animals — and recognized the problem resurfaces when municipal staff are short-handed. A county commissioner said he would meet with Westport board members and other stakeholders; Westport representatives invited county staff to a Monday meeting to continue talks.
No formal vote was taken by the commission on March 3. The record shows commissioners and Westport leaders directed staff to meet and explore an interlocal or other workable arrangement.
Why it matters: Without an executed interlocal agreement or local capacity, Westport residents and local law enforcement lack a clear, funded pathway to remove and care for stray or nuisance animals. The commissioners agreed to follow up with Westport officials and the City of Greensburg to identify options and potential funding or operational arrangements.
Next steps: County staff and Westport representatives will meet to explore drafting an interlocal agreement or other short-term coverage; commissioners asked legal and county staff to help frame possible cost-sharing arrangements and to return with options.
